Health and happiness to all!

As one year ends and a new one begins, people will wish those around them “health and happiness”. Wishing one another “good health” is a practice that perhaps pre-dates recorded history. It crosses religious, cultural and ethnic divides. The Ancient Greeks, for example, worshiped the Goddess Hygieia – who epitomised health and cleanliness – as well as her father Asclepius the God of medicine. David Bohm, a quantum physicist, writes:

“It is instructive to consider the word ‘health’ in English is based on an Anglo-Saxon word ‘hale’ meaning ‘whole’: that is, to be healthy is to be whole. Likewise the English ‘holy’ is based on the same root as ‘whole’. All of this indicates that [human beings have] sensed always that wholeness or integrity is an absolute necessity to make life worth living.”

Perhaps there has always been something important about the role that “wishing someone good health” plays in deepening connection with others and helping to build stronger communities?

And good health for people and planet remains profoundly important for us all. SDG 3 is Good Health and Wellbeing: ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages. Furthermore, new research in the Journal of Happiness Studies, suggests that merely wishing someone else well can contribute to our own wellbeing – a practice known as ‘Metta’ or ‘Loving Kindness’ in Buddhism. 

At Caplor Horizons, one of our three values is Compassion. This interesting article by John Kabat-Zinn (American professor emeritus of medicine) links the practice of loving-kindness to compassion (for self and other); he highlights some of the health benefits of compassionate awareness. 
 
We believe that it is essential for the health and wellbeing of organisations and leaders to live their values. You can read more about our approach to ‘Understanding, Living and Leading the Values of your Organisation’ in this wonderful paper by our Organisational Development Advisor Professor Sharon Turnbull. Huge appreciation to Sharon for all of her work on this and other recent papers!

For The Commitment, which is part of Caplor Horizons, the health of our planet is central. The health of the planet is intimately connected to our own health as human beings and all life that we share our planet with. This is why we are delighted that our partnership with the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change is going from strength to strength. You can read a recent blog by Richard Smith former editor of the British Medical Journal and Chair of the UKHACC (published recently in BMJ Opinion) about why he endorses the Commitment here. 

Make a donation to The Commitment this festive season and help us continue our important work speeding up government action on the climate and nature. As a charity organisation, we rely entirely on voluntary donations. You could even donate to The Commitment on behalf of a loved one! All you need to do is write 'Gift for *name*' in the donation comment box and we will email over a certificate. Please note – gift donations must be made by Friday 23rd December in order to get a certificate in time. ➡ thecommitment.uk/donate

Here is a picture from our December board meeting. We take this opportunity to wish you all good health and abundant happiness for the festive period and the new year to come. Thank you for being part of our community!  

Changemaker of the week: 

Quote of the week: “A mind committed to compassion is like an overflowing reservoir – a constant source of energy, determination and kindness.” Dalai Lama

Best wishes
Lorna, Rosie, Ian, Iain and Kemal

Finding hope?

Climate change, climate migrants and refugees: Globally, the issues of climate refugees, is ever increasing. Millions are forced to leave their home as a result of the warming temperatures they did little to cause. At the end of 2021 around 89.3 million people were forcibly displaced across the world. Of these, 27.1 million were refugees, whilst 53.2 million were internally displaced within their country of origin. 72% of the world’s refugees are living in countries neighbouring their country of origin, often in the global south.

COP27 has now been concluded, with varying degrees of ambition. COP is shorthand for the annual Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). One positive outcome is the commitment to a funding mechanism to compensate vulnerable nations for ‘loss and damage’ from climate induced disasters.

According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres: "This COP has taken an important step towards justice. I welcome the decision to establish a loss and damage fund and to operationalize it in the coming period", underscoring that the voices of those on frontlines of the climate crisis must be heard.

Yet, while agreement on these issues was seen as a welcome step in the right direction, there is concern amongst activists over the lack of commitments to phase out fossil fuels.

