Overview

This workshop was designed to help displaced individuals aspiring to become community change-makers apply the role of “Connector and Convener” within the Systemic Design Framework. Built on theories such as Transition Design, Utopia as Method, Systemic Design, and Pluriversal approaches, the workshop guided participants through a feeling–thinking process to foster imagination, build connections, and reframe their role in shaping alternative futures.

​

The impact

• Understanding diverse ways of learning

Co-design sessions revealed different modes of engagement and communication, challenging assumptions about learning and highlighting the value of inclusive design.

​

• A shift in mindset

The workshop redefined the facilitator’s role—not as controlling outcomes, but as creating spaces for collaboration and empowering participants to contribute collectively.

 

The problem

• Narratives around refugees often focus on “what they lack” rather than “what they bring.”

• Displaced people interested in becoming change-makers and creative activists need spaces to explore their agency and develop new narratives.

 

The service

The workshop used celebration as a medium for collective action, enabling participants to connect with themselves and others through shared joy and activities. After two testing sessions, a set of workshop materials was co-designed with participants and non-designers, including:

​

• Step-by-step instructions for facilitators and participants.

• Printable resources for use during sessions.

 

These materials now support the project partner, Revoke, in delivering ongoing learning sessions for their clients.​