Our Journey
Reflections, ideas, and thoughts
Emptying to a different drum
I’ve been learning how to empty myself of the parts that are no longer serving me. I’ve been learning how to share my struggles as a necessary part of connecting with people in new and deeper ways. These struggles I’m going through are mine, but they’re not just mine.
Loosen, Loosen, Baby
You know the story of Pavlov’s dog, starting to salivate whenever it heard a bell ring? Well, recently the sound of a bell made me burst into tears…
Perhaps easy isn’t the point
I don’t think I can do this anymore… This past year for me has been something of a rollercoaster of emotions and eye-openings.
We keep getting more data, it's not helping
My name’s abby and I secretly love making dashboards…
Shifting Systems Through Honest Conversations
It was clear from the stories people shared that the systems we strive to change are not merely external constructs, but are deeply enmeshed…
Lived Experience and the Importance of the Heart
Our culture requires us to sever and imprison our heart, cutting us off from vital sources of experience and learning…
What I don't know about inclusion
The more I have experienced exclusion as a disabled person the more I see the limits of my understanding of how to include others…
The Real Cost Of A Stiff Upper Lip
I find it strange and uncomfortable to be writing those words…
Learning About Learning
Something strange came out of the recent ‘Learning about learning’ event…
Exciting signs from the universe
My experiences of hierarchy have shaped the attitudes I have towards my own ideas...
How has ‘learning about learning’ changed me?
I am still trying to make sense of what I've been part of for the last two days. It feels profound in ways I don't yet understand...
But you didn’t get the job!?
What it was like to be part of our recruitment experiment and not get the job.
Doing the inner work: How do we tend to our elephants?
How do we support communities to be able to tend to their collective inner work?
Hiring Lara (5) - A White shirt makes an excellent comms lead
Magic happens when you build trust as part of the hiring process.. even if your applicants have some weird hang ups…
Hiring Lara (4) - Understanding 'Collective Impact' via pastry
Having autonomy doesn't mean 'doing it alone' - sometimes it involves pastry…
Hiring Lara (3) - Listening for Stars in Meaningless Words
Even pantomime villains get a chance to submit good work when the application process has been deeply considered…
Hiring Lara (2) - The First Quest
In which we gleefully burn down the ‘hiring scripture’ and then have a little cry about losing the comfort of certainty in the ashes of the unknown…
Hiring Lara (1) - Unexpected Adverts
This is the story of how a video game helped to get me a job. It’s a story about Vikings, pyjamas, and fear - and it starts at 3.45pm on a Thursday…
The Gateshead Bridgebuilder Diaries: 2. Recruiting Bridgebuilders
If you’re trying to explore new and creative ways to discover what could make life better for people who experience poverty and disadvantage…
The Gateshead Bridgebuilder Diaries: 1. Why do we need bridgebuilders?
The Gateshead Community Bridgebuilder project has been running since early 2020. The work has been muddy and confusing, and we have been...