Time for a change?

Time for a change? One of our advisors, James (Treasure-Evans), has recently updated our paper about ‘Theory of Change’. If a Theory of Change process is facilitated well, it can be very helpful in many ways. Click here to read the paper. Thank you, James!
 
Who has just become independent? Peter (Moore) is another one of our very long-term Advisors. As a specialist in Governance, he just completed a process of helping Ella’s to become an independent charity (previously they were a project within another organisation). Based in London, Ella’s provides long-term care for women affected by trafficking and sexual exploitation. Click here to visit their website; and here to read a testimonial. Peter is also very involved on Governance related work with Edmund Rice, another of our partners.
 
Something to add to your book collection!? We have the exciting launch for our first eBook at our upcoming webinar. This be held from 12 to 1:30pm BST/UK time on Friday 2nd October. You are very welcome! If you’d like to learn more about the webinar, click here. To register, contact Ellie: eleanor@caplorhorizons.org. To access the book, click onto the image below.

Dalai Lama quote: ‘the seeds of goodness are found in the soil of appreciation.’
 
Have a great day,
 
Rosie, Ellie, Lorna and Ian

Our new ebook - hot off the press!

To read the ebook, click here! We would love to hear your feedback and thoughts. Either click here to contact us, or join our webinar on Friday 2nd October. At the webinar we will dive into some of the key themes. The webinar is from 12 to 1:30pm BST/UK time. To learn more, click here. To register, click here. We hope to see you there!

Who is this book for? Whether you are a volunteer, entrepreneur, activist, founder, private/public/not-for-profit sector leader, if you care about creating a more humane organisation that can meet needs, better support your team, and in turn contribute to a better world, this book is for you.
 
The generation of the book has been one of the largest undertakings of Caplor Horizons to date!  It has been a genuinely collaborative, voluntary venture, showcasing the knowledge, experiences, interests and imagination of 20 individuals from Caplor Horizons.
 
We’re self-publishing and promoting it as widely as possible. Please feel very welcome to pass it on to anyone you feel might be interested.
 
Many thanks go to: our authors Ann (Alder), Vanessa (Fairhurst), Charles (Handy), Vicki (Howe), Clive (Hyland), Peter (Moore), Lynne (Sedgmore), John (White), Sharon (Turnbull) and Simon (Oldroyd); our designers Ben (Oldroyd) and Simon (Oldroyd); our critical friends Geoff (Cox), Kemal (Shaheen), Shivani (Singhal), Veronica (Golding-Fletcher) and Dan (Bishop); our proof reader Peter (Moore); our editorial team; and all others involved with our journey!

Margaret Mead quote: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has."

Have a great day!

Lorna, Ian, Rosie and Ellie

Why is trust like music!?

Why is trust like music!? According to Simon Sinek, running an organisation virtually is much more difficult compared to when face to face meetings are possible too. He focuses on trust and how this can be nurtured between formal meetings when people get together in person. Much like Isaac Stern, the violinist, who said "music is what happens between the notes", Simon believes that nothing can replace human contact. Watch his video below to learn more.

So what can be done? Working online has become increasingly important for so many people internationally. The key is to build trust online in whatever ways we can, realising the challenges involved. Also taking opportunities to meet face to face when it is safe to do so.
 
At Caplor Horizons we have found ways to use exercises like the Six Senses online that can help build teamworking, including trust, during sessions. Click here to read more. Also to find ways to socialise too (e.g. having catch up time before and after the main meeting for building relationships). Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like to hear more about what we have learnt, including clicking here to find out about our ‘Reaching New Horizons’ programme.

In other news, we have been supporting Emerging Leaders on a range of governance issues through Peter Moore’s dialogue with the Chair. The mission of Emerging Leaders is to ‘unlock human potential in vulnerable communities around the world by equipping people with the mindsets, motivations and skills to flourish’. Click here to learn about this UK-based NGO and click here to read a recent testimonial from the Chair.

Emerging Leaders is now expanding its Board and seeking new members. If you’re interested in considering this, click here for a description of the role, which includes contact details.

Finally, don't forget to sign up to our next webinar which will celebrate the launch of our new book - soon to be released!! It is on 2nd October at 12 to 1:30pm BST/UK time. To learn more, click here. To register, click here. We hope to see you there!

Stephen Covey Quote: "Without trust we don't truly collaborate; we merely coordinate or, at best, cooperate. It is trust that transforms a group of people into a team."

Have a great day!

Lorna, Ian, Rosie and Ellie

How can we be more effective change makers?

Something new?! Please join us – together with authors and others involved – for the launch of our new book. This is called ‘The Change Maker’s Guide to New Horizons: organising differently for Sustainable Futures’. 20 people in total have been engaged in a huge voluntary undertaking to create this book. Many thanks to everyone involved. Here is the cover of the book.

The launch will be in the form of our next webinar. It will be held on 2nd October at 12 to 1:30pm BST/UK time. To learn more, click here. To register, click here. We hope to see you there!
 
