Together We Can: Summit 11-21st May

Our 10-day Summit, to unleash the power of what we can do and be together, took place in May 2022.  You can watch back many of the sessions on our Together We Can Playlist here. Read on for more information about the sessions that took place. 

If the last two years have left you feeling exhausted, powerless and overwhelmed by the challenges of our time, we have exactly what you need. We can’t do much in isolation, but together, we can. Together, we can rise to these challenges we face. Together we can find and activate our hope and power. Together we can, and will, build a better future.

Together We Can: Summit 11-21st May

What to expect…

‘Together We Can’ was a ten-day, online Summit packed with insightful talks, interactive workshops and captivating speakers. It was brought to you by Transition Together, which connects and supports Transition groups in the UK, and open to all. 

Replenish your hope with a Blizzard of Stories from communities leading change. Explore how together we can Reshape local economies, Resist imaginatively and Rewild our world. Tackle the challenges of community organising head on with skillshares, workshops and agony aunts clinics.  Work with your hands in sessions on mending and vertical growing, or eat together, to connect and revive.

Nurture

There are three vital strands woven throughout:

Nurture is designed to nourish and sustain you. It’s been a tough time – we’ve all felt the strain of getting ourselves and others through.

Here is the chance to explore and grow your own resilience, to find space to process and for mutual support.

Build

Build will equip your group to realise their goals.

Explore how to involve new people, bring social justice into your work and sustain your impact.

Expect ‘how to’ workshops that will be insightful, participatory and tailor-made for Transition groups.

Inspire

Inspire offers a window on a better future already being crafted by communities today.

Real stories that remind us what change is possible through community action.

This strand will put the fire back in your belly, the spring back in your step and the hope back in your activism.

Join Us

All sessions took place online. We offered the Summit for free to make it as inclusive and accessible as possible. If you are able and find value in the event, please do contribute a donation. Money raised will go directly to making future Transition Together work more inclusive.

The Summit Ticket gives to access all sessions and workshops, regular updates and our online space, Vive, where you can explore Summit content and connect with speakers and participants throughout.

Featuring…

Hannah Peel

Composer, Artist, Musician, Broadcaster
Together we can … harness the power of creativity

Claude Henrickson

Leeds Community Homes
Together we can … take space and make it our own

Sherri Mitchell

Indigenous rights Attorney, Author, Activist
Together we can … build more inclusive movements

Jon Alexander

New Citizenship Project, Author – Citizens
Together we can … be citizens not consumers

Immy Kaur

Director – Civic Square
Together we can … take space and make it our own

Syd Yang

Healer, Writer, Artist
Together we can … build more inclusive movements

Rob Hopkins

Founder Transition Movement
Summit Opening Night! Blizzard of Stories 2022

Yumna Hussen

Youth campaigner, Activist, Writer
Together we can … be citizens not consumers

Monica Cru-Hall

Creative Arts Therapist, Educator, Mum
Together we can … create a thriving social economy

More ways to connect

The Summit programme will be followed by a week-long online Open Space, a place to continue connecting, exploring and go deeper into the themes that emerge. You can offer an Open Space session here, and we’ll share details sessions with Summit participants. 

Vive is an exciting new online space for Transitioners to connect, share, learn and support each other – like our own virtual hive. It’s great to be trialling it for this year’s Summit. On Vive, you’ll be able to interact live with other participants, join groups around common themes and explore sessions and speakers in more detail. After you register, you’ll be invited to join.

What’s On

Explore the sessions and speakers already confirmed by date or theme. We’ll be adding more brilliant content regularly in the run up to the event – sign up today for a Summit Ticket and we’ll make sure you hear the latest.

Thursday 12 May

Build

Together we can … put Doughnut Economics into practice

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

A powerful idea spreading fast worldwide, but how does it work at a local scale? Join Rob Shorter from Doughnut Economics Action Lab and activists from across the UK for stories of communities using it to unlock new thinking and make practical change. With Jane Brady, Kavita Purohit, Daniel Blyden and Barbara Goffin.

Friday 13 May

Build

Together we can … do kickass social media

10:00 am – 11:30 am

Join Rhiannon and Chris from the Transition Together communications team for this practical skillshare to boost your group’s social media presence. Share useful tips and explore how to tell compelling and engaging stories that will draw people in. 

