In this workshop, we aim to delineate the distinctions between social movements and organizational structures. We'll utilize a framework known as The Path of Leadership (or Vehicles of Social Change), which prompts us to delve into and dissect the contradictions and tensions inherent within the various components—individuals, organizations, movements, and traditions—that comprise social change initiatives.

We'll explore how we often unconsciously blend their issues, resulting in strategic challenges and personal confusion, both within ourselves and within the organizations we are part of, as well as in our perceptions of social movements and traditions of change.

Additionally, we'll delve into the structure and metrics of social movements to better understand them and enhance their strategic effectiveness.

Drawing from our research and practical insights, we've found that social movements typically require a span of 10 to 15 years to catalyze shifts in societal norms and laws. These lengthy cycles involve the development of new narratives, language shifts, community organization building, mobilization efforts, and the eventual institutionalization of victories. Understanding these movement cycles is crucial for leaders in the realm of social change.

In our workshop, we'll introduce the concept of movement cycles and seasons, drawing from historical examples to address key inquiries such as:

• What characterizes the current movement cycle?
• At which stage is our movement presently situated?
• What are some of the constraints and strategies that the broader movement can employ to achieve its objectives?

We're eager to delve into this journey of transformation, which profoundly influences the challenges and opportunities encountered by those striving for radical change.

The Introduction to Coordination Fundamentals expands upon the process of bringing your vision for a local project, event, or program to fruition. Coordination is inherent in our daily lives, even if we don't explicitly label or conceptualize it as such. This workshop aims to equip participants with an overview of the essential coordination skills necessary to effectively manage their own events or small projects. Whether you're new to coordination or lack extensive experience in organizing organizations and campaigns, this workshop serves as a starting point for your journey on the craft of coordination.

If you would like to learn more about coordination, we recommend our full-length, self-paced course:

The Craft of Coordination

In moments of great change (transitions) we find ourselves using our personal and collective emotional capacity to adapt to the new conditions we are facing. In these days, impacted by the remnants of the pandemic, we have been challenged and had our lives shift from being outside to being at home, to being outside once more. The strategies we created to support ourselves and the aftereffects of a prolonged pandemic period of isolation, away from our normal avenues of supports, may no longer serve us or may need to be revisited and done once more with new intentions.

It is safe to say that we need to increase our emotional capacity and resiliency so that we can be better aware of what is going on with us and the people around us. We at Ayni also believe that we need to lean into the traditions we are already a part of, learn new practices, and explore what is supportive to us collectively so that we can strengthen our capacity to go withstand this transition together.

During this workshop we will review important frameworks about what goes on during transitions; what it means to develop emotional resilience; what gets in the way of building it; and some resources and practices that can support in increasing our collective emotional capacity.

Movement Ecology is a framework to understand and analyze the 5 distinct strategies that arise when attempting to make social change.

While many of us have tried to create the conditions for social movements where there is collaboration across groups and organizations, we believe that collaboration can only happen when we are clear on the differences between the strategies that live in them. This means that we can only have ecological thinking/action in social change if we know what makes the parts of the movement different in relation to one another. 

We call these multiple strategies Foundational Theories of Change and we believe that the key to power that many of us are working hard to harness is found in their collaboration. 

Some of the common questions that come up when we’ve previously shared the framework and will be explored during this workshop are:

• Which Theory of Change do I spend most of my time working in?
• What is the role of each Theory of Change within the context of the larger movement?
• How can we relate and support other Foundational Theories of Change?
• How can we build a culture of interdependence and embrace multi-strategic movements?

This workshop on Seasonality is about the cyclical patterns that exist in our leadership and social movement organizations. Seasons and cycles help us to understand, appreciate and protect the ebbs and flows that occur throughout our time in this work.

As we’ve experienced in this work, there are times when we’re externally focused and there’s energy to do things. And there are times when we’re in an internally focused state, where we seem dormant to the outside world, but our energy is just focused internally as opposed to externally.

We believe that each stage in this cycle has a purpose, gift and limits that can be applied to our lives, leadership, organizations, and movements. In this workshop we dive into our leadership and organizational seasons specifically, and provide answers to some of the common questions that come up when we’ve previously shared the framework:

• What do seasons look like in my leadership? What should I be doing and how can I get support?
• How can we integrate seasonality into our work and lives? What are some next steps I can take?
• What should we do if I’m in one season and my organization is in another?

The Introduction to Organizational Seasons is about applying the concept of seasons and cycles, commonly applied in many cultures and traditions to our lives and history, to our organizations and social movements that we are embedded in.This workshop prompts us to consider how we can enhance our team's strategic capacity so that our organizations can act appropriately and adapt so that it may do the right thing at the right time. We explore how to attune organizational work with the seasons that we encounter so that our organizations foster resiliency with it’s resources (people, time, and projects/programs).

During this workshop, participants will gain insights into:

• Understanding the distinctions between individual leadership and organizational leadership.
• Identifying best practices for organizations to implement during each season.
• Recognizing the importance of alternating between periods of intense external activity and internal focus for renewal and reflection.
• Acknowledging the risks of disregarding seasonal cycles within organizations and the consequences of misalignment.
• Learning how to map their organization's seasons through a case study illustrating the cycle mapping process.

