Future Convergence: Cultivating Practices of Collaboration for Social Change

"...civil society organisations have a unique and historic role to play to challenge, re-orient and galvanise actors from all spheres of society to work together, reducing polarisation and nurturing our common humanity."

This Barefoot Guide explores how to practice collaboration for transformative social change. It is intended for individuals and organisations who want to improve their learning processes and social change practices.

The publication originated from questions and writings of members of Forus participating in the Forus Leadership Development Programme from 2017 to 2020. Forus then drew in contributions from many other members and allies, entailing a global process of collective learning and collaboration reecting the same values and approaches described in the guide.

Written by 31 civil society leaders and practitioners from 20 countries from across the world, the guide features practices and experiences that bring diverse people and organisations together towards a vision of a planet that is more equitable, inclusive, humane, and sustainable. It includes some challenging perspectives of what must be faced, exploring initiatives, practices, ways of collaborating, and leadership forms that may offer a way forward for humanity.

Core chapters include:

1. Understanding and Facing the Deepening Global Crisis
   • What Really Matters?
   • Let's Talk about Power!
   • Dear Matefele Peinam (poem)
2. Organised Civil Society - Redening Our Role and Relevance
   • The Threefold Nature of Society
   • The Many Forms of Organised Civil Society
   • Holding up a Mirror: Reecting on the Challenges for Civil Society Organisations
   • Weaving in New Relationships and Roles
3. Movements, Coalitions and NGO Platforms Together: Flexible Webs and Fluid Spaces
   • The Story of a Social Movement Ally: The Brazilian Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (Abong)
   • How the Complex Work of Coalition-building Can Succeed
   • Four Spaces of Collaboration
   • Spain: Future in Common - A Liquid Forum for Moving Together
   • How to Be a Social Movement Ally
   • Our Work into Renewal
4. Key Practices to Nourish Collaboration
   • Learning to Breathe Together
   • The Elements of Conspiring
   • Surprising Simulations - Learning to Build an NGO Platform in Jordan
   • Encouraging Feedback
   • How to Have a Conversation
   • Unlocking the DNA of Collaboration: Horizontal Action Learning
   • Working Together (poem)
5. How Donors Can Nurture Collaboration
   • Peering into the Resourcing Paradigms of Business, Government and Civil Society
   • Current Trends in Resourcing Civil Society
   • How to Restrict the Work of Civil Society and Collaboration
   • Alternative Resourcing Approaches and Practices
6. Leadership for Collaboration - Liberating Possibility
   • The Letter I Wish I Had Received from My Predecessor
   • The Challenge of Leading in a Patriarchal System
   • In Search of Facilitative Leadership
   • The Four Principles of Network Entrepreneurship
   • The Shapes and Powers of Collective Leadership
   • Cultivating Collective Leadership
   • A Story of Collective Leadership at Work
   • For a Leader (poem)

Forus is a member-led network of 69 national non-governmental organisation (NGO) platforms and 7 regional coalitions from all continents representing over 22,000 NGOs active locally and internationally on development, human rights, and environmental issues.