Climate Hope Lincoln came together, with guests from the local food system to join a facilitated “fishbowl” session to practice some deeper systems learning which emerged from their #ChooseLocal Food work.
Helen Fisher and Andrew Brown stepped forward more than a year ago, with a devolved fund from Climate Hope Lincoln to take forward an experimental, systems change programme locally.
After some systems coaching and development, several approaches developed which included food conversations with small events open to anyone in the local food system, the design of ‘story of your plate’ resources to open conversations and a social media campaign.
What was the purpose behind the session?
The purpose of the session was to:
- Give everyone the chance to participate fully (and not be expected to play multiple roles)
- Give an opportunity to practice a systems tool and create an intentionally different space for deeper learning and conversations about “what next”
- Offer a chance for those in our extended LocalMotion (national) network to feel the work – not just read about it
- Respond to cycling questions around “defining success” and “what are we learning?” from within the Climate Hope Lincoln group.
What are some of the patterns and tensions emerging in the work?
Some tensions have emerged within the Choose Local campaign work, which we notice are mirrored elsewhere around the UK:
- Pace (urgency vs ancestor thinking)
- Purpose (action vs learning)
- Outcomes (measuring and defining success vs see what emerges)
- Change (conflict to who or what will or needs to change first – policy or people).
What did we learn during the session?
Reflecting on the Choose Local Fishbowl session, Charlotte Brooks, LocalMotion Lincoln’s coordinator noted that:
- “If we go to places and force the climate conversation, we become the barrier”
- “People choose food through taste and need (cost and convenience) – we need to accept this and adapt this into our design”
- “The system needs to change, not just the people”
- “You can’t design the resources to have the conversation; the conversation has to design the resources”
- “You don’t have to be an activist to do good”
- “Designing containers (spaces and places) for learning – recognition that adults need to unlearn first”.
What Enquiry Questions emerged from the session?
The LocalMotion movement has, at its core, a commitment to continuous learning. We ask enquiry questions to help us to think deeper about our work and practice.
Three enquiry questions which came out of the session are:
- How are we working differently to create new relationships for change?
- How are we motivating and empowering people to act?
- How are we bridging the gaps between community and policy makers?
A Huge Thank You to Lisa, Andrew and Helen!
It was great to have Lisa Clarke with us in Lincoln so she could immerse herself in our work for a short time, and a pleasure to see the connection between her national systems learning and that of our community in Lincoln.
Helen and Andrew have also been on such a journey with this work and have really thrown themselves into learning and designing for system change.
It’s not been easy and they have been able to demonstrate creativity and resilience.
What are our Next Steps?
The next steps are to digest what we have heard and shared and then propose back to the Climate Hope community some ideas for the work based on our #ChooseLocal enquiry questions.
Helen’s ‘Story of Your Plate’ resources have also attracted wider attention from the Climate Ambassadors Scheme which is all credit to her and the support from those around her in this work.
More to follow!
