The Wellbeing Network Archives - Page 5 of 15

Defenders’ Wellbeing Collective

The Defenders’ Wellbeing Collective holds a space for leaders of grassroots, community, and survivor-led human rights organizations to reflect, experiment, share, and learn together about how best to support greater wellbeing and resilience within their organizations.

The mission of the Defenders’ Wellbeing Collective (DWC) is to understand the impact of human rights work on people who are from or directly working with communities to address human rights around the world.

The DWC has garnered an overwhelming response from human rights defenders worldwide. The remarkable interest demonstrates the urgent need for wellbeing support among human rights defenders and highlights the potential of the DWC to make a transformative impact on the field.

The program started in April 2023, the DWC is a two-year program that provides a space for human rights defenders to connect, learn, and strengthen their wellbeing practices, with virtual meetings and workshops every two months. The DWC plans to produce an internal work report, a survey of wellbeing on human rights defenders and a collection of reflections and shorter pieces of information for the overall public.

The Wellbeing Project co-created the DWC in collaboration with the Human Rights Resilience Project. The Wellbeing Project supports the work of the DWC in an administrative and advisory way.

Wellbeing in West Africa: How We Gather TogetherWellbeing in West Africa: How We Gather Together

Guest post by:

Carina Ndiaye, Chief Partnerships Office, Tostan

In Senegal, we call it Teraanga. It stands for openness and sharing, meaning: “we invite you to come in.” This cultural norm is present throughout the region and across the continent. Words like Ubuntu in southern Africa portray acknowledgment, respect, and coexistence. In Senegal, through Teraanga, the concept behind the Hindi word Namaste (meaning: “the light in me sees the light in you”) is extended and reinforced to say, “what is mine is yours.” This applies not only materialistically but also to the earth, the sun, the sea, and the unseen. From visitor to member, from transitory to influenced, in our culture, the ‘you’ never stands alone. What affects you also affects me and my community, and community includes anyone who walks our way and crosses our path.

As Tostan agreed to host the first African Wellbeing Summit, joining The Wellbeing Project and key partners hosting similar summits around the world, Teraanga has been a foundational concept for us. It is an entry point into the broader West African cultural systems that value people and their shared history and interconnectedness and that prioritize interdependence over independence.

Our upcoming African Regional Wellbeing Summit Dakar-Thiès 2023 reflects our dedication to embracing community-centered models that resonate with our core values. Locally-driven initiatives and capacity development for communities are critical paths forward, as our CEO Elena Bonometti has pointed out. But at the heart of our vision is Teraanga, where openness and sharing guide us in meeting the multifaceted challenges that our world faces. In Senegal, when challenges arise, a community gathering – referred to as a “pénc” in Wolof – is called to bring together the community for discussion. The Summit will be a globally-connected pénc, embodying the essence of African-based, African-led collaboration and growth in wellbeing. This is not just a “nice to have”; it is essential to our collective wellbeing and social cohesion.

There is a deep respect here for where people come from and for who and how they are. Many traditions create space for people to be seen, acknowledged, and recognized. Through greetings, names, joking, showing respect, and almost countless ways of engaging, we witness and reinforce one another. We see more clearly the threads interweaving our collective well-being. These traditions aren’t technical solutions or abstract topics; they are ways of meeting and gathering together, of creating spaces and openings where we can understand one another, share our perspectives and passions, and work better together.

With over 32 years of experience as a Senegal-based organization, welcoming partners from more than 50 countries far beyond Africa’s border, at our Tostan Training Center, we have come to understand that these ways of welcoming, these traditions for creating space, for seeing and being seen, can be powerful. As our global community seeks to find ways to support increased wellbeing in a context of increasing urgency and challenge, we hope our African Regional Wellbeing Summit Dakar-Thiès 2023 can contribute and share these ways of coming together.

Through our collaborative planning for the Summit, we have found some important themes to explore together. These include mental health, digital wellbeing, wellbeing in the workplace, and others. But the success of our conference won’t be limited to topics, action plans, or best practices. It will also depend on how people feel when they leave, how they can sustain connections, and whether they have found some new ways of inviting change into their lives, their organizations, their work, and our world.