We recently featured our ‘Caplor Boat of Learning’. This has reference to the Five C’s of learning: ‘consciousness, creativity, critical curiosity, commitment and collaboration’. Click here to learn more. We would like to underscore our huge thanks to Deborah Wetherall for her inspiration. Deborah is a Paper Boat trustee and a member of Paper Boat’s new Strategic Education Community. Her unique and valuable contribution has been to adapt the language of the ‘5 C's of Learning’ into a more accessible format for use by children and young people, with the aim of enabling even the very youngest of learners to embark on a journey of effective lifelong learning.

In other news, thank you Denise (Mulligan) and Sue (Eames). We appreciate their important contributions in recent times to our capacity and strategy development work-stream with people from across Africa all of whom are involved with our long-term partners Edmund Rice.   
 
Coretta Scott King quote: “The greatness of a community is more accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members”

Have a great day!

Lorna, Ian, Rosie and Eleanor

What does a gender-balanced mindset involve?

We are pleased to share with you our recently updated Thought Leadership Paper: ‘Developing a Gender Balanced Mindset.’ This stems from a paper originally created by Usha (Ladwa-Thomas) and Sharon (Turnbull). It has been translated into Spanish and French to reach a wider audience: click here for English; here for Spanish; here for French. The paper includes feminist principles as follows…

We’re pleased to be one of a growing number committed to the ‘Fairshare of Women Leaders’ movement. This encourages organisations to achieve a fair share of women leaders by 2030. To join or find out more click here.

Thank you to David (Coates), one of our Advisors, who is currently leading on a major piece of analysis. He is assessing a very considerable amount of research from over 30 conversations, a survey and 6 events with members of the Lasallian Network. We’re facilitating a two-year programme of capacity development to help bring about a deepening of collaborative working and culture.
 
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka (Executive Director, UN Women) quote: “Let us try and position women in strategic leadership so they’re inside the rooms where decisions are being made; and trust them to make the right decisions for all of us - let’s just get them inside that door.”

Have a great day!

Lorna, Ian, Rosie and Eleanor

How can you reach new horizons?

How can you reach new horizons? We all need to consider new horizons during these remarkable Covid-19 times. We are finding that a practical three-step approach seems very relevant for individuals and teams along with organisations more widely. This can be tailored to specific circumstances.
 
The three steps address these questions. What have we learnt? What are our ‘new horizons’? How will we get there? Please get in touch if you would like to explore how we might facilitate this. To read more about our ‘Reaching New Horizons’ programme, click here. To read about our online services more widely, click here.

For instance, we are currently collaborating with Haygrove – an international horticultural business and long-term partner – to facilitate a programme to transform their approach to sales. This is in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and very major shifts in the operating environment – notably a revolution in online engagement with customers. It will take place online with a team of 25 people in multiple countries. It is designed around the Reaching New Horizons programme.
 
Mentoring. A recent short piece from the BBC was called: ‘The Power of Mentoring’. It showcases how valuable and transformative mentoring can be on someone’s life. To watch it, click here.
 
At any one point in time, various Advisors are involved with mentoring activities. For instance, many thanks to Lynne (Sedgmore), Matthew (Lake), Iain (Patton) and Dan (Bishop) for current workstreams that they are involved with.
 
Diane Olin quote: “mentoring isn’t an extracurricular activity. It’s vital for cultivating an enriching, inclusive community”
 
Have a great day!

Lorna, Ian, Rosie and Ellie

Listening to young people – inspiring and enabling them to change their world!

Paper Boat have undergone a very impressive transformation in recent years. The purpose of this International NGO is ‘to listen to young people - inspiring and enabling them to change their world’. Based in the UK, it works in India and Thailand. We would very much encourage you to visit their new website. This reflects their passionate, robust and forward thinking approach. We have experienced this first-hand as a strategic partner. Congratulations to all at Paper Boat. And many thanks to various Advisors who have contributed so positively to the work of Paper Boat in different ways.

What is happening to one of the world’s most significant movement’s? Click here to read an insightful article about Extinction Rebellion (XR). Launched in October 2018, after just 12 months, hundreds of XR groups emerged in more than 70 countries. The article describes many of the challenges and opportunities faced by XR, for instance, its evolving structure, including how young people have become more involved.
 
Excitingly, we have a new member in our team. Ellie is a recent graduate, having studied International Relations. She is especially interested in environmental ethics. We’re delighted to welcome her into our team. Click here to read her bio.
 
Wallace Stegner quote: "we are the most dangerous species of life on the planet… but we are also the only species which, when it chooses to do so, will go to great effort to save what it might destroy."

Have a great day!

Lorna, Ian, Rosie and Ellie

Is the ‘Decade of Disruption’ an opportunity for transformation?

