Through Thick and Thin
How an infrastructure for relationships could unlock the collective action we need to accelerate progress towards a world designed for and around relationships
Lots of people in lots of different spaces are doing amazing work around building better relationships, but the connections between these nodes are often weak or non-existent. Drawing on conversations with over 100 people in late 2020 and early 2021, we (led by Iona Lawrence) explore the challenges we share in prioritising relationships in the places that we live and work and the work that needs to be done to address those needs.
Our shared and uniting goal is to build a world that is designed for and around relationships: a world where relationships are the first mile, not the extra one.
Building a Relationship Collective: Our Proposal
Building on the insights unearthed in Through Thick and Thin, we submitted an expression of interest to the Bringing People Together Fund at the National Lottery Community Fund to bring to life the idea of an infrastructure for relationships. Drawing inspiration from Joe Mills and friends in the democracy centre, we decided to publish the proposal in the open so everyone can see what we’re hoping to do and more easily explore ways to collaborate.
In short, the expression of interest we submitted is for a two year project to design, test and build the necessary infrastructure to support shared learning and collaboration in the field of relationships and relationship-centred practice in the coming decades.
We are delighted to say that our application was successful and, as of Autumn 2022, we are focused on developing the infrastructure for a thriving field of relationship-centred practice. Find out more about our plans for the next two years below.
Our Shared Belonging
We’re featuring a mini blog series, where in each piece, an Enrol Yourself Host reflects on their practice of building strong relationships, as a facilitator. In this blog, Jahnvi Singh tells us her five takeaways from conversations on what it means to build relationships & truly belong.
Fostering an ecology of perspectives
We’re featuring a mini blog series, where in each piece, an Enrol Yourself Host reflects on their practice of building strong relationships, as a facilitator. In this blog, James Kite reflects on what we can learn from neurophysiology and companion planting when it comes to peer learning.
Observatory Sighting 13: Feeling for the future
In this first Sighting of the New Year, we are stepping back and reflecting on the emotional drivers – the feelings as well as the practical experiences that will shape the future.
Susan – Spirit of Lockdown #3
A worry rollercoaster, friends, distance, jokes with neighbours, scared about the future and another lockdown.
At the turning of the year
In brief In this reflective piece, David Robinson looks back at the lessons we have learned in 2020 and what they might mean for the year ahead. Running off-road Politicians and policy people have always loved roadmaps, and so do many managers. It makes the journey...
Simon – Spirit of Lockdown #2
I would like to remember the way that most of my relationships have changed for the better.
Rosalyn – Spirit of Lockdown #1
I am still worried about the pandemic but I am proud of us and what we have achieved this year.
Observatory Sighting #12: Lockdown blues
In this, our twelfth Observatory Sighting, we share stories of 'pissedoffness' and explore some of the differences between this lockdown and the last one. “Pissedoffness” might not be in the dictionary but it pretty much captures the mood amongst several of our...
The Relationships Field: 6 initial reflections and 5 questions
In brief 6 weeks ago, we (Iona Lawrence and Immy Robinson) set out to explore whether a ‘field of relationships’ could, should, or does already exist. We’re still at the early stages of this exploration but have been lucky enough to pick the brains of some very...
The world needs a piglet
We received this piece from Linda Woolston, one of our Observers, this week. Linda found it circulating on WhatsApp. Some will love it, some won't. We thought we would share it because, this week more than ever, the world needs a piglet.Pooh woke up that...