About the African Regional Wellbeing Summit in Dakar and Thiès, Senegal

Join us for the first African Regional Wellbeing Summit in Dakar and Thiès, Senegal, hosted by Tostan from November 29th to December 1st, 2023.

The Summit will be an opportunity to engage in workshops, panels, and social moments to explore wellbeing, especially for those working in service for community-led development, from diverse African perspectives. Discover themes including mental health and its impacts on wellbeing, the role of religion, youth, and digital health.

Four Seasons Under One Sky: Arts as a Collective Approach to Creativity and Healing in South Africa Four Seasons Under One Sky: Arts as a Collective Approach to Creativity and Healing in South Africa

Guest post by:

Marlize Swanpoel

Co-Founder & Director, sp(i)eel arts therapies collective (Cape Town, South Africa)

sp(i)eel is an arts therapies collective (including drama, music, dance/movement, and art) of arts therapists, applied arts practitioners, and arts activists addressing intergenerational and complex trauma in South African communities. Over two centuries of colonialism and the oppressive regime of apartheid has left a nation grappling with systemic inequity and intergenerational trauma. Ongoing poverty and high incidences of violence and crime coupled with a dire lack of mental health services are contributing to complex and ongoing trauma, with more than a quarter of South Africans suffering from probable depression (Craig et al, 2022). This mental health crisis our country is facing is a systemic issue, not an individual one, and it needs a collective response. Our approach to mental health is culturally informed and sees people as each other’s greatest resource and source of support. As a result, our ultimate goal is to develop collective resilience that can affect social change.

Our name, spieel, is derived from two words that have different meanings in the Afrikaans language: “to play” or “mirror”. To “play and mirror” speaks to several reasons for our use of art as a healing tool. It refers to the function of the arts as a mirror to society for expression, reflection, and understanding. It also speaks to the therapeutic aspect of art therapies, where an art form is applied as a mirror to Self for exploration and understanding. Furthermore, it is through the playful nature of the arts that we can connect with our innate creativity.

It also speaks to the therapeutic aspect of art therapies, where an art form is applied as a mirror to Self for exploration and understanding.

In South Africa, access to therapeutic arts programmes is limited and not accessible to everyone. We aim to enable accessibility to the intentional use of various art forms to further have a positive impact on general health, wellbeing, development, and transformation for all.

Given our deep connection with the arts, our story and impacts can best be shared visually. This photo essay illustrates the journey of healing and wellbeing experienced through our Families and Collective Futures programme. It is a resilience-focused, trauma-informed programme that applies the arts and creativity to build psychosocial support systems. These systems are created through research (in collaboration with Brunel University), training, and the implementation of arts-based groups for children and their social circles.

The journey of this programme is presented within the frame of one of our core guiding metaphors: the four seasons. It represents the following. Firstly, just like the seasons, our mental health and wellbeing are not in a fixed state. We experience constant ups and downs. By accessing tools such as embodied awareness, reflexivity, and regulating skills, we can support ourselves and each other to navigate through these seasons of illness and health.

Secondly, this metaphor understands mental health and wellbeing in the context of the ecosystem. Communities are made up of people in different seasons of life. Collective resilience implies that the pressure to bounce back from hardship is not the sole responsibility of the individual. When one person suffers, it affects everyone. Everyone plays a role in collective health; as a collective, we are stronger together.

Collective resilience implies that the pressure to bounce back from hardship is not the sole responsibility of the individual. When one person suffers, it affects everyone.

Lastly, the seasons mirror people’s relationship with nature, and offer a platform to reflect on cultural and indigenous knowledge embracing nature as a source of healing.

We begin our journey in the season of (re)birth: Spring.

SPRING SPRING

Tending to the Soil So the Seedlings Can Thrive

Spieel 1 — Three generations of men raise a baby boy in the air. Cerderberg, 2022. Credit: sp(i)eel arts therapies collective

In a community workshop, participants create an embodied image of Spring. A healing-centered approach to intergenerational trauma in family systems involves the adults developing reflective and regulating skills to take care of their own mental health, so that they are better aware of unhelpful patterns of relating in their families and community.