Climate refugees or climate migrants do not have the same status as refugees fleeing from persecution. The International Organization for Migration states that "climate migration is the movement of a person or groups of persons who, predominantly for reasons of sudden or progressive change in the environment due to climate change, are obliged to leave their habitual place of residence, or choose to do so, either temporarily or permanently, within a state or across an international border". Environmental migrants are not covered by the 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which is designed to protect those fleeing persecution, war or violence.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres summarises: "Climate change [is] now found to be the key factor accelerating all other drivers of forced displacement. These persons are not truly migrants, in the sense that they did not move voluntarily. As forcibly displaced not covered by the refugee protection regime, they find themselves in a legal void."

We are currently working with several international organisations, supporting the impact of progressive change in the environment due to climate change and forced migration, including Self Help Africa/United Purpose and the Irish Emergency Alliance.

We are also supporting Refugee Action, a UK based organisation that enables refugees coming to the UK to seek sanctuary from persecution. The UK is home to approx. 1% of the 27.1 million refugees who were forcibly displaced across the world. The definition of a refugee according to The 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees is: “someone who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.”

At Refugee Action, their current work includes shifting power towards people with lived experience as part of their commitment to anti-racism. The Experts by Experience (EBE) steering group was established in 2020 with Jonathan Kazembe as the Manager and Mercy Darlingon and Steven Shyaka, as the Chair and Vice Chair respectively. This week, through our own commitment to support the role of Experts by Experience, we facilitated a two-day session on Teamworking and Governance, using our 5Ms of Governance model. Please see a picture below of the group partaking in a teambuilding exercise.

Jonathan said of the training: "I would like to say a massive thank you to Caplor Horizons for supporting the Refugee Action Expert by experience group with the team building and Governance trainings. I am pretty sure that the skills and knowledge acquired from the training will provide the group with the necessary tools to build their confidence to influence more and more Refugee Action’s plans".

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women marked the launch of the UNiTE campaign (Nov 25- Dec 10): an initiative of 16 days of activism concluding on the day that commemorates the International Human Rights Day (10 December). Five years ago, the #MeToo movement, founded by activist Tarana Burke in 2006, exploded and sparked global mobilisation creating a moment of urgency in preventing and responding to violence against women and girls. Since then, unprecedented awareness and momentum have been created thanks to the relentless work of grassroots activists, women’s human rights defenders and survivor advocates worldwide to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls.

Supporting and investing in strong, autonomous women’s rights organisations and feminist movements is key to ending violence against women and girls. This campaign, led by the UN Secretary-General and UN Women since 2008, aims to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls around the world, calling for global action to increase awareness, promote advocacy and create opportunities for discussion on challenges and solutions. To find out more, follow this link UNITE! Activism to End Violence against Women & Girls, and check out what some of our partners are doing: Ella's, International Presentation Association.

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the color orange is used to represent a brighter future, free from violence against women and girls. PHOTO: UN Women

Please nominate Caplor Horizons in the 12 Days of Giving initiative: This funding initiative provides the opportunity for 120 charities to receive £1,000. By clicking this link and nominating us, you will give us the opportunity of winning £1,000 to support our work. The giving starts on 1st December and finishes on 12th December so you don't have long!

Changemaker of the week:

Quote of the week: “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” ― Mother Teresa

Best wishes
Lorna, Rosie, Ian, Iain and Kemal

‘We’ beats ‘I’ all the time!

‘We’ beats ‘I’ all the time: A dialogue with Charles Handy.
In September we had a fascinating conversation with our ‘Thought Leadership Advisor’ Charles Handy at his home in London. Charles has been described as ‘one of the giants of contemporary thought’ and generously shares the depth and breadth of his wisdom with us. Our dialogue was wide-ranging and, as always, shone a wonderful light on our work. 