The Decade of Disruption?! The international development sector is experiencing a period of intense change. This can lead to opportunity. As Tasneem Essop from Climate Action Network urges, “we must take advantage of this transformative moment”. Based on research, Bond, the UK network for organisations working in international development, believe the four main transitions to watch out for are:

1. Climate change and environmental degradation

2. New routes to development

3. Redistribution of power

4. Reinvented charity models

To find out more about the trends, opportunities and risks, read the full report here or watch a short video below.

How is 'power' being redistributed in the international development sector? In light of Covid-19, calls to shift decision making power have intensified. Bond has recognised 3 main trends: 1) the rise of new activism and social media; 2) widening inequalities, political instability and closing of civic space; and 3) shifting the power south and decolonising mindsets. To read more, click here.

Exciting news about a new project: The Great Collaboration! We are excited to be collaborating with the Herefordshire Green Network, Hope for the Future and Fownhope Parish Council and around 7 other main stakeholders in a new project called ‘The Great Collaboration’. This involves the creation of an interactive website that will educate, support and encourage parish communities in the UK on their journey to reach net zero by 2050. Many thanks to Kate (Gathercole), Beth (Williamson), Wendy (Ogden), Mike (Simmons), Gareth (Williams), Deven (Thakkar) and Tom (Stokes) who have been leading on this in the early stages.

Vivien Greene Quote: "Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain."

Have a great day!

Rosie, Lorna and Ian

What are the 'roots' and 'branches' of advocacy?

What is advocacy? Advocacy is usually about influencing in one form or another. It is directed at the root causes of problems. Advocacy seeks to ensure that people, particularly those who are most vulnerable in society, are able to: have their voice heard; defend and promote their rights; and access information and services.

What are organisations doing in the field of advocacy? One of our partners, the International Presentation Association (IPA), actively advocates at the United Nations in New York and at the grassroots level. We are working with them on their emerging advocacy focus. This is “eliminating violence against women and children”. Violence against women and children is a fundamental human rights violation. It is prevalent worldwide and is deepening as a result of the spread of COVID-19. Click here to learn more.

How can a tree be used to represent advocacy?  The IPA has illustrated their approach to advocacy using the image of a tree (see below). Like a tree, violence against women and children has ‘roots’. These roots are the systemic causes of violence such as a lack of education or cultural norms. As with branches of a tree, violence against women and children branches out in different directions, manifesting in different ways in local and global contexts. For example, in some areas human trafficking may be a significant risk for women and children, while in other areas online abuse is more prevalent. This concept of a tree could be adapted to any advocacy focus.

Efforts to reduce Covid-19 in Malawi. Malawi is extremely vulnerable to coronavirus. United Purpose, one of our partners, has been responding to the emergency through improving sanitation and access to safe water, distributing much needed seed to communities, and more. Click here to read a recent report about their efforts so far. We are currently facilitating a strategy development process with United Purpose Malawi.

Did you miss our recent webinar? On Monday we held a webinar titled: “Challenging today to create tomorrow: purpose, people, planet and prosperity in a Covid-19 world – what difference will we make?” We had over 40 people from a range of countries share their stories and experiences. To learn more, click here to watch the recording, and here to see the PowerPoint we used.

Leymah Gbowee quote: “You can never leave footprints that last if you are always walking on tiptoe.”

Have a great day!

Rosie, Lorna and Ian

Challenging today to create tomorrow – invitation to a webinar on Monday

Would you like to join our webinar on a sustainable future next Monday? It will be at 11:30am to 1:00pm UK BST time. It is called: ‘challenging today to create tomorrow: purpose, people, planet and prosperity in a Covid-19 world – what difference will we make?’. We have participants attending from India, Australia, USA, Zambia, The Gambia, Bermuda and more! Many thanks in advance to Shivani (Singhal), Pandiyan (Kamal), Laura (Vickery) and Sharon (Turnbull) who will be leading on different elements. To learn more, click here. To register, click here.

Grief and the pandemic? Drawing on the remarkable insights about grief by the late Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, David Kessler has applied and extended this to the current Covid-19 situation. He reasons that people should recognise the grief that many are facing and help them to heal. He identifies three groups of people that have been deeply affected by Covid-19: ‘the worried well, the affected and bereaved’.
 
Forms of grieving that are not about physical losses? David Kessler explains that it is important to recognise that many people are feeling great emotional and psychological anxiety that leads to a sense of loss and grief, especially about others that they care about who are suffering acute turmoil, even if they are physically well. People might also be deeply moved about the loss of normalcy, the loss of previous opportunities or plans. To read more, click here and here to read an article from The Guardian today about how the implications vary in the UK. 
 
What do we need to learn about cross-cultural communication? We are delighted to announce that our article on ‘cross-cultural communication’ has recently been updated. Many people found the original by Peter (Moore) very useful. Please feel free to share this latest iteration with anyone that might find it helpful. For the English version, click here; for Spanish here and French here.  

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross quote: "the most beautiful people we have known are those that have known defeat, known suffering, know struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen."

Have a great day!

Rosie, Lorna and Ian