Bridge 47
Stakeholder engagement • Facilitation • Training • Multi-day process
Recognition
This event was awarded a Facilitation Impact Award in 2021 by the International Association of Facilitators
The Facilitation Impact Awards (FIA) honours organisations that have used facilitation to achieve a measurable and positive impact as well as the facilitator(s) who worked with them.
The Brief
I worked with international advocacy consortium Bridge 47 to help their members co-create a policy roadmap towards making the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) a reality in Europe.
The event, Envision 4.7, would unite over 200 stakeholders with different skills and levels of political power, from community activists to educators to MEPs, to co-create a draft of the roadmap. They were keen to create a space that acknowledged the hierarchies in the room, so that every participant would feel safe to share and lead in peer-led sessions.
The approach
The outcome
The challenge
I designed and facilitated an inclusive two-day event in Helsinki, that was structured around the key questions posed by the roadmap. The workshops focused on people coming together in six different working groups to address a primary theme and a secondary theme across 18 sessions.
After this, the groups swapped secondary themes and leaders to cross-pollinate ideas, while retaining the same structure. The groups were asked if they had any feedback or recommendations, and if any new ideas had come up.
I provided facilitation training to the peers that were leading each other's spaces, and ensured they were neutral, and plenary sessions to build a strong sense of community. This would enable participants to collaborate, share their knowledge and learn from each other.
In order to meet the needs of the group, who came from a range of sectors and positions, we needed to create a space that was inclusive and accesible for everyone, from the academics in the room to European politicians to the youth justice activities from different parts of Africa.
It was important to ensure everyone felt heard throughout the event, particularly if they previously may have not felt heard, so we could create a document that was accessible to people of all backgrounds.
To address this challenge, I devised a smart framework that looked at the key themes in each area, along with their individual challenges and opportunities and their key actors. I also included a questionnaire that asked each group what voices they believed were missing from the conversation.
At the end of the two days, the organisation had a solid first draft of the roadmap that could be used across Europe and guide people on how they work with SDG 4.7, with innovative ideas, initiatives and advocacy campaigns agreed on by the stakeholders and a list of commitments made by various actors.
Key stats
Following a successful 2 days in Helsinki, a road map was co-created by 200 participants from organisations representing 56 countries from across the world.
This event engaged 100% of Bridge47’s network partner organisations
30% of attendees were key decision makers from across Europe with power to influence changes not just at an organisational level but at an EU policy level too.
18 process working group sessions over 2 days
7 peer learning workshops
Three input-providing key note speakers
Two hosted panel discussions involving 5 panellists at each.
