We designed the weekend with the intention of building and deepening relationships, and igniting the potential for collective action. To create an experience where everyone could be inspired by those around them, by the setting and by the conversations - reflecting alongside a diverse group of peers who understand what it means to lead difficult work.

This convening was intergenerational, with a few decades between our oldest and youngest participants - all united by the shared vision of a world in which all young people thrive. But our diversity was not limited to age. Each person connected to this vision through their own unique lens, through the work they lead and experiences they've encountered along the way. 

When diverse perspectives convene around a common purpose, something remarkable unfolds. One participant described it as “alchemy” – and over two days, we witnessed just that: connection, energy, and a sense of belonging amongst what was once quite a disparate group of individuals. 

We hope that by supporting our changemakers as a community they will be inspired to take action and lead deep-rooted system change together. 

At Big Change, we are privileged to convene brilliant people in spaces where deep and trusting relationships are built as the precursor to this collaboration. And, because changemakers are often facing many pressures, we want to be intentional about the way we bring people together, combining time to recharge and connect with focussed opportunities for co-creation and collaboration. 

It has been hugely exciting to see new connections and ideas already emerging from the weekend, and such enthusiasm to look at ways to strengthen each other's work. 

Experiences like this retreat are part of our continued exploration of how to translate moments of convening into movements of collective action. While powerful, the retreat has been one step in a longer journey. We are committed to experimenting with different ways of convening that create meaningful impact, energising and sustaining changemakers for years to come. 

Many who joined us at the weekend said they had never experienced leadership support like this before - we’re so proud to have made that happen. But the retreat was made possible by the extraordinary participants who are working tirelessly to bring Big Change’s work to life, and our donor, Dalio Philanthropies, whose generosity and vision turned this idea into a reality. 

Securing the funding for work like this can be challenging. There isn't a direct output or a product at the end of the work. It doesn't have a "beneficiary" in the traditional sense. It requires being open to risk, trusting deeply, and investing in the connections, capabilities, and wellbeing of individuals that will sustain long-term systems change. 

Moving forward, we’d love to do more of this work. And so, this is an invitation to those individuals and organisations reading this: if you have ideas about what we might include in future convenings, or you would like to partner with us to make this happen, we'd love to hear from you. 

Let's spark lasting change, together.