Burning David’s Root. Cederberg, 2022. Credit: sp(i)eel arts therapies collective

Arts activist Gershan Lombard facilitates a ritual of gratitude at the end of a community workshop, with the small children keeping a close and curious eye. Culturally-informed psychosocial practice includes honouring indigenous knowledge and spiritual practices of health and wellbeing to share this wisdom with the next generation.

Summer Summer

Young People’s Shining Stories

A Summer of Self-expression: Making our stories known. Robertson, 2023. Credit: sp(i)eel arts therapies collective

A group of young women share their story about Summer as a starting point to explore themes of health and wellbeing. It is vital to offer young people multiple ways to share their thoughts and feelings, as words are not always readily available to express their inner worlds. As one participant (grade 11, high school leaner) revealed to us:“You might have noticed that we are a generation that keeps to ourselves, and we don’t trust anyone with our feelings and our thoughts. Especially because we don’t know how to talk about our feelings and our thoughts. You have come to show us that we can also show you through our songs and through our dances how we feel and what we are thinking. And that is freedom.”

Glimmer Boxes shine light on tools for health. Koue Bokkeveld, 2023. Credit: sp(i)eel arts therapies collective

A young woman creates her “Glimmer Box”, a tool that supports participants to explore what resources are available to them to support their mental health and wellbeing. These include positive relationships, safe spaces, and activities that regulate their emotional states. Some of these are drawn, painted on stones, or represented by found objects in nature and placed in the box as tangible reminders of available support systems.

“You have come to show us that we can also show you through our songs and through our dances how we feel and what we are thinking. And that is freedom.”

Autumn Autumn

A Season of Trust and Letting Go

Leaning into each other. Worcester, 2022. Credit: sp(i)eel arts therapies collective

A couple rests back-to-back and connects with each other’s breath. Our embodied, trauma-informed practice is drawn from Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory as a way to understand the autonomous nervous system’s responses. This helps us understand our reactions to triggers and to develop tools for regulating and finding safety and connection in the present moment. The couple shared afterwards: “My partner and I are having difficulties in our relationship. This workshop has given us the space to sit and just be with each other, to re-connect, and we were able to talk about things. This had a positive influence on our children and family life.”

Bridging generations. Worcester, 2023. Credit: sp(i)eel arts therapies collective

In a workshop for mothers and daughters, mothers embody the support of a bridge, coming together to keep a girl above water. This workshop took place during a time of heavy flooding in the area in which some participants had lost their homes. This role-playing offered a way to express the traumatic experience: “The only way to keep safe is when we all look after each other’s children. We are not alone in this world, and your child is my child,” shared one mother. The embodied work where non-verbal communication is encouraged also supported bonding between mothers and daughters: “Girls don’t open up to parents, this exercise helped us to open up to each other,” said a young participant.

“We are not alone in this world, and your child is my child.”

Women’s circles and cycles. Vlottenburg, 2019. Credit: sp(i)eel arts therapies collective

A group embodies the word “women” in Circles of Support, one of our workshops for women. This workshop explores the female menstrual cycle as its four phases are linked with the four seasons, inviting conversations around menstrual and sexual health, menopause, and mental health and wellbeing. These circles are filled with generational knowledge, beauty, hope, and wisdom. One participant expressed her joy: “My experience was that I can be comfortable with myself as a woman. And I can express my feelings and accept my body. To be a woman is great!

Winter Winter

Embracing the Wisdom of the Elderly

Offering stories to the next generation. Cederberg, 2022. Credit: sp(i)eel arts therapies collective

A whole community, including the elderly, adults, youth, and children, are enchanted by a storytelling circle. We witnessed a beautiful moment where the children sat and listened to the stories of the elderly, and asked them questions about the history of their community. Such events where the stories of the elderly are centralized, offer a means to narrate collective and cultural history to the next generation.

