The Future is Collaborative: Youth, Innovation, and Meaningful Connection
Image taken at the Regional Hearth Summit Malaysia 2024.
This is the third post in a series of blogs about my reflections from the Regional Hearth Summit, Malaysia. To read the first one please click here
If you want to feel hopeful about the future, spend some time with young changemakers. I wish I had recorded what they said at the Hearth Summit and could play it to myself every day.
Let’s talk about...
Nur Aishah Abdullah and other young speakers weren't just talking about change - they were embodying it. Their approach was refreshingly direct and brave:
"If it's sensitive, we should be talking about it... that should be the future of school."
They challenged the audience to be open, brainstorm, be adaptable and express yourself. An invitation to think differently, to stop underestimating ourselves and each other. Wow.
Being part of the conversation...
The Hearth Summit came to an end for me, with a powerful workshop led by Rubén Cantú. With stories, ideas and learning shared from arts, culture and indigenous wisdom. We discussed decolonisation, mobilising money, power shifts, deep listening, balancing being in discovery mode and sharing mode at the same time… and so much more. Finishing with ontological design and creating a school for Mother Earth. These conversations were deep and rich and an incredible experience to be part of.
What next?...
This summit is a turning point for me. It has come after a period of two months of new and interesting work that has taught me lots and excites me for my continued SHOOP® exploration, alongside fellow SHOOPERS- making experiences of letting go part of real life.
I'm increasingly drawn to working with groups who are truly doing things differently - those embracing sustainable, intercultural, and intersectional approaches. This work is not easy and wellbeing is essential.
There is a role for SHOOP® to support meaningful connection and to be alongside communities, change makers, policy makers, funders, learners- particularly to release, reveal and connect.
Letting go of familiar structures: Our first instinct is to recreate what we know. But real change happens when we're brave enough to release our existing models and embrace the unknown.
Connection beyond knowledge: When we let go of our preconceptions, we create space for connections we couldn't previously see.
Vulnerability as a strength: Letting go requires vulnerability. It means admitting we don't have all the answers and being open to learning from unexpected sources.
Sustainability is relational: Sustainable change isn't about systems or strategies. It's about relationships - between people, between humans and nature, between different ways of knowing and being.
Unlearning is a skill: Just as we learn to accumulate knowledge, we need to learn how to let go. It's an active process, requiring intention, practice, and courage.
What is the conversation are you scared to have?
This is the third in a series of posts about my experience at the Hearth Summit, Malaysia. You can return to the first post here.
