Organizational Activism for Systems Change
Explore and learn ways to organize, lead and influence organizational change from within.
Crash Course: Organizational Activism for Systems Change
While international development cooperation plays a fundamental role in the pursuit of achieving the SDGs, the traditional approaches and power dynamics embedded in the sector present a significant obstacle to unleash the transformative power of sustainable interventions. Within a year of engaging professionals in the international development community, we at Disrupt Development witnessed a lot of frustration with many issues which are perpetuated in the system. At the same time, there is a momentum and willingness to challenge the current system. However, while many understand the change we need, there is a lack of knowledge and skills on how to pursue it within the existing organizations and systems development professionals and leaders operate in.
“We need to reinvent ourselves if we want to keep up. Radical change and organisational activism is more than ever required from professionals and leaders in the social impact field.”
Recognising the rise of organizational activism globally, Disrupt Development is keen to harness its power to trigger sustainable change in the international development sector. As the world post-growth innovation academy in global development, we work with development leaders, non-profits, social enterprises, corporates, international institutions, and governments to help get the biggest impact possible and achieve systems change.
Therefore, Disrupt Development is launching a learning journey that aims to support development professionals and leaders to explore and learn ways to organize and lead internal activism initiatives and respond to the emerging changes with integrity.
“Organisational activism represents the voices of difference, on issues of wider social and environmental concern, that seek to influence company action and that challenge existing patterns of power.”
This course is for you if you:
Work for an organization that wants to not only make change on the outside, but also on the inside.
Have noticed your colleagues want change but you are not sure how to respond to it.
Feel fed up with the top-down old-fashioned ways things are done and decisions are made with limited impact.
Are open to challenge yourself and your team to start doing things differently and experiment.
Are feeling exhausted and disappointed about the potential for change around you.
This course is not for you if you:
Don't believe that the systems around you can change.
Want to learn a quick-fix solution to make organizational change happen.
Are comfortable and nothing really bothers you about the power dynamics and implementation of programs in the current global development system
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Application and registration - till 30 April 2022
1st Module - online on Zoom - 10th May - 12pm-3pm (CEST)
The first module is all about getting to know each other, setting the scene and diving into what we are all here for: what is organizational activism and the different forms it exists today? We start with an introduction to movement building, behavior change and micro disruptions. We see micro disruptions as tangible and fit-for-purpose actions that create a ripple effect and therefore a sustainable impact.
2nd Module - online on Zoom - 24 May - 12pm-3pm (CEST)
The second module builds further on movement-building but from an organizational structure point of view. How should you go about organizational activism and making sure you safeguard the wellbeing of yourself and others? The goal of this session is to define and prepare your own micro disruption for change as your own experiment.
Practical experiments of micro disruptions for change accompanied with a coaching session
During this experiment, you will unpack your own biases, triggers and assumptions while driving micro change within your organization. Every experiment and the learning it would offer is captured in a creative way and to be shared with the group. You will be guided through a buddy system and coaching sessions throughout the experiment phase.
3rd Module - online on Zoom - 14th June- 12pm-3pm (CEST)
Our third and last module is centered around learning from the experiments through reflections. We will use your inspiration, reflections and knowledge from the experiments to get a better understanding of what organizational activism in the social sector means. In this session we will initiate co-creating a library of resources for you to use after this learning journey to keep the activism going and disseminate the learnings within your organisation.
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The learning journey entails 3 online modules that offer practical tools on:
Self-care and resilience
Movement building
Behaviour change communication
Forms of employee activism and leading in an age of employee activism
Mechanisms of influence
Introduction to equitable and inclusive organizational structures and processes
Systems change dynamics
This course will help you understand if and what activism is going on within your organization and how you can respond to these issues of wider social and environmental concern. You will investigate and learn how to organize, lead and influence organizational change from within and challenge the status quo. It is meant to inspire you to tap into your own potential to catalyze change within your team and organization. Finally, you will be learning from each other as we will be holding space for exchange of experiences and expertise through co-creation and experimenting.
All participants will receive personal coaching sessions to identify their possibility for influence.
All participants will have a chance to initiate micro disruptions/actions as experiments to create change within their circle of influence, within their team and organization.
All participants will evaluate their actions and co-create a database of strategies/practices that work.
All participants will be included in the Disrupt development community to continue making the change they wish to see.
The sessions are designed to be highly experiential and interactive, enabling personal leadership development, inspiring stories, deep reflection, and practical applications of the learned content in an intimate setting. All the sessions and materials are in English.
When choosing to learn with us at Disrupt Development, you get to:
Be part of an International inspiring community of peers from across the globe.
Learn from experienced and intrinsically driven coaches.
Be stimulated to discover more about yourself and your relationship with the system you operate in.
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In order to get the most of the course we ask you to invest:
2-3 hours a week in the duration of the course.
A fee of 755 EUR + VAT (21%) from your own pocket or your own training budget (ask your HR or manager to support you in your learning and development!).- For every paid spot Disrupt development sponsors a Disruptive scholarship spot for the participants that might have financial obstacles to afford this course. This way we hope to diversify the group as much as possible.
Feeling inspired, yet the price seems too much for your budget? We can also be flexible with payment arrangements to meet your needs. Need reimbursement? Write to us to get one of the Disruptive Scholarships. You can reach us here!
Cancellation policy - registrations can be cancelled within 48h of payment. For cancellations beyond that period, a refund won’t be possible.
Registration
Let’s deeply reflect, re-imagine and re-define what it means and takes to be working for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development, starting at our own workplace...
Registration is open till 30 April 2022. Please note that places are limited and we will offer them based on a first come first serve basis.
Intrigued, but still, you have questions... Please register for the info session when available.