Glimmer Maps. Cederberg, 2022. Credit: sp(i)eel arts therapies collective

Elderly men create their own Glimmer Maps to identify their “glimmers”: small moments when we are in a place of connection or regulation, which cues our nervous system to feel safe or calm – the opposite of triggers. They are made by tracing a hand on paper, followed by a symbol of nature representing the Self drawn into the palm. Each finger represents a glimmer with prompts from nature, for example: air for breath, fire for warmth, love, comfort and rest, water for movement, and earth for grounding. Finally, we connect the glimmers to our community, and include the name of a person who makes us feel safe.

Concluding Concluding

One Cycle, Inspiring Another

A core element of the Families and Collective Futures programme is the creative methodology. One participant reflected that the manner in which we engaged with them has helped people to come out of their shell, as “ons mense neem nie maklik deel nie” (“our people do not engage easily”). To help ease our participants out of these shells, we understand several contributing factors help create a sacred and safe space where mental health and wellbeing can be addressed:

A scaffolded approach to introduce arts-based work;

The invitation to engage in any way that feels comfortable;

The knowledge that attendance is voluntary; and

The modeling of respect, tolerance, and kindness.

The above learnings speak to a healing-centered approach to trauma and essentially it is a message of hope. When we work within the ecosystem in a culturally-informed way, it creates space for innate and indigenous knowledge to be heard and received. As a result, when we understand that healing is available to everyone and happens in relation to each other, we can create circles of psychosocial support that are resilient enough to affect social change.

When we understand that healing is available to everyone and happens in relation to each other, we can create circles of psychosocial support that are resilient enough to affect social change.

Glimmers of girlhood: Families and Collective Futures are in our hands. Ganyesa, 2022. Credit: sp(i)eel arts therapies collective

We conclude this photo essay with a reflection of a participant on the theme of seasons and the image of a Glimmer Map, made by a young girl. “Every season produces something for the other season so that, in the end, nature can provide for us. Everything is a circle. And we are all part of the cycle.”

About The Author About The Author

Meet Marlize Swanepoel

Marlize Swanepoel is a Dramatherapist and the founding director of sp(i)eel arts therapies collective, an NPO that addresses intergenerational trauma and co-create community-based models of mental health care that are culturally informed and relevant to the South African context. She serves on the Secretariat of the South African National Arts Therapies Association (SANATA) and is a guest lecturer at the University of Cape Town. She is an enthusiastic advocate for the Arts for Health movement in South Africa that speaks to healthcare from a global South perspective. She loves being in spaces of learning, unlearning and dancing.

Grateful: A Journal Reflection on The Wellbeing Project’s Ecosystem Network Grateful: A Journal Reflection on The Wellbeing Project’s Ecosystem Network

Guest post by:

Charnae Sanders

Program Manager, Co.Act Detroit

Grateful.

In so many ways, this word embodies my feelings and thoughts toward The Wellbeing Project’s Ecosystem Network.

My colleague, Kyla Carlsen, and I joined the Ecosystem Network in September of 2022. Though we joined this community of passionate, thoughtful, and dedicated changemakers for a short amount of time compared to when the network first begun, never did I once feel like an intruder.

From the beginning, we were greeted with such warmth and open arms that I knew virtually attending the Wellbeing Forums would be calls that I would eagerly anticipate every quarter. It did not take long for me to be captivated by the illumination of the Ecosystem Network because of the caring people creating and holding this space for changemakers to connect in such an intentional and authentic way.

One of the things I admired most about the network was the way this space was held for members to connect. I don’t ever recall joining a session where we immediately rushed into business or the tasks at hand. Instead, we were encouraged to participate in a collective grounding exercise or share how we were showing up in the space on that day. Taking this intentional pause to get grounded or share how we were honestly feeling was so astonishing to me.

Often in the nonprofit sector, we are hurrying through the day moving from one task or meeting to the next. This simple yet meaningful practice opened my eyes to how I could interact with my colleagues and facilitate meetings within my work differently. While meeting with members of the Collective Leaders Learning Circle program hosted by Co.act Detroit (pictured above), I was able to support with leading wellness practices for our group during some of our convenings. I felt confident to lead these practices thanks to my interactions and experience with members in the Ecosystem Network.

