Change Makers

Growing Hope in Local Community Leaders

Change Makers

Growing Hope in Local Community Leaders

Do you see potential in people from your community to be the change for your community? Do you know emerging local leaders who could make a real difference if they only had better connections, focus and access to resources? Then, why not nominate them for a life changing opportunity to join the next cohort of Change Makers?

The 2024 Cohort nominations are now open. To nominate a ‘Pod’ of leaders or register your own interest please click here.

Change Makers equips a new generation of local community leaders. The focus is on growing each emerging leader’s capacity in the critical qualities of compassion, innovation and resilience, as well as building life-long connections, self-awareness and skills for change. Participants are nominated as a small group ‘Pods’ from within their local communities ‘Local Seedbeds’ and join with others around the country to shape their ideas for change in the areas of community building, community organising and community enterprise.

Change Makers programme is run over 4 months and includes a residential, away day sessions, coaching sessions, best practice site visits and a pitch of their own idea for change at the end of the programme to a resource panel and graduate.

Change Makers is accessible, designed so participants can be part of the programme even if they work or study full time. Participants come in pods together from your community and focus their idea for change within your community. This means that your community benefits from their growth and not just the emerging leaders themselves.

Seven cohorts of Change Makers have already grown into fullness of life in remarkable ways. This includes within the emerging leaders themselves as well as through launching their community-based initiatives (see video clips of recent participants here and latest news on our Facebook Page here).

We’ve also successfully piloted Change Makers Scotland and Young Change Makers through the development of more ‘Local Seedbeds’.

Could your local leaders be next?

 

Change Makers especially benefits those who are:

Placed

Belong to an urban priority area and be willing to join the programme in a local ‘pod’ with others from that neighbourhood.

Emerging

Aged over 18 with high potential to make a difference.

Diverse

Not from mainstream, establishment backgrounds, paying attention to class, race and gender access and equity challenges.

Raw Talents

Have catalytic potential that traditional education systems will probably not bring out their best.

Upcoming ‘Change Makers’ Programmes 2024

‘Change Makers Taster Days’
  • London  (6th January, 2024)
  • Birmingham (tbc)
  • Brisbane (17th February, 2024)
  • Melbourne (2nd March, 2024)
  • Belfast (27th April, 2024)
  • Dublin (23rd April, 2024)
  • Glasgow (15th March, 2024)
  • Frankfurt (13th July, 2024)

‘Change Makers’ Local Community Leadership Programmes

The 2024 Cohort nominations are now open. To nominate a ‘Pod’ of leaders or register your own interest please click here.

Change Makers (London): Key Dates

9am-7pm on Saturdays 20 January, 10 February, 9 March & 23 March 2024 at Seedbeds Centre, Manor Park, North London E12 6PG.

Dave Mann & Ash Barker, experienced community organisers, coaches and Christian Church Ministers will help you fire up your passion in order to fulfil your purpose and make a positive transformation in your community using individual StrengthsFinders tests to catalyse what’s strong in us, to change what’s wrong in our world. The only qualification you need is the desire to make a positive difference.

Projects are planned in teams and pitched to a resource panel (like a friendly Dragon’s Den).

  • 20 January: Compassion (including personal StrengthsFinders assessment)
  • 10 February: Innovation
  • 9 March: Resilience
  • 23 March: Pitch to Panel and Graduation

Alumni residential (optional): St Cuthbert’s Way walk in May 2025 – Details here.

Change Maker programmes have been running for ten years with previous Change Makers having formed lifelong friendships and seen lasting transformation in their areas.

Could you come along with a group of like-minded friends to support and celebrate with you on this adventure?

Breakfast, lunch and an evening meal together is included.

This event is open to people of all faiths or none.

Cost is £145 Click here to book a place.

Change Makers England 2024 with Accreditation option: Key Dates
  • Orientation via zoom: Saturday 3 August 2024
  • Module A – Compassion: 6-7 September 2024 at Newbigin House, Winson Green
  • Module B – Innovation: 4-5 October 2024 at Newbigin House, Winson Green
  • Module C – Resilience: 1-3 November 2024 at the Holy Island of Lindisfarne
  • Resource Panel and Graduation: 23 November 2024 at Lodge Road Community Church, Winson Green, Birmingham

Alumni residential (optional): St Cuthbert’s Way walk in May 2025: Details here .

Cost is £250 (plus part scholarship).

The 2024 Cohort nominations are now open. To nominate a ‘Pod’ of leaders or register your own interest please click here.

Young Change Makers (England) 2024-2025: Key Dates 
  • Residential A: 25-27 October 2024 at the Greenhouse at Barnes Close, Worcestershire
  • Residential B: 24-26 January 2025 at the Greenhouse at Barnes Close, Worcestershire
  • Residential C & Graduation: 21-23 February 2025 London Visit

If you are interested in becoming a ‘Local Seedbed’ to raise up local leaders and see their God-given dreams for change happen in your neighbourhood, then please connect with ash.barker@seedbeds.org and look at our Equippers page here. 

Cost is £250 (plus part scholarship).

The 2024 Cohort nominations are now open. To nominate a ‘Pod’ of leaders or register your own interest please click here.

 

Information About Cost

We don’t want finances to be a barrier to any potential Change Maker accessing our programmes. It generally costs around £1k per participant for this programme, but through sponsorships, grants, time gifting and donations each successful nominee will be granted a part scholarship. This means each participant or sponsoring organisation can invest £250 for access to the whole programme including a week-end residential, coaching sessions, site visits and a resource panel/graduation.  We especially ask nominators (and/or their organisation or church) to consider donating toward their nominees programme if their nominees are successful.

If you have any questions please contact ash.barker@seedbeds.org 

Photo credit: Claire Carroll

For more information please contact Ash Barker at ash.barker@seedbeds.org