Build

Together we can … set up a Climate Emergency Centre

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Community-led climate hubs are springing up across the UK, providing a focal point for action and initiatives to address climate change and grow resilience locally. Ben McCallan and friends from Zero Carbon Guildford shares the story of opening up their busy space in a former high street clothes store. 

Saturday 14 May

Build

Together we can… grow our groups

10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Veteran community organiser Beth Foster Ogg and Transition Together’s Rhiannon Colvin lead a full-day workshop on attracting new people to your Transition group, ensuring it grows and sustains itself long term. Two or more of your group need to attend for the full day.  This session has now been widened to all Summit participants, but you do need to sign up at the button below.

Build

Transition Agony Aunt Drop In Session

10:00 am – 11:00 am

We know that community-led activism isn’t easy. The challenges are many, and it’s hard to know where to turn for advice. Maybe our Transition Agony Aunt can help? Bring your questions on this morning’s topic and our aunties will do their best to help.

Build

Together We Can … be led by young people

5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

What if young people ran the world?  What if we felt safe, confident and empowered to create change? This is an important conversation no matter what age you are. Youth are our present and future. We need allies, so come and find out how you can listen, include and be led by young people in your community and projects.

Friday 20 May

Build

Together we can … Learn the Art of Invitation

10:00 am – 6:00 pm

How can we ask questions creatively to activate meaningful exchange and dialogue? The Art of Invitation explores creative ways of engaging communities in the ecological, cultural, and social challenges of our time. Join the amazing Artist, Activist and Facilitator, Ruth Ben-Tovim, for this practical hands on workshop offering new creative tools for change for you and your groups. Spaces limited – reserve a place at the button below.

Build

Transition Agony Aunt Drop In Session

10:00 am – 11:00 am

We know that community-led activism isn’t easy. The challenges are many, and it’s hard to know where to turn for advice. Maybe our Transition Agony Aunt can help? Bring your questions on this morning’s topic and our aunties will do their best to help.

Build

Together we can … build a new media system

11:00 am – 1:00 pm

In the shadow of a mainstream media that polarises and disempowers us, many are trying to tell a new story of social potential and global change. How can we work together effectively to offer a genuine alternative? Join Indra Adnan, founder of The Alternative Global to explore.

Build

Together We Can … Educate, Enable, Empower

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

When is it right to educate, when should we enable and how best do we empower people? In this workshop of three parts, there will be ample space to explore each with John and Peter Bird, founders of the Big Issue, Rakesh Aji, Monica Cru-Hall and more. Discover how to balance these approaches to create a sweet spot of positive change.

Saturday 21 May

Build

Transition Agony Aunt Drop In Session

10:00 am – 11:00 am

We know that community-led activism isn’t easy. The challenges are many, and it’s hard to know where to turn for advice. Maybe our Transition Agony Aunt can help? Bring your questions and this morning’s line up of ‘Aunties’ will share their experience and try to help.

Build

Together we can … Start a Transition Group

11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Thinking of starting your own Transition group? Or perhaps you are at the beginning of your Transition journey? Join Transition Together’s Rhiannon Colvin and veteran Transition group members to learn useful skills, advice and techniques to get you started.

Build

Together We Can … Practise Good Allyship

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

How can we be good allies to amplify voices that are often unheard or overlooked? Diversity and differing perspectives are beneficial to us all in broadening and deepening our change-making in our communities. Learn how to practise allyship and challenge intolerance to make a real difference.

Build

Together We Can … build networks for change

2:00 pm – 5:30 pm

In this interactive and participatory workshop, you’ll hear inspirational stories from current community led climate action networks, gain and give peer to peer support and skill up in key areas to build better networks.

Build

Together We Can … build sustainable livelihoods

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

How can we enable people to meet their basic needs through sustainable and thriving local businesses and economies? Join Rhiannon Colvin and speakers from co-operatives, community businesses and community wealth building projects for a practical exploration of how to start transforming your local economy.

Together We Can is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK. We are grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund and Lottery players for the funding that makes this Summit possible.

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