As a participant in this network, I loved being able to connect with other changemakers around the world. It was inspiring to hear about the work others were engaged in and the way they passionately served their communities. I still recall being amazed by Marlize Swanepowel’s presentation on the work she and her team does at Sp(i)eel concerning intergenerational trauma. Being able to connect with others over important and universal topics has made this experience such an insightful one.

One of my favorite gatherings as part of this network was when Anubha Agarwal of The Wellbeing Project shared findings from the Organizational Exploratory Program (OEP). This session resonated with me so deeply because one part of my work at Co.act is to lead our Nonprofit Wellbeing Series, which uplifts the vital connection between self and community care in the nonprofit community. To have the opportunity to hear about another’s wellbeing program and the lessons that have emerged was one I did not take for granted. I appreciated her transparency and that I was able to share some of the similar themes I saw in my work as well. Experiences like these continue to remind me why having collective space for people to convene and share is important.

As bittersweet as it is to say, “farewell” to the Ecosystem Network, I am grateful that there are still spaces for us to connect under The Wellbeing Project, such as through the Inner Wellbeing for Social Change group. To find ourselves in nourishing networks or spaces rooted in community and connectivity that are handled with so much care is something I treasure deeply. It is what I will miss most about the Ecosystem Network. While every beginning has an ending, I am grateful that the spirit of the Ecosystem Network will live on across the work of The Wellbeing Project and through the mindful practices and resources of its members. I have found so much joy, understanding, and inspiration from being a part of this community that I am forever changed and eternally grateful.

About The Author About The Author

Meet Charnae Sanders

Charnae Sanders, a devoted community advocate and Program Manager at Co.act Detroit, is deeply committed to fostering connections and empowering individuals. Her dedication to community development in her hometown of Detroit is evident through her work in curating impactful programs and events, including the Nonprofit Wellbeing Series. As a passionate contributor to the Rest and Liberation Initiative, she actively promotes holistic wellbeing and empowerment, particularly within BIPOC communities.

Charnae’s active involvement in various professional initiatives, such as the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Detroit and The Social Innovation Forum’s Community Organizations Reimagining Ecosystem (CORE) cohort, reflects her continuous efforts in promoting growth and leadership development. Her diverse experiences, including her time with the Challenge Detroit fellowship program and The Black Healing Justice Project, have further enriched her understanding of social impact and community engagement.

Prior to her role at Co.act Detroit, Charnae served as the Public Programs Coordinator at the Detroit Historical Society, utilizing her background in journalism from Central Michigan University. Her passion for writing and poetry has led to publications in renowned outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and Detroit Free Press. In her leisure time, she finds joy in writing, traveling, and experiencing the vibrant culture of her beloved city.

REFLECTIVE PASSAGE

A Journey of Introspection and Collective Learnings

As a sunsetting community, EN members gifted themselves and one another the time to pause and reflect on their individual, organizational, and collective journey as a Network. This is a testimony of the distilled and harvested wisdom gained from their experiences together.

Join us in this heartfelt exploration where reflection brings us closer, memories are honored, and growth is nurtured. Together, let’s celebrate the Ecosystem Network’s accomplishments while embracing new opportunities on the horizon.

ECOSYSTEM NETWORK

Inner Growth, Outer Influence: Our Global Commitment

The Ecosystem Network (EN) was a worldwide, multifaceted network of organizations committed to:

1. Integrating the realms of inner wellbeing and social change seamlessly within member organizations and across the broader spectrum of social change endeavors.

2. Assisting and empowering members in delving deeper into their personal inner wellbeing quests.

3. Facilitating platforms for members to come together, exchange insights, foster learning, and perpetuate the growth of a close-knit community, thus reinforcing bonds and cultivating trust.

For 7 Years

The Ecosystem Network has been one of the core pillars of The Wellbeing Project

Through its dedicated efforts, it has played a central role in shaping research direction, pioneering new initiatives, and fostering a transformative cultural shift towards wellbeing among all changemakers.

