Reflections and Learnings from the 2024 Post Growth Fellowship
As the third cohort comes to a close, we’re reflecting on another year of connection, dreaming, and learning together.
The Post Growth Fellowship continues to expand into a unique space where the seeds of transformation take root through connection, plurality, and shared visions of change. This year, we celebrated the Fellowship as a place to dream, decompress, and connect with those navigating post-growth ideas in their lives and work.
A safe space to be ourselves
This year, several Fellows have described the Fellowship as a rare and safe space, one where “we are allowed to be who we are.” It’s a place to connect from the heart, embrace slow and thoughtful dialogue, and share deeply personal stories and visions. For many, the initial connection was rooted in emotion and humanity, allowing each other to listen, learn, and reflect in ways that modified their thinking and approaches to collaboration.
Tannur Ali shared how the Fellowship became a place of solace: “I was in deep frustration, then I came to a call and could decompress.” Others spoke of the care and intentionality embedded in the language used during our gatherings — a sharp contrast to academic or institutional spaces.
Balancing being and doing
This year, we continued to prioritize the relational side of the Fellowship. As in previous years, Fellows valued the opportunity to simply share space and explore connections as an end in itself. However, a new theme emerged: the desire to go beyond shared hindrances and challenges and to begin ‘doing together.’
We’re recognizing the need to strike a balance between holding space for reflection and fostering tangible, collaborative opportunities. While dreaming and decompressing remain foundational, some Fellows expressed a desire for practical support and ways to embark on shared projects. This is a delicate balance we’re keen to explore further in 2025.
Cross-pollination and deep engagement
The plurality of profiles, experiences, and projects within the Fellowship continues to be one of its greatest strengths. Breakout rooms were particularly appreciated this year as a space for thematic exploration and cross-pollination of ideas. Fellows highlighted the value of hearing about each other’s projects and recognizing points of intersection, which helped surface opportunities for collaboration and mutual inspiration.
We’ve also started imagining new ways to deepen these connections, including experimenting with smaller, focused subgroups that could work together on topics throughout the cohort. These groups could act as containers for ongoing dialogue and discovery, facilitated by a member of the Fellowship team. We’re also dreaming about the possibility of creating and facilitating in-person meetups and events, to foster even deeper connections and opportunities.
Opportunities for connection
One of the challenges voiced by Fellows this year was how to maintain connections beyond our calls. While the Fellowship WhatsApp group offered one avenue for interaction, it wasn’t as active as it could be. Fellows expressed a desire for more opportunities to connect outside of structured PGI spaces — whether through one-on-one conversations, asynchronous interactions, or experimental formats such as audio-only channels for sharing practical insights or emotional support.
In 2025, we aim to foster more accessible, diverse spaces to deepen these connections. This might include offering engagements in multiple languages, creating thematic workgroups, or experimenting with formats like week-long mini-calls ending in a plenary session.
Developing the Affiliate Fellowship
The Affiliate Fellowship, which has existed as a way for Fellows to remain connected beyond their cohort year, is undergoing development this year based on feedback from our community. We learned that Fellows value the continuity and opportunities offered by the Affiliate Fellowship but expressed a desire for it to be more structured and intentional. Some suggested clearer pathways for participation, such as mentorship roles, co-facilitation opportunities, or more defined spaces to share their ongoing work. Others appreciated its flexibility and expressed a preference for low-pressure ways to stay involved, such as occasional updates or invitations to key events.
We are now refining the Affiliate Fellowship to better meet these diverse needs, including offering more structured opportunities, such as mentoring new cohorts, hosting engagements, or contributing resources to the broader PGI community; clearer points of connection, such as regular invitations to join cohort activities, participate in special events, or engage in asynchronous conversations are being integrated into the framework; and enhanced collaboration spaces, where Affiliate Fellows can showcase their work, collaborate with others, and amplify shared efforts within the post-growth pluriverse.
Learnings to carry forward
The Fellowship has taught us that slowness, care, and connection are powerful foundations for collective action. Vlad Bunea reflected on how the experience shifted his initial expectations: “I came with the intent of finding support and collaborations for my project, but I found more value in listening to everyone’s stories. It’s the foundation of something long-lasting if we can find ways to connect one-on-one and discover each other more.”
As we prepare for 2025, we remain committed to holding this space with care and intention. From exploring multilingual engagements to creating experimental connection points, we look forward to continuing this journey with our Fellows and Affiliate Fellows.
Together, we’re building a culture of connection that transcends borders and inspires collective change.
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