For many individuals engaged in social change, it's evident that without constructing new modes of existence and innovative political and economic structures, we risk perpetuating the patterns of domination and accumulation that currently govern our modern society. Alternative Institutions provide an example of how we can create projects and experiments that allow us a vision and a glimpse of what the future might look like outside of the dominant systems of capital and the state. Yet, many of these institutions and their projects are misunderstood or are isolated by social movement participants. Our challenge lies in being able to harness their power and their gifts to support broader movement ecosystems and work.

The aim of this workshop is to introduce various models of Alternative Cultures and Institutions explored through research conducted by the institute in 2022. We'll delve into the challenges, limitations, and opportunities involved in scaling up and broadening the scope of these alternatives.

In this workshop, our aim is to delineate the distinctions between social movements and organizational structures. We'll utilize a framework known as The Path of Leadership (or Vehicles of Social Change), which prompts us to delve into and dissect the contradictions and tensions inherent within the various components—individuals, organizations, movements, and traditions—that comprise social change initiatives.

We'll explore how we often unconsciously blend their issues, resulting in strategic challenges and personal confusion, both within ourselves and within the organizations we are part of, as well as in our perceptions of social movements and traditions of change.

Additionally, we'll delve into the structure and metrics of social movements to better understand them and enhance their strategic effectiveness.

This class explores the concept of Movement Ecology, focusing on how different strategies, known as Foundational Theories of Change, can collaborate for effective social movements. Recognizing that collaboration is most effective when we understand the unique strategies within these movements, this series aims to foster ecological thinking and action in social change.

The curriculum is designed to answer critical questions:

1. How do I identify which Foundational Theory of Change I primarily work within?
2. What is the role of each Theory of Change within the broader movement?
3. How can we support and relate to other Foundational Theories of Change?
4. What are the steps to build a culture of interdependence and embrace multi-strategic movements?

Our Movement Ecology training is geared towards understanding the diverse strategies that emerge in social change efforts.

What You Will Learn:

• Module 1: Stories of Change - Gain a deeper understanding of the foundational theories of change through personal and others' social change journeys.
• Module 2: Mapping your Ecology - Practice mapping your own ecology and learn a new philosophy and principles for future independent mapping.
• Module 3: Building the Ecology - Understand the levels of movement ecology and the roles that foster synergy.

Participants will engage with leaders and activists from various social movements, reflecting on concepts and applying practical exercises within their own work and organizational contexts. This interactive learning experience is offered through a weekly Cohort format, allowing participants to progress through all three modules with the same group for cohesive learning and networking.

In the dynamic landscape of social change work, we oscillate between being externally and internally focused. There are times of high external activity and visibility, contrasted with periods where our energy is inward-directed, appearing dormant to the outside world. Understanding this cycle is crucial for effective leadership, organizational functioning, and movement building.

At the Seasons of Leadership Cohort, we delve into the concept of leadership and organizational 'seasons,' recognizing that each phase in this cycle carries distinct purposes, gifts, and limitations. The concept of 'Seasons' highlights the cyclical patterns in leadership and social movement organizations, helping us to navigate and harness the natural ebbs and flows of our work. Our experience coaching leaders and activists from diverse organizations has revealed a frequent lack of awareness about the current 'season' of their leadership or organization. This can lead to strategic misalignment, missed opportunities, and potential burnout. Through this series, we aim to address common questions and challenges:

1. How do leadership 'seasons' manifest, and what support and actions are appropriate for each?
2. How can we incorporate the concept of seasonality into our work and personal lives, and what are practical next steps?
3. What strategies should be employed when an individual's leadership season differs from their organization's season, and what is the overarching purpose of these Seasons of Leadership?

What Will I Learn in Each Session?

Participants, both new and experienced in social change, will explore the cyclical patterns in leadership and organizational dynamics. The series includes:

• Module 1: Knowing Your Seasons - Deepen your understanding of seasons and cycles in social change by exploring your personal and collective journeys.
• Module 2: Your Organizational Seasons - Practice mapping your organization's seasons, defining its current cycle (spanning four to six years).
• Module 3: Protect and Support Your Seasons - Gain insights into maximizing the potential of each season, with a special focus on the benefits of intentional 'winters.'

Participants will attend these modules through a weekly Cohort experience, progressing alongside the same group for a cohesive learning journey.

The Organizational Seasons Cohort, is specifically designed for organizations and their leaders, offering a live training focused on the cyclical patterns evident in leadership within social movement organizations. This training is aimed at highlighting and embracing the natural fluctuations — or 'seasons' — that organizations encounter, which are pivotal in navigating the complexities of social change work.

Organizations experience various seasons: times of outward-focused activity and engagement, and times of inward focus, where they might seem less active externally but are engaged in crucial internal processes such as strategic planning and reflection. Each season brings unique opportunities and challenges, significantly influencing organizational strategy, development, and leadership dynamics.

This live training on leadership and organizational seasons is specifically tailored for organizational contexts and includes:

1. Identifying Organizational Seasons: Gaining an understanding of