Key Initiatives

Quarterly Wellbeing Forums and Targeted Discussions
Collaborative Subgroups
Inspiring Retreats and Community Gatherings
Informative and Engaging Newsletters

These endeavors collectively underline the Ecosystem Network’s unwavering commitment to nurturing a holistic sense of wellbeing within the changemaker community, thereby creating a lasting positive impact.

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97 Member Organizations

The Ecosystem Network Around The Globe

Spanning across 5 continents, the Ecosystem Network boasted 104 representatives—a tapestry of global collaboration.

[mk_button dimension=”flat” size=”medium” url=”https://wellbeing-project.org/ecosystem-network-group-member-organisations/” align=”center” bg_color=”#0190bb”]LIST OF MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS[/mk_button]

Sunsetting Our Story

After a remarkable journey spanning 7 years, the Ecosystem Network (EN) has gracefully reached the sunsetting phase, marking the culmination of its impactful mission.

With resounding success, the EN has surpassed all its envisioned goals, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape it aimed to transform. While bidding farewell to this chapter may evoke a bittersweet sentiment, it primarily stands as a joyous celebration of the collective accomplishments achieved by its dedicated members. Their unwavering dedication, collaborative spirit, and efforts have paved the way for a radiant future, one where the seeds of positive change continue to flourish and illuminate the path ahead. The sunsetting of the EN embodies not just an end, but a radiant beginning of even greater endeavors and possibilities.

A Timeline

Of Our Journey

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Testimonials

From Our Network

OUR IMPACT

The Achievements Of Our Network

Pioneering & Strengthening The Case

Pioneered, piloted, and led new programming, which has helped tell some of the first wellbeing stories in the field.
Helped build the case for the need of wellbeing globally.
Guided TWP’s main research and supported project-wide emerging processes and initiatives.
Created different types of wellbeing related materials (e.g. books, research, webinars).

Relationships & Peer Support

Created safe spaces from which trustworthy relationships could be built, thus modeling a new way of being and relating with one another within the sector at large.
Showcased the importance of having a community of peers and leaders to travel and journey with.

Wellbeing At Different Levels

Helped us deepen the collective understanding of what it takes to integrate wellbeing at a personal and organizational level.
Played an active role in sharing personal and organizational learnings & experiences with the broader field in different settings (e.g. global conferences)
Incorporated wellbeing into the core of many members’ organizations and their strategies.
Contributed to the creation of some of the first major global and regional ripple effects in the sector. (e.g. The Wellbeing Summit Bogotá)

Civil society – the power of now | Andreas Rickert | TEDxBerlinSalon

Books By Our Members

New Work Needs Inner Work

by Joana Breidenbach

[mk_button dimension=”flat” size=”medium” url=”https://www.amazon.com/New-Work-needs-Inner-Selbstorganisation/dp/3800661373″ target=”_blank” align=”center” bg_color=”#0190bb”]LEARN MORE[/mk_button]

Leading from Within: Conscious Social Change and Mindfulness for Social Innovation

by Gretchen Ki Steidle

[mk_button dimension=”flat” size=”medium” url=”https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Within-Conscious-Mindfulness-Innovation/dp/026203719X” target=”_blank” align=”center” bg_color=”#0190bb”]LEARN MORE[/mk_button]

The New Reason to Work: How to Build a Career That Will Change the World

by Roshan Paul & Ilaina Rabbat

[mk_button dimension=”flat” size=”medium” url=”https://www.amazon.com/New-Reason-Work-Career-Change/dp/1544525176″ target=”_blank” align=”center” bg_color=”#0190bb”]LEARN MORE[/mk_button]

More From The Ecosystem Network

Spotlights From The Community

[mk_button dimension=”flat” size=”medium” url=”https://wellbeing-project.org/global-glassroots/” target=”_blank” align=”center” fullwidth=”true” bg_color=”#0190bb”]GLOBAL GRASSROOTS[/mk_button][mk_button dimension=”flat” size=”medium” url=”https://wellbeing-project.org/fundacion-mi-sangre/” target=”_blank” align=”center” fullwidth=”true” bg_color=”#0190bb”]FUNDACIÓN MI SANGRE[/mk_button]