We covered various topics including the nature of leadership, the essence of resilience in the face of adversity and, how to nurture the next generation of changemakers. At the heart of our conversation with Charles was a simple but profound point - how and why deepening human relationship lies at the heart of all meaningful change. 

Our latest Ripple Paper gives an inspiring insight into our conversation with Charles. It is called ‘We beats I all the time’ – reflections on meaningful change and the importance of relationships’. This refers to Letter 16 of Charles’ most recent book 21 Letters on Life and its Challenges entitled ‘We’ Beats ‘I’ all the time. Click here to read it. 

On the Art and Importance of Dialogue  
Our conversation with Charles was a ‘dialogue’. ‘Dialogue’ is defined by William Isaacs as “a shared inquiry, a way of thinking and reflecting together”. In this fascinating short piece ‘The Art of Dialogue’ Isaacs reasons “Dialogue is often the missing-link that frees people to take a quantum leap in vision and action, if everybody got the idea that there’s a different way to talk and think together, the seed of a very new kind of interaction could begin to sprout.” He believes that people who think and talk together effectively possess the following qualities:

• LISTENING — We must listen not only to others but to ourselves, dropping our assumptions, resistance, and reactions.

• RESPECTING — We must allow rather than try to change people with a different viewpoint.

• SUSPENDING — We must suspend our opinions, step back, change direction, and see with new eyes.

• VOICING — We must speak our own voice. Find our own authority, giving up the need to dominate.

The Caplor House as a Tool for Dialogue
In October we met with two of Caplor Horizons’ long-standing Advisors Ann (Alder) and Geoff (Cox) at their home in the Lake District, a particularly beautiful part of the UK. Ann and Geoff were instrumental in the design and development of the Caplor House.

During the three days that we spent together we began pioneering work that will enable us to evolve the Caplor House model so that it is a tool for deeper dialogue. It will help people to ask powerful questions and cultivate deep listening skills.

As Ann says in her book Pattern Making, Pattern Breaking: “A great question is one of the most powerful tools in the process of pattern making and pattern breaking. Questions are used to challenge and extend thinking, confront discrepancies, explore reasons, build understanding, seek detail…the list is endless”.

At Caplor Horizons we believe that asking great questions and listening carefully is fundamental to great dialogue…and this is exactly what happens when we meet with our great Advisors like Charles, Ann and Geoff!

Join in the dialogue!
We would like to dialogue with more of you. Please join us on Thursday 2nd March from 11am until 1pm (UK time) for an online webinar where we will share our new Coaching Dialogue Tool and get your insights. More details will follow in the New Year. Watch this space!

Change makers of the week:

Quote of the week: “The intention of dialogue is to reach new understanding and, in doing so, to form a totally new basis from which to think and act.” ― William Isaacs

Best wishes
Lorna, Rosie, Ian, Iain and Kemal

Who empowers who? Women lifting each other up?

Empowerment culture is often a way of reinforcing current power structures. Either "giving you power" or "enabling you" suggests that somehow you are incapable of helping yourself. Power is never given, it is taken. At Caplor Horizons we aim to support others to help themselves through facilitation, allyship, coaching and other relationships. Click here to read our paper titled: "Allyship - Journey to Justice".

It’s time to stop slavery! Today (18th October) is Anti-Slavery Day. Trafficking, exploitation and other types of modern slavery devastate lives. One of our long term partners, Ella’s, supports survivors of slavery, and are part of the Coalition to Stop Slavery. This is made up of 16+ other leading anti-slavery charities. Their aims are to increase public awareness of modern slavery and make a powerful call on Government to take action.

They are inviting others to take action, here’s what you can do:

1. To increase awareness of modern slavery, how to spot the signs and how to report concerns, Ella's have launched a new campaign called "It’s time to stop slavery". Please help spread knowledge by following their campaign on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and sharing their content this week…especially today on Anti-Slavery Day.

2. There is also a petition to call on the Government to ban the import of products tainted by modern slavery. Please add your name and share with your contacts.

