Collective Imagination x Local Government: Deepening local democracy and participation through collective imagination.

Calling collective imagination practitioners and those working in local government contexts who are curious about applying collective imagination to local democracy and participation. This four month peer learning ‘Huddle’ could be for you.

“We live (and die) inside of systems that were imagined centuries ago by those ambitious and narrow minds of colonists and patriarchs. We live inside the lineage of relatively ignorant imaginations, which were obsessed with protection and domination. But we know so much more now.” — adrienne maree brown

Collective imagination is about groups of people coming together to imagine and build the places they want to be part of. This practice is about moving beyond fixing what’s broken and seeking new horizons, new worlds and new ways of being.

We know local authorities are always looking for ways to make democracy more inclusive and to unlock more community capacity for the big challenges we’re trying to tackle. We’ve already seen some trailblazing collective imagination practice happening in local areas — like the Camden Imagines project embedding “municipal imagination activism” in their council, and policy makers coming together in an Interspecies Council at The River Roding.

In this Huddle we’ll bring together 6 practitioners with deep and varied experience of collective imagination work and pair them with 6 people working in UK-based local authorities, building our shared capacity and exploring together the potential of collective imagination practices to enliven communities, deepen democracy and build hopeful relationships between council and citizens.

Practicalities

Dates: 2 kick-off sessions followed by weekly meet-ups on Tuesday evenings 6–8pm BST, from July — October

Kick-off: July 2nd 6–8pm & July 4th 6–8pm

Meet-ups:* July 9th | July 16th | July 23rd | July 30th | Aug 6th | Aug 13th | Aug 27th | Sept 3rd | Sept 10th | Sept 17th | Sept 24th | Oct 1st | Oct 8th | Oct 15th

Sharing event: Wednesday, Oct 30th 6–8pm

Location: Online (Zoom)

Time commitment: 2hr per week on average

How to apply: Fill in this short application form by June 10th (midday BST)

Open session: Find out more and ask any questions at our Open Session on Thursday 6th June at midday BST. Email christinawatson305@gmail.com to be added to the calendar invitation.

*To maximise the individual and collective impact of this journey, we are asking for a minimum commitment of 80% attendance. Please have a check of these dates against your current commitments before applying.

Is this for me?

This huddle is about bringing together those working on the front line in UK local government, and those with deep experience of collective imagination as a practice.

If you work in a local authority, you might:

• Feel stuck in the limitations of your current ways of working
• Sense that a different way is possible and feel intrigued by the idea of collective imagination practice
• Be seeking a learning community to seed or test new ideas with
• See real potential to apply new practices in your work, e.g. to a live challenge or project

If you’re a collective imagination practitioner, you might:

• See the potential for applying your imagination craft in places of power and resource
• Be seeking to build your collective imagination network and portfolio in contexts with high potential for impact
• Be curious about bringing different humans and working styles together, to build our imagination capacity
• Have experience of applying collective imagination practices in a local government setting

What will it be like?

We’ll start with a kick-off to get to know each other and set our learning intentions. Weekly meet-ups will alternate between whole group sessions where we’ll experiment with collective imagination practice, and “buddy sessions” — peer coaching in pairs to support and motivate you to apply your learnings in your context. We’ll finish by synthesising and sharing our compounded learning about how to use collective imagination to deepen local democracy and participation.

This is a peer learning journey in the Huddlecraft style, meaning we’ll work as a group and co-create elements as we go. But the structure we’ll use is:

• A two-session kickoff, where we’ll meet & explore what we’re into. This will be our chance to identify our learning intentions that can guide us.
• Six sessions where we’ll experiment with collective imagination practices relating to our interests.
• Six sessions of peer-coaching, pairing collective imagination practitioners with local authority folks, to explore applying practice in context.
• Over our time together, we’ll build a library of resources and ideas we can share with others too.
• And a final session offering space for reflection and capturing our learning.
• A project showcase alongside the other collective imagination Huddles.

You’ll emerge with new knowledge, skills and connections to fuel your future work.

About your host

Christina is a Brighton-based sea lover, proud aunt and deep thinker! She is a restless lifelong learner & facilitator, passionate about creating space for deep, joyful learning together. With a background in community education and learning design, Christina uses a multi-disciplinary toolkit from systems and futures thinking, to nature-based practice, playful creativity, and ritual design.

In 2023 Christina hosted the Death x Life Huddle, a practice that cemented her belief in the power of purposeful peer groups to reimagine and rehearse new ways of being together in the world.

“Christina is the person I laugh with, rage with, and think with. She’s a safe space for my thorniest problems and wackiest ideas, & gives so graciously her wisdom, humour & love.”

- Imogen Pursch — Head of Grants, Royal Academy of Engineering

“Christina is one of the most conscientious and supportive leaders I’ve ever met. [In the Huddle] there was so much consideration for group needs and unconditional offering of extra help and check-ins throughout. Communication was exquisite. Whenever I had feedback, she listened openly and allowed space for things to emerge and take the time they needed.”

- Death x Life Huddle Participant

Q&A

Does this cost money?

No, only your time and energy. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation have generously provided an accessibility stipend to help those who might otherwise not apply.

We are able to offer each participant the opportunity to claim the sum of £150 to contribute towards their time or expenses required to take part, if you feel you need it. We understand this is a small amount of money so we’re also offering each person the opportunity to waive your portion so that someone else in the group who needs it more is able to access more.

What support will be offered?

We are intentionally bringing collective imagination practitioners together with people working in local authorities, so that we can tap into the reciprocal learning opportunities between these two groups. This peer learning will be combined with the process guidance of your host, Christina, and the growing collective imagination practice community will also be part of your wider support system.

Who will be teaching me?

This Huddle is not a programme that is being run for you by someone else. It is a peer-to-peer programme which means participants take on shared responsibility for success and realisation of the experience. Your hosts will guide your journey and help you to make the most of this opportunity. The more participants contribute to the collective the more value there is available to everyone.

How will you approach equity, inclusion and accessibility?

We want to welcome and support anyone with a strong intention to take part in this Huddle, and aim to ensure that your identity or background will not be a barrier.

The Huddle format we’re using centres peer-to-peer learning which can be a really inclusive approach to education. The non-hierarchical relationships can create an environment that welcomes each of us to bring more of ourselves into the learning process, and you will likely be brought together with people with different perspectives, ideas, experiences and more. We are open to input and evolving things as we go.

On application we invite you to tell us about your access needs and preferences and we will also invite the group to share what they’d like to with one another, so that the group can co-create an inclusive space.

I have more questions!

Get in touch with my directly at christinawatson305@gmail.com, and we can schedule a chat if needed.

I’m ready to apply

Great! Get your application in via this form by midday (BST) on June 10th.