The Wellbeing Summit Bogotá – Podcast

[mk_button dimension=”flat” size=”medium” url=”https://wellbeing-project.org/the-wellbeing-summit-bogota-podcast/” target=”_blank” align=”center” fullwidth=”true” bg_color=”#0190bb”]LISTEN NOW[/mk_button]

Reflective Passage – Learnings From The Ecosystem Network’s Sunset Journey

[mk_button dimension=”flat” size=”medium” url=”https://wellbeing-project.org/reflective-passage/” target=”_blank” align=”center” fullwidth=”true” bg_color=”#0190bb”]READ MORE[/mk_button]

Haikus & Poems Haikus & Poems

By The Higher Education Network

Get ready to embark on a journey through the poetic expressions of The Higher Education Network‘s annual gathering in Switzerland.

In this collection, you will discover haikus and poems that echo the spirit of intellectual exploration, camaraderie, and the shared commitment to the future of wellbeing in education. Each syllable is a brushstroke, painting a picture of contemplation, connection, and elevation of the mind. Through verses inspired by the serene landscapes, the vibrant discussions, and the harmonious bonds formed, we invite you to experience the essence of this gathering.

As you immerse yourself in these poetic reflections, may you find inspiration, insight, and a renewed sense of purpose in the pursuit of wellbeing and enlightenment within the realm of education.

Success Story: Theory of Change. The journey towards wellbeing Success Story: Theory of Change. The journey towards wellbeing

Guest post in collaboration with:

Muhammad Imran Kazmi, Senior Finance Manager in Khwendo Kor

Muhammad Imran Kazmi is the Senior Finance Manager in Khwendo Kor (KK), a well reputed local-based non-for-profit organisation in Peshawar, Pakistan. In 2019 KK was one of 8 social change organisations chosen to participate in The Wellbeing Project’s Organisational Exploratory Program (OEP). The purpose of the OEP was to support the organisations through a learning journey to build wellbeing into the heart of their cultures.

Consistent with its vision to build a society where women and girls live with dignity and self-reliance, organisational wellbeing within Khwendo Kor would be defined by a participatory culture and supportive community giving opportunities for every staff member to learn and grow.

Whenever there is change, there will be some resistance to that change: it is a normal human response to uncertainty. Imran explains his own resistance: “At first, I could not accept the idea of wellbeing in the context of Pakistan, where we have such challenges with education, with electricity, with so much. And I did not like the idea of sharing my learning with staff, with connecting with more people.”

He goes on to say: “I have a stammer tongue by birth and before joining the wellbeing project I was not accepting this problem. All the time I was crucially blaming myself and complaining to GOD for this given. It was always a big challenge for me to accept when I was given a chance to speak in a meeting or a public gathering. Only the thought of it brought always fear in my mind that if I stammer, I would be embarrassed and thus lose self-confidence.”

The OEP was, from the beginning, framed as a learning journey. Everyone came to understand that there were no one-size-fits-all answers. This was an exploration by the participating organisations to define what organisational wellbeing meant to them and identify how they might work to improve it. Learning would come whether the impact was as expected, or not. And learning would be shared among the 8 organisations.

Imran says: “Since I joined OEP in 2019 I had several check-in sessions with our organisational coach. I have a learning attitude, so I have positively learnt a lot from this journey. Since joining the OEP, I slowly and gradually started accepting it.”

“I worked on myself and learned through various session. I did research in internet to found ways to address my stammering and YouTube videos to learn on how to overcome stammering. Once I started accepting my stammer problem, it really worked out and now I don’t feel shame if stammer. This has really built my self-confidence and now sometimes when I speak, I don’t even stammer anymore. For this I feel very grateful first to myself because I’ve learned to change and to The Wellbeing Project /OEP team and Khwendo Kor (KK) for providing me with this beautiful platform not only for organisational wellbeing but also for my personal wellbeing.

