“Sometimes we lose sight of a simple truth about systems: They are made up of people…. Relationships are the essence and fabric of collective impact.” SSIR, Relational Work of Systems Change
Social progress happens through connection—people making introductions, sharing insights, extending invitations, opening closed door access. Social capital exchanges often happen behind the scenes of funding transactions and measurable milestones.
Several years of pandemic-driven isolation has taken a toll on the connective tissue of the social impact field. A lack of in-person connection has prompted us to reconsider how, when, and why we gather. It has also reinforced how intentional connection can unlock access and resources needed to drive impact. Increasingly, we hear from leaders in our network how challenging visibility and connection have become—to find aligned peers, funders, partners. It takes time for frontline leaders to cultivate and maintain looser tie relationships.
How might we improve the ability to name and support the relational fabric of collective impact? What spaces could help us weave loose ties, bridge across regions, and continue to nurture human connection? The Skoll World Forum Fellowship is one such connection avenue we’re nurturing.
We created the SWF Fellowship to remove some financial and access barriers for community-based leaders from Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Tribal Nations to attend the Forum in Oxford. We curated cohorts, managed logistics, and crafted a “warm onramp” for senior leaders to enter our network. Connections seeded years ago have begun to bloom in all sorts of ways. We’ve seen fellows collaborate, elevate their visibility through speaking, secure funding ($10 million reported by 2019 fellows), join impact leadership programs, and develop personal relationships.
In co-creating this program during four years with 110 fellows from 47 countries, we have realized the Oxford-based program essence is far more powerful and yet less tangible than we anticipated.
We are beginning to acknowledge the depth of burn out, the importance of wellbeing, the role of organizational sustainability. What’s sustainable? Who decides and stewards? Storytellers, social innovators, funders, and connectors alike see an opportunity to courageously redesign, not simply return to a new normal.
“We are living in an era in which responsible leadership will not be enough to face the challenges and opportunities lying ahead. Conscious leadership based on deep empathy, genuine purpose, and coherent actions will define the path forward. The Forum at large and Fellowship in particular, exemplifies this approach.” Daniel Buchbinder, Mexico.
“The Great Resignation has impacted our community too. It offers an opportunity to rethink plans and review purposes. It is a second chance to have a comprehensive look at what really matters and how to focus on it.” Marcel Fukayama, Brazil
“Living through the pandemic gave me an opportunity to pause and reevaluate the impact of the programs that I run. Women, especially women in agriculture have been severely impacted by lockdowns and COVID-19. The gains they made have been reversed by several years. Showing up in 2022 means meeting them where they are. Rebuilding livelihoods.” Kelo Kubu, South Africa
“Covid shutdowns reopened gradually healing wounds and the pressure to become a round-the-clock sanctuary for women, increased tremendously in our community. In the form of an improved triage necessitated by the pandemic and inspired by SWF, our path forward is paved with cohesive messaging, strategic partnerships, and horizontal growth.” Lola Omolola, United States / Nigeria
“The pandemic gave us two critical lessons. 1) Young people are taking charge, and embracing this complexity and uncertainty with empathy, love and care of one another. 2) The traditional masculine leadership approach is obsolete and it’s paving the way for a facilitative leadership approach that is more feminine. This is demonstrated by leaders who are taking people along; are investing in care, wellbeing and nurturing; are looking at challenges and solutions holistically; and have the thriving of the individual, community, society, and planet at the core of their approach grounded by values of equity, dignity, and inclusion.” Vishal Talreja, Dream a Dream, India
Raising funds and building new alliances requires trust. Unable to gather in person these past few years, we have rediscovered the power of more ordinary connection. By embracing less production and control, we can let conversations breathe and unfold naturally. We certainly don’t need to wait for the buildup of large gatherings in one place at one time to listen and learn from each other.
“In many regions such as Central America there is a structural gap such as the lack of social capital (trust, collaboration, effective networks) which is essential to enable genuine possibilities for transformation. SWF represents a powerful ingredient to nurture social capital.” Daniel Buchbinder, Mexico
“What I have seen at the Skoll World Forum is that connections are powerful and unpredictable. Besides the opportunity to either create a new project or foster an existing one, it is also about life regeneration. It is magic and limitless.” Marcel Fukayama, Brazil
“After attending and meeting so many impactful changemakers at Skoll World Forum 2019, I continued to attend the online versions in 2020 and 2021 because of the transformational effect each time I listened and learned from another changemaker. Their words, their wisdom, their plight are the constant source of inspiration that fueled my next steps. Not only that, through Skoll World Forum 2019, I got to know Skoll Awardee Room To Read. We have collaborated to create an Indonesian children book series called Becoming Changemakers; to ignite children’s imagination on the works of Indonesian changemakers.” Amelia Hapsari, Indonesia
“Building trust online takes time. Having had the benefit of attending the Forum in person before the pandemic made transitioning to an online event easier. In the past two years, I have managed to strengthen the bonds that were created in 2018 and 2019. This year, I am looking forward to collaborating with some of the fellows I met on this journey.” Kelo Kubu, South Africa
When we show up as open, curious, kind people, magic happens. Yes, we started this program to remove cost and logistical barriers to participation in the Skoll World Forum. We built program goals, co-investment philanthropy partners, and defined measurable outcomes. Over the past four years, we’ve seen what resonates most is simply bringing incredible people together, warming up the space, and getting out of the way. That is enough. To let go of control is to trust the potential for far more powerful connections to grow.
“The fellowship is also about a community of practices in which we can prototype collective solutions that influence new norms and new culture. That is systems change in practice.” Marcel Fukayama, Brazil
“The magic…the serendipity between Skoll Fellows and Skoll World Forum community shows what is collectively possible to identify solutions to some of the greatest challenges we all face. The energy and spirit of the Skoll Fellowship has lifted my leadership and vision to new heights.” Dr. Erik Brodt (Ojibwe), USA
“Sharing ideas with likeminded people has given my work a lot of depth and scope. The generosity of the community gives me hope for the future.” Kelo Kubu, South Africa
The Fellowship program will continue to evolve in partnership with Fellows. We’re developing organic and formal avenues for Fellows to connect with each other and across our global network. We invite you to learn about the current cohort of 2020-2022 Skoll World Forum Fellows here and plan to join us at Global and Regional Meet Ups on Wednesday 4/6 and Thursday 4/7 during the Virtual Skoll World Forum week.
