Community learning spaces for deeper transformation
Our Collaborative Leadership Programs (CLIP) and Nonviolent Transformation Intensives support activists, groups, and communities in putting nonviolence into practice. We connect inner work with collaboration practices and strategies for systemic change. Over several days together, we work as a community to build pathways and support systems for a more collaborative future.
Movements need more than courage.
They need strategy, resilient leadership, and supportive practices.
A taste of the future
The deepest learning happens through direct experience. We co-create a space grounded in nonviolence and integrative practice. We work with real challenges from participants’ projects and live tensions. Through guided practice, coaching, and feedback, we explore how to:
- Make decisions that integrate people’s needs while keeping momentum
- Facilitate focused meetings, listen for what matters, and redirect with care
- Give and receive feedback, respond to concerns, and work through disagreements
- Create useful agreements and structures based on a group’s purpose and capacity
- Notice habits that get in the way of collaboration and build support for changing them
We cover key skills that are useful in many situations, from resolving an argument to building political alliances.
Examples of what we practice together
👂 Listening for essence
We find creative solutions by focusing on needs and principles behind opinions and positions. We practice guessing what truly matters to people in ways that build common ground and shared commitment.
🖼️ Framing
Change the story, change the world: we explore how to choose words that invite more connection, action, transparency, and trust.
💬 Feedback and dialogue
We work with real-life situations to turn feedback into useful input or connecting dialogue. We practice saying no in ways that build trust, and welcoming disagreement as information the group needs.
🤝 Support systems
Change is much easier with company. Together we discover how to help each other build new habits, engage with tensions, and ask for what we need.
Leadership programs
Our open program combines online introductory sessions, a five-day in-person intensive, and weekly online coaching that supports you in applying what you learn. Along the way, you build relationships with others working toward nonviolent change. Between programs, you can keep practicing with us in the weekly Collaborative Leadership Lab.
We are happy to design a custom program for the specific needs of your group or community.
Voices from the program
“The collaborative leadership retreat opened my eyes to completely new ways of thinking about non-violence and leadership. I take with myself a plethora of new ideas for my day to day work and a feeling of actually being able to start leading and guiding people.”
Julian, Core-Team Peacefully against Genocide, Germany
“I changed my perspective on inclusive decision making, turning away from consensus and towards needs-based processes, which was a revelation for me. For years I was thinking about how to lead an integrative Collective without losing the capacity to act efficiently and effectively. This non-violent and integrative approach is the best I’ve learned so far and I’m excited to bring it back to my organisation!”
Helma, Our Answer, Switzerland
Watch recordings and explore our materials to get a taste of the program, or contact us about future offerings or organizing an event for your community.
You can also reach us in our ISC Signal chat.
🎁 We offer our learning spaces as gifts, with no payment required to participate. We invite everyone to work together to make our programs sustainable and accessible. Financial gifts and other support make that possible.