In this conversation with Hanna Thomas Ouse and Sepi Noohi from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), a UK based independent social change organization, was about the important role imagination plays in creating the world we long for. Hanna and Sepi shared how JRF is embedding imagination work & creating infrastructure to support it in their work and has made public a toolkit with 19 tools across 6 different themes.

At this time of polycrises - it is important to practice imagination with rigor and intention. To create systemic change, we can’t rely only on policy & place based organizations. We need to move hearts, minds and structures and create pathways from individual imagination towards collective imagination. Collective imagination emphasizes our interdependence and it's multidisciplinary. To imagine futures where we all belong, we must engage and involve with authenticity the voices that have not been part of decision making and that largely have been at the impact of the current system.

Doing something radically different doesn't mean we haven't been effective at what we've done. Some things work and have worked and this level of push back reflect that. Throughout time we've imagined and held to a long term vision of liberation, and we must not lose that, otherwise we will undermine of progress.

Collective imagination is not frivolous work, so having some infrastructure to support it is helfpul, given that we'll often face pushback. Some practices that were shared were: a) adapting and translating imagination tools to specific contexts, hold ourselves accountable to each other and our vision, invest in what people need so they can move from despair to hope, involve & center the voices of those at the impact, acknowledge indigenous wisdom,

Watch the recording of this incredible conversation here!