On June 5th, the yearly Good Money Gala (Goed Geld Gala) organised by the National Postcode Lottery (NPL) took place, the biggest gathering in The Netherlands of charities and organizations working towards a green, just and healthy world. For the first time ever, the NPL brought together a delegation of 30+ young people from the organizations present at the Gala for a special workshop on inspiration. Commonland was invited to facilitate this session and to inspire the participants to dream big, cultivate their imagination and support network-building among the younger generations.
“To support systemic change in society, we need intergenerational dialogue and the voice and perspectives of the younger generation. They are the ones who will most experience the transitions we are going through most deeply. Spaces like these where young people can come together, be in meaningful conversation and empower each other are of immense value.”
Maaike Boumans, Labs facilitator at Commonland and moderator of the Goed Geld Gala workshop
We explored questions such as “What is the unique strength of the younger generation in supporting systemic change?”. Using guided journaling, we helped participants to expand their capacity to dream and invited them to share their insights in triads with one storyteller and two listeners at a time.
Participants left the session energized, inspired, and more connected to each other. We left the session deeply impressed by the determination and energy of these 30+ young people. A big thank you to the National Postcode Lottery for creating this opportunity!
“It was a bit scary to speak for 5 minutes knowing you would not be interrupted but that you were being attentively listened to. But the space it created was generative. It made me realize I do not need the confirmation of others, I can trust in myself.”
Workshop participant
“It was really meaningful to be in a space with other young people working towards positive change in society, and to learn from each other. We should come together more often.”
Workshop participant
The NPL is a longstanding supporter of Commonland and, this year, awarded us the Dream Fund, which will enable us to restore even more landscapes around the world with the help of local communities via a landscape leadership academy.