Based on my experience I developed some powerful wellbeing indicators which has not only bought miracle change in my life but also a positive attitude. I recommend everyone to apply these in their life.

Regular practice meditation.

Acceptance.

Believe in yourself.

Expressing gratitude.

Calm and peace to have healthy mind.

Be happy and stay positive.

Exposure to nature.

Focus on yourself.

Be aware of the present moment.

Don’t think about your past and future that has yet to come.

Let the ego go.

Having said that, one indicator ACCEPTANCE from the above list has changed my life.

Last year, in 2022, one of our senior Board of Director Dr. Salma Masood Khan and myself have attended The Wellbeing Summit for Social Change in Bilbao, Spain. There we learnt from different sessions and met with beautiful souls across the world. This was an extraordinary experience for me as it was my first ever experience to travel abroad in an airplane. This international exposure was also an additional booster for me to learn and share mutual experiences. Upon our return, we have prepared a PowerPoint presentation and successfully conducted a one-day session on wellbeing to all our staff.”

As for powerful organisational wellbeing indicators, KK is currently heading into its mid-term Strategic Planning Review Process with organisational wellbeing top of mind. Initially Imran was primarily responsible for the KK wellbeing work. Now the KK Human Resource function is taking the lead -reviewing policies through the lens and perspective of wellbeing, looking at salaries, providing interest-free loans to staff, and offering retirement benefits to which the organisation and the staff members contribute.

Imran offers his own powerful wellbeing guidance. “Last but not least my humble submission is: Love yourself, care yourself so that you are able to love and care others as well”.

Inspiring Change through Wellbeing: Insights from Fundación FEMSA’s Breakfast in Mexico City Inspiring Change through Wellbeing: Insights from Fundación FEMSA’s Breakfast in Mexico City

Guest Post by

Alejandra Garza & Fernanda Martínez

Last week, on July 27th, we had the honor of attending a remarkable breakfast organized by Fundación FEMSA in Mexico City. The event brought together more than 100 participants working in the field of social change in Mexico, making it an inspiring and timely occasion.

Since 2008, Fundación FEMSA has been working on the premise that “a sustainable company can only exist with sustainable communities.” Over the years, they have made significant strides in Sustainable Development, Early Childhood, Arts & Culture, Circular Economies, and most recently, Wellbeing, which was the focal point of this enriching event.The session was inaugurated by Sebastian Viramontes, Global Wellness Manager at FEMSA, who shared FEMSA’s wellbeing model, integrated by 5 areas: Healthy Body, Psychological Wellbeing, Workplace Wellbeing, Financial Wellbeing and Social Connection. He highlighted the far-reaching impact of this model, not only on FEMSA’s workforce, but also on their families and the broader community.

After this presentation, Dr. Rosalinda Ballesteros, Director of Instituto de Ciencias del Bienestar y la Felicidad of Universidad Tecmilenio, México, elaborated on the challenges of work-related stress and the implications of this in social change work. Drawing on her expertise in positive psychology, she shared practical strategies for promoting personal wellbeing, emphasizing the importance of curiosity in exploring one’s own emotions, needs, as well as unique perspectives, and learning how to do this in normal everyday life.

Both presentations highlighted the link between personal flourishing and the sustainability of collective efforts, affirming that only by taking care of ourselves and each other can we hope to build a future where transformative change becomes a reality.

The event ended with a psychodrama exercise led by David Ordaz, Social Psychologist and Master in Political Sociology. Through role-playing and embodiment exercises, participants connected with their emotions and shared their visions for the future of the social change sector in Mexico.

It was a real honor and pleasure to attend this wonderful event. We are inspired to see wellbeing as a topic that is growing strongly in this region and to have witnessed how everyone present was genuinely interested in exploring ways to incorporate and enhance wellbeing on both a personal and organizational level. The enthusiasm and commitment shown by all attendees and speakers was wonderful and it is heartwarming to see a growing community that values the wellbeing of individuals and organizations alike.

We are very grateful to have been part of such an uplifting experience and are excited to witness the continued growth of a community that values the wellbeing of all its members.