Bridges to the Future - Foundations for Change

Fellowship Event

 - 

Zoom/Online

In this interactive panel discussion and workshop, we investigate how short-term upheaval can be converted to long-term progress to build bridges to a better future.

Social change is often decades in the making, acquired through the gradual and sustained efforts of dedicated advocates. At other times, change sweeps irresistibly across whole systems, transforming practices and policies in a matter of days.

External shocks and crises can pave the way to lasting change, by exposing flaws in the status quo, invoking new patterns of behaviour and necessitating previously unimaginable choices. Yet, our desire for change is often tempered by the understandable need to cling to normal behaviours and processes in times of upheaval. As we live through the Covid19 crisis, it is important to reflect on how social change happens, so that we can resist this impulse and make good on our desire to ‘build back better’.

In this webinar, we will investigate how short-term upheaval can be converted to long-term progress, how social movements can play a unique role in challenging the status quo, and how nuts-and-bolts pragmatism can be combined with visionary idealism to build bridges towards a better future.

Join us for a panel discussion with RSA Chief Executive Matthew Taylor, environmental lawyer and climate activist Farhana Yaminand other leading change-makers, followed by an interactive workshop on how to make change happen.

This event is a collaboration between RSA Oceania and design and innovation lab Mentally Friendly. Please see below for timing in your region:

  • United Kingdom: 9:30am BST
  • Sydney & Melbourne: 6:30pm AEST
  • New Zealand: 8:30pm NZST


Joining instructions will be sent with your confirmation email once you register. Please direct any questions about this event to RSA Oceania Director, Philipa Duthie at [email protected].




This event is taking place during a week-long series of Bridges to the Future Conversations, hosted by the RSA and with our communities of changemakers.

At the RSA, we unite people and ideas to resolve the challenges of our time and recognise that crisis can be an opportunity for positive change. As we contend with the Covid-19 crisis, we are bringing people together to unlock ideas and innovation in the areas of society that must thrive, now and in the future.


Taking Part in RSA Online Events 

For our interactive online events, the RSA uses the platform Zoom. To participate in the event, you will need to register for a ticket to receive the bespoke link to join. You will be sent detailed instructions via email upon registration. Attendees will need to register for a free Zoom account and download their software. To understand more about how Zoom uses your data, please read their Privacy Policy in advance.  

We record many of our online events. By attending this online event you accept that you may appear in RSA videos as a participant. Currently we do not have plans to share this recording publicly but may do so in the future.

By registering for this event you consent to receiving communications about this event, both before and after, and you agree to the sharing of your name, organisation & title publicly after this event. Attendees also agree to the sharing of their name and organisation with other delegates at the event. If you do not wish this information to be shared, please let us know by emailing: [email protected].

The information you provide when registering for an event will be retained by the RSA and will be used to record attendance at the event. To understand more about how the RSA uses your data, please see our Privacy Policy. 

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