STRATEGIC
FORESIGHT

THE WORKSHOP

This workshop promises to be an engaging, immersive, and insightful experience combining interactive sessions, case studies, and group exercises using six of the most important foresight tools, with inspiration and framing taken from the Justice Based Approach. We will critically explore many assumptions and deepen capacity in the following areas: 

 

• All five pillars of the Justice Based Approach

• Futures thinking and strategic foresight theory and concepts

• Foresight versus forecasting

• Participatory foresight methodologies and practical tools

• Drivers of change and multiple scenarios

• Preferred futures and personal visions

• Organizational culture of foresight

• Foresight-inspired programme design and advocacy

• Ethics and accountability

• Participatory approaches and decision-making

• Strategic and personal leadership… and more!

 

The workshop will challenge your assumptions, question your views of the future, and give you the tools to craft better visions. It will transform the way you work in social development and provide inspiring insights as we apply strategic foresight to the Justice Based Approach. 

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THE APPROACH

Our style of online delivery creates genuine human connection in a mixture of large and small group settings and facilitates deeply reflective and thoughtful discussions. Each session includes interactive lessons from the lead trainers, an inspiring guest speaker, practice using one of the key foresight tools, and helpful debriefing discussions.  ​

 

The workshop uses mixed methodologies, including participatory live sessions, interactive online tools, reflection, movement, games, small group discussions, an online forum, and self-led learning and reflection. During the workshop, participants can also meet one-to-one with the lead trainers, and we send short, inspiring emails twice a week with additional resources based on each session for those that want more!

 

​This workshop is designed and facilitated by United Edge Foresight and Engagement Director Shiela R Castillo. Shiela has more than two decades of experience in social development and foresight. She is one of the co-founders of the Philippine Futures Thinking Society (PhilFutures) and a member of the TFSX Global Foresight Advisory Council. She is also an Association of Professional Futurists (APF) Emerging Fellow. She was a Futures Learning Advisor of the Center for Engaged Foresight where she conducted futures workshops in the Philippines, Cambodia, and the US (online). She has spoken in a number of foresight conferences and is passionate about the futures of justice. 

 

Daniel Bevan, co-founder of United Edge, and one of the original architects of the Justice Based Approach will be facilitating the workshop. Through the unique lens of the Justice Based Approach, he has specialized in participatory approaches, client-led programming, capacity building, and monitoring and evaluation and has worked with partners as varied as governments, child and youth groups, the UN, academic institutions, activists, INGOs and affected communities. Before United Edge, he worked for many years in child and youth rights, education and child protection, and now focuses his energy on innovative approaches to systemic change and decolonizing aid. Find out more about our facilitators here.

 

​Our facilitators are joined by a global group of Discussion Leaders who are accomplished in various aspects of social development and trained to facilitate foresight-related conversations. They support small groups during the course to explore the themes in more depth during break-out discussions. Additionally, the workshop will also feature four world-renowned foresight experts as guest speakers to inform and inspire participants in the sessions. Previous speakers include Sohail Inayatullah, Katindi Sivi, Mariana Merelo Lobo, and Ben Holt.

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​We offer optional tailored mentoring programmes to provide personalized support after the workshop to put your learning into practice. For our participants, this is 20-33% off our regular mentoring rates! You can add this to your booking by contacting us.​

 

THE PARTICIPANTS

We know that emerging leaders have many competing priorities and want maximum value for minimum effort, so that your teams and organizations can become more strategically effective. This course has been developed for all staff, volunteers and trustees, particularly if you:

 

• Work in a role where you can lead change in your project or organization

• Hold a position that can influence your project’s or organization’s approaches and strategies

• Help to build the capacity of staff or train partners

• Design projects or work in planning and program development

• Work in policy and advocacy  

• Manage a team of staff or volunteers or liaise with external partners and communities

• Serve on a Senior Leadership Team or on a Board of Trustees

• Contribute to your organization’s strategy development, including staff in human resources, fundraising, finance, communications and logistics teams

• Work in a donor or partner-focused agency that is looking for innovative ways to support civil society organizations

• Work in any private business or public sector organization and ethically want to achieve more

• Are self-employed and want to gain skills that can support any endeavor

 

One of the highlights of this workshop is the opportunity to connect with and learn from people from across the world. Our last round of courses had participants from over 70 countries! 

 

The workshop is relevant to a wide range of sectors and organizations, including humanitarian and development agencies, charities, public sector agencies, UN agencies, community groups, unions, coops, ethical businesses, CSR departments, activists, and local partners. Although the workshop will be framed around social and environmental justice issues, it is open to anyone interested in learning more about strategic foresight and futures thinking.

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We're excited to be bringing together a team of facilitators from around the world to co-deliver the workshop. You will be learning from, and connecting with, experts in their field from a diverse range of social development contexts. We'll be announcing the facilitation team in the weeks and months leading up to the start of the course. Watch this space for more details!

 

We will be offering the public course in November 2024 but please get in touch if you would like a bespoke course for your team!