Understanding sustainability in a recovering world

A special programme of three short, online participatory workshops

We've updated our core Lasting Difference workshops, packaging them into three standalone online masterclasses. Enthusiastic feedback from our recent pilots shows that this new format is a successful way to achieve these core learning outcomes:

• Increased ability to sustain learning and innovation from Covid-19.
• Improved understanding of how to sustain work and/or its impact, using the five sustainability capabilities.
• Improved readiness for transitioning from survival to sustainability, with clearly identified exit strategies.

Scroll down for workshop outlines. Click 'Tickets' to book your place (follow the links below for the other two masterclasses).

Features

These participatory online workshops take place on our online learning platform, Big Blue Button. They replicate everything you'd expect from face-to-face participation:

• Clear content delivery supported by slides, handouts & extra resources.
• Full interaction, with audio, video, text chat, polls and shared notes.
• Peer sharing and support with breakout spaces for small group activity, supported by members of the Lasting Difference team.

This session: Understanding sustainability in a recovering world - paradoxes, principles and practices

This first masterclass starts by introducing and re-examining the principles of sustainable organisations. Do the same principles and practices apply in the light of the Covid-19 crisis?

A good portion of the session will be spent in supportive group activity, identifying and sharing learning from the current crisis - and recent years - to identify what to sustain. The workshop encourages you to plan for the future based on a clear understanding what works and what makes the most impact, a theme that continues in Masterclass 2.

Click on the links below to find out more about the other sessions and book your place.

Masterclass 2: The Five Capabilities

1st October 10am-12.45pm

Develop and apply the five capabilities of sustainable organisations, brought to life with practical examples and learning among supportive peers (Involvement, Income generation, Innovation, Improvement, Impact measurement).

Masterclass 3: Following the Exit Signs

15th October 10am-12.45pm

Introducing and exploring the six possible exit strategies for any stage in a project or organisational lifecycle. Identify and plan for the most appropriate strategy for transitioning from survival to sustainability.

About The Lasting Difference

These sessions are led by Graeme Reekie, author of the popular Lasting Difference toolkit and Director of Wren and Greyhound (now trading as The Lasting Difference). Graeme is a respected charity consultant who has supported nonprofit organisations through workshops, facilitation and strategic consultancy over the last 15 years. Members of the Lasting Difference team will also be on hand to help out during the workshops.

The updated fifth edition of the Lasting Difference has just been published and is available from TheLastingDifference.com, with more than 6000 copies now in use by charities and social enterprises around the world.

FAQs

Q. Do I need to book for all three events separately?

A. Yes, please help us manage the events by booking onto each event separately. You can do this using the links above.

Q. How many people can take part?

A. There are up to 50 places available for each session and up to three people from the same organisation take part, but please book separately as this makes it easier to manage individual log-ins to our online platform.

Q. Do I need any special equipment or software to take part?

A. No, other than a computer with internet access, microphone and, ideally, a webcam. You don't need to download software, we will send you details of how to log in to the learning platform. You will also be encouraged to visit the virtual training room in advance to have a look around and check for any technical issues. The platform works best with Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, but other browsers are supported and should work smoothly as long as you are using an up to date version.

Q. What if I only want to do one or two of the workshops, or if I can't attend one?

A. That's fine! Taken together, the masterclasses provide a coherent programme to help you address sustainability in your project or organisation. But they also stand alone in themselves, with short refreshers at the start to introduce any core concepts you may have missed.

Q. What is the refund policy if I need to cancel?

You can cancel your booking within two weeks of the event for a full refund. After this date, we cannot provide refunds because of the administration costs we will have incurred.

Either way, if you book a place but need to cancel, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing: info@wrenandgreyhound.co.uk