This week (17th - 21st October 2022) is also Environmenstrual Week. Menstrual taboos and the stigma shaped by social, cultural and religious norms mean that periods are not openly discussed and are rarely celebrated. Even in 2022 menstruation is still surrounded by a shroud of secrecy and shame.

Period shame dictates which products are used as well as how they are disposed.This has an impact on the health of women, girls and people who menstruate AND massive consequences on the environment and wildlife nationally and globally. Environmenstrual week is a week of action to celebrate all things periods! Click here for the Women's Environmental Network (WEN) Action Week Toolkit.

Earlier this year, Ellie (Evans), one of our Advisors, spent time in Uganda working on a period poverty programme. This programme was started by a small group of local women, who travel around schools each week to give talks to both boys and girls on menstrual health. They have also been able to create emergency funds for the provision of sanitary pads within schools. Moreover, the women have begun to lead workshops for schools and local women in how to create reusable sanitary pads which are more sustainable.

Change maker of the week:

Quote of the week: ““Women's freedom is the sign of social freedom." Rosa Luxemburg

Best wishes
Lorna, Rosie, Ian, Iain and Kemal

We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back!

We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back! It is a grave injustice that in a multitude of cases, from equal pay to natural disasters - such as the current crisis in East Africa - the impacts on people often reflect and reinforce gender inequality (for a ripple paper about this click here).

September 18th was International Equal Pay Day. This day raises awareness about this persistent issue with the aim to end pay gap discrimination, particularly for women of colour and other minorities. Under this, the call for “Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value” was highlighted.

This stubborn inequality persists because women’s work tends to be under-valued. Even though the work itself may require equal or more effort and skill, it is all too frequently valued and remunerated less. For women of colour, immigrant women and mothers, the discrepancy typically widens.

Want to learn more? UN Women is the UN entity dedicated to gender equality; you can gain insights here including facts about women in the changing face of work here. Finally, what about our sector? A man working in the not-for-profit sector is two times more likely to rise to a leadership position than a women with levels of influence and remuneration being disproportionately associated with this; you can explore the results of the “FAIR SHARE Monitor 2022” here.

Rebuilding lost livelihoods. We have very recently commenced working with the Irish Emergency Alliance. This is a collaborative endeavour of leading humanitarian agencies, who work together to respond faster and do more to save and help rebuild the lives of people affected by major emergencies. It is made up of seven INGO’s. You can find out more here. See some pictures from our latest workshop below:

East Africa is experiencing one of its most severe droughts in recent history. Over 30 million people are facing hunger in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan. Gender dynamics typically have big impacts in such situations; for findings about this click here. IEA is responding to the emergency in the Horn of Africa. To gain insights, click here.

'How can creativity inspire government action for a healthy planet?' The Commitment are running an in-person event in London this week (29th September at 7pm) based on this topic. It will include poetry readings, a film screening and panel discussion! For anyone interested to attend, click the link here to register.

Changemaker of the week

Quote of the week: “I raise up my voice, not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back” Malala Yousafzai

Best wishes
Lorna, Rosie, Ian, Iain and Kemal

Is enough being done to advance the SDGs?

For the second year in a row, the world isn’t making enough progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to the latest United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Report and Index. The SDGs are 17 universal goals for everyone, everywhere. Their motto is to “leave no one behind”. Click here to read the report.

Multiple and simultaneous crises are major setbacks for sustainable development globally. Check out your country’s score here.

We are committed to doing what we can to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. Coming soon is our new approach to presenting our impact. While we have often reported on the impact we have on organisations and people we work with, our forthcoming Impact Report will shown how collectively we are advancing the Goals relating to health and wellbeing, quality education, gender equality, reducing inequalities, climate action and strengthening partnerships. Click here to get a sneak peek of our summary on a page!

