In search of chaos: the importance of winding down
Change requires energy. Driven by enthusiasm and intrinsic motivation, the words we often hear are: new, different, more! In the dynamic setting of the Sustainability Skills Meetup on March 8, an important insight surfaced: where we are masters at launching new initiatives and pilots, the focus on tearing down and rebuilding (often hindering) elements in organizations falls short.
In response to this realization, we are organizing three follow-up meetups. The first meetup of a series of 3 took place on September 13, where we learned about "unlearning" with Dr. Kristina Bogner. We would like to invite you to the next inspiring working session on October 15, where we will explore together the unlearning line in transition thinking and walk through the steps to bring about actual system change. We will work toward establishing some tips for paying attention to phase-out and phase-out in working from pilots to system change in education. Bettina from Bord and Stift will be present at the meetups to provide a visual representation of our progress and ensure attractive actionable outcomes from these working sessions.
Sign up quickly via the sign-up button below, as space is limited!
Why wind down?
In the race toward sustainable transformation, we often focus on building and expanding new structures and initiatives. But to truly move beyond chaos, we also need to learn how to break things down and change. This working session offers a valuable opportunity to learn from each other and get inspiration on how to shape the phase of dismantling. What are you running into in the existing system?
What to expect.
On Oct. 15, we invite you to participate in an interactive working session with:
- Kristin Vanlommel, lecturer on "Organizing Change in Education" at the Hogeschool van Utrecht will give a short lecture titled The paradoxes of sustainable educational change: about choosing and losing, courageous uncertainty and change of the individual versus organization. Starting point are different dimensions of sustainability and what is needed to achieve it: sufficient innovative capacity of individual and organization. Vanlommel will reflect on what we mean by that, how to focus on it with the overarching theme of the series of meet-ups as a common thread: winding down and letting go. Finally, she will focus on the preconditions for this sustainable educational change from a systems perspective.
- reflection on your (changing) role in the transition to sustainable education;
- Exchange of (practical) experience on system change;
- space for meeting with a broad network of education professionals: teachers, sustainability coordinators, school leaders, administrators, researchers, project leaders, and the like;
- converting advice together (with business illustrator Bord & Stift) into concrete tools to work with in your teaching practice.
There are a total of 2 more meetups, with different focuses. Each meetup will feature an expert and speaker on the topic. You don't have to attend each meetup, although this definitely adds value because we will be addressing a different layer of the transition during each session. Below you can read more about the focus of the different working sessions.
- (This event has already taken place) Sept. 13 | Kristine Bogner
Kristina Bogner is Assistant Professor at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development at Utrecht University. From her interest in educational innovation, she has studied the disengagement side of the innovation process. "What does it do to organizations and people when, for example, (part of) our function has to be let go or that certain work processes are phased out for the sake of innovation. Kristina takes us into the world of, as she herself calls it, "unlearning." What do we have to unlearn, how do we do it and what does it do to us. - Oct. 15 | Kristin Vanlommel
Kristin Vanlommel is lecturer 'Organizing Change in Education'. How can we organize change processes in education, how can we learn from changes and what do (teams of) professionals need for this? These are questions she researches. At our meeting, Vanlommel provides a theoretical introduction and takes us through the innovative capacity of organizations, on a personal and organizational level. This can help us gain insight into which knobs we can turn to get from pilot to lasting system change. After her introduction, we get to work with the knowledge provided. - November 8 | Femke Coops
Femke Coops is a design researcher currently at TU Eindhoven conducting a PhD research focused on 'designing spaces for letting go in sustainability transitions' in which she investigates the emotional dynamics of letting go (and phasing out) in sustainability transitions and actively tries to create (physical) space to deal with these emotions. She will therefore take us through this knowledge on November 8 and then work with us to peel off the dilemmas surrounding the downward line of phasing out from the transition curve, and how we can make space in it for these emotions in ourselves and in the people we work with.
For whom are these sessions intended?
The working session is aimed at project leaders, teachers and management actively involved in accelerating the transition to transformative learning for sustainable development. Share your perspective and experience or instead learn from others.By coming together and learning from each other's experiences, we can accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future. Let's explore the winding down line together and break new ground for sustainable change. We look forward to welcoming you on October 15 for an inspiring and productive working session!
Where?
- Oct. 15, 9:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
DeFabrique | Maarssen - November 8, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
Hub JIM | Utrecht
