RSA: The Power of People for Transformative Change - “Connect: Create: Collaborate”

What are the differences between community, network and movement?

How do we harness the power of individuals to enable them to respond to the huge challenges we face on an individual, community, societal and global level? 

And how can we ensure that we all play a more active role in co-creating solutions and that this feeds into the work that we do, the communities we support and the organisations we work in? 

Join us at this one day conference to explore and understand how connected communities, nurturing networks and meaningful movements provide opportunities for us all to “connect: create: collaborate”. This way of working is a key element of the RSA Local Areas Team strategy with the Fellowship towards creating networks.

The day will look at how connections with others can have an impact on everything from our individual happiness to the way in which we live and work together as a society.

What to expect at this event:

The day will be led by Michelle Preston (PG Dip Applied Positive Psychology), FRSA and Fellowship Councillor for the South West, and who is committed to the wellbeing of people and planet. 

• Michelle is the Founder of SWOP (Simply Women on Purpose), a project and network in the making, with the aim of helping to support women to improve their wellbeing and create a purpose-driven life. Offering low-cost, community-based events and workshops, presentations, interactive activities and networking underpinned by positive psychology. Creating true connection at all levels, women are provided with practical tools for positive transformation and for living an authentic life filled with purpose and meaning. Michelle will talk about how this new network came into being and what community means to her and the power of people to create positive social change.

• Michelle will be joined by Pete Lawrence FRSA, founder of the Big Chill Festival, independent record label Cooking Vinyl and organiser of many online and offline events.  Michelle will be “in conversation” with Pete to talk about his life and his latest project “Campfire Convention”- a new kind of social network for people seeing new ways of developing ideas within an empowering community with heart and soul and shaped by its members.
• Also joining us will be Roger Higman, Director of The Network of Wellbeing, a registered charity working with individuals and organisations to build a network of partners committed to wellbeing. “NOW” believe that a person’s wellbeing depends on the wellbeing of the community in which they live and work, while the wellbeing of their community depends on the wellbeing of society as a whole, and the long-term health of the natural world on which we all depend. Roger will talk about the creation and development of the Nework of Wellbeing from a small local project in Totnes to a charity with national support and a growing online community.

There will be conversations and presentations around the theme of communities and networks as models for social change, but with lots of audience participation. We will also be using a “campfire model” to ignite conversations alongside Michelle’s “connect:create:collaborate”  format to ensure we create the sparks to ignite meaningful and dynamic dialogues.

The event will be an opportunity for attendees to explore the differences and benefits of community - network - and movement - which of these work best and why?  We will explore how we take learning from each, and begin to weave these into a new offer that will encompass the best of all of these things and enable people to mobilise and create new and innovative community based solutions to long established social problems.

The day will also provide delegates with the opportunity to share their own experiences and learning. There will be plenty of time throughout the day to network and to “connect, create and collaborate” with one another.

Any questions, please contact Event Lead Michelle Preston FRSA: michelle@simplyhappy.org.uk.

If you have any access requirements or require any reasonable adjustments, please let the team know: networks@rsa.org.uk. Please also let us know if you have any dietary requirements or severe allergies.

Location: The Foundation, Lower Ground Floor, St George’s Road, Bristol, BS1 5BE