Young UN Change Makers! Currently our world is home to 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 to 24, the largest generation of young people in its history. Close to 90% of this youth population live in developing countries. On a biennial basis, 17 outstanding young leaders from across various sectors are being recognised for their agency, courage and ingenuity in finding lasting solutions to the world’s greatest challenges. Click this link to find out more.

Quote of the Week: “The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow" Nelson Mandela

Best wishes
Iain, Lorna, Rosie and Ian

Are we practising what we preach?

We are often facilitating the learning and development of other organisations. But what are we doing to learn and develop our own organisation?! In early August, we gathered in Hereford for a series of team development and learning days. These included inputs from Clive (Hyland), our Neuroscience Advisor, about “quantum principles”. We are dedicated to being a learning organisation and so it is important to take out time in this way. It was also an opportunity for team building activities such as kayaking, rounders and yoga! See some photos from the 4 days below:

We learnt about the importance of 'trust' and 'flow'. Trust is central to Clive's Quantum Principles. It is a prerequisite for high performing teams. When we feel physically and emotionally safe we release a hormone called 'oxytocin'. This opens us up at all levels and increases our capacity for learning and growth. We also need to create work environments that foster 'flow' or 'being in the zone'. This can be defined as "the optimal state of consciousness where we feel and perform our best" and can lead to individuals and organisations being 5x more productive! Read about some research by McKinsey and Co. here.

One of the days focussed on exploring our exciting Next Generation Change Makers Programme . We were delighted to be joined by some of our Advisors and new volunteers to advance this. At the core of our programme is "compassion". This is particularly important in current times when anxiety about the future and the climate crisis is high. Read a recent piece of research here. The photos below show Kemal (Shaheen), Ellie (Evans), Gareth (Jones) and Shivani (Singhal) discussing what leadership of the future means to them through the use of images and metaphors.

One of the images that resonated with a lot of people was this one. It depicts an older person with years of wisdom, and a younger person with a fresh energy and perspective.

A core element of our new programme will be opportunities for cross-generation, cross-sector, and cross-cultural exchanges.

Compassion for the self is just as important as having compassion for others. At Caplor Horizons, we encourage and practice mindfulness, meditation and weekly yoga. A recent edition of the BBC Radio 4 series "Just one Thing" highlights the health benefits of mindful meditation. As Presenter Dr. Michael Mosely says, ‘Press pause on a busy day and take 10 minutes to do something that has been proven to improve sleep and memory, reduce pain and stress, and boost your mood’. Click here to listen to the podcast. See a picture of us enjoying an in-person yoga session sat under a lime tree with Georgie (Treasure Evans).

Change Maker of the Week

Quote of the Week: “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion – if you want to be happy, practice compassion" Dalai Lama

Best wishes
Iain, Lorna, Rosie and Ian

#Show Your Stripes

The recent European heatwave has been a powerful reminder. Climate change is happening and it’s happening now. These 'warming stripes' below are visual representations of the change in temperature as measured in each country over the past 100+ years. For virtually every country or region, the stripes turn from mainly blue to mainly red in more recent years, illustrating the rise in average temperatures in that country. Have a look at your country’s stripes here.

Drastic action needs to be taken. The Commitment has gathered over 8,000 Commitments and engaged influential politicians across all levels of the UK government. We can make change with the support of people like you. Make your Commitment to vote only for politicians who work for urgent action on the climate and nature here.

The Commitment has been stepping up its political action in recent weeks. As some of you might be aware, the Conservative Pary in the UK are selecting a new party leader. The Commitment recently sent a report to over 130 Conservative members of parliament urging them to back a leadership candidate who supported the Net Zero targets. A week later, all the candidates in the leadership race backed Net Zero. That was all down to pressure from people and organisations like The Commitment.

To reduce the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss we all need to work together and play our part. We have recently been working with the Environmental Investigations Agency (EIA). They are an international NGO that use evidence and analysis, often from undercover investigations and intelligence, to bring about lasting policy change to protect our planet.

We have been working closely with EIA over the past few months. This involved recently facilitating an in-person strategy week (see pictures below). As part of the four days, Clive (Hyland), one of our Advisors, gave an input around neuroscience and thinking differently about organisational structures. He shared some learning related to his new book, "The Quantum Way" which you can get here.

Change Maker of the Week

Quote of the Week: “We don’t have time to sit on our hands as our planet burns. For young people, climate change is bigger than election or re-election. It’s life or death.” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Best wishes
Iain, Lorna, Rosie and Ian

What is world wellbeing week?

The World Health Organisation states that wellbeing is “a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

We recently celebrated ‘World Wellbeing Week’, with activities all over the world helping people to look after and celebrate their wellbeing.  It provides the opportunity for people to celebrate the many aspects of wellbeing including: meaningful, purposeful work; physical, mental and emotional health; social resilience; empathic corporate and civic leadership; community relations; and care for the environment.

Connect, be active, take notice, keep learning and giving. At Caplor Horizons, our journey of health and wellbeing continues, and we would like to celebrate Georgie (Treasure Evans) for accompanying us on our journey. Since the beginning of COVID-19, Georgie has provided us with weekly online Kundalini yoga sessions to support our health and wellbeing.  We would like to express huge appreciation to Georgie. These sessions have provided real benefits to both mental and physical wellbeing and provided a great opportunity to have a shared experience together as a team. Please see Georgie in action below. To find out more about Kundalini yoga, and Georgie’s work, please click here. 

Some tips for wellbeing in the workplace

1. Remember to take regular, short breaks, to stretch and to give your eyes and brain a rest. Go outside if you can.

2. Ask for assistance when needed.

3. Practice mindfulness if things become stressful. Being in the present, increases awareness and clarity, which directly enhances wellbeing.

4. The 4-7-8 breathing technique known to bring instant calm (breath in to a count of 4, hold for 7, and exhale to a count of 8).

5. Do yoga!

Changemaker of the week:

Louise said of her placement: "The future of our planet is especially daunting and sometimes an overwhelming prospect for my generation. However, through my work this week with Caplor Horizons and The Commitment my eyes have been open to all the incredible work they are doing to combat this global crisis giving hope to our futures. This has been truly inspiring for me".

Quote of the week:

Best wishes
Lorna, Rosie and Ian 

How can we understand ourselves and each other better?

We are always looking for interesting and new ways to understand ourselves and each other better. The “enneagram” is one such tool that draws from many sources, including ancient wisdom traditions and modern psychology. There are 9 main enneagram types that have three centres of intelligence: head (thinking), heart (feeling), gut (acting). These types don’t box people in, but rather they open a pathway to self-discovery and greater awareness as individuals, groups and collectives.

The enneagram helps us to uncover the patterns of behaviour that sub-consciously drive and motivate us to act in certain ways. When we make these patterns and motivations conscious, we are able to transcend them and develop richer, more supportive ways of being. Working with the enneagram empowers individuals to take responsibility for their own behaviours and growth, from a greater understanding of why they act and react the way they do. Find out more of the benefits below:

The Caplor Horizons team have been using the enneagram to improve their teamworking and organisational effectiveness. Last week they had an in-person team day facilitated by Dr Lynne Sedgmore CBE, who has been a practitioner and teacher on the enneagram for over 20 years. They found the day inspirational, and many breakthroughs were had. If you want to find out more about the enneagram, this website is a good place to start.

In other news, we have started to run more and more in-person events now that the lockdown restrictions are easing. One of these was with An Cosán, Ireland’s largest community education organisation. An Cosán provide early years & adult education and counselling and family support services to women and children from marginalised communities. The day, facilitated by Kemal (Shaheen) and Rosie (Bishop), bought together over 100 staff members to reconnect and launch the new strategy that we have been supporting them to develop.

Changemaker of the week:

Quote of the week: “In diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” Maya Angelou

Best wishes
Lorna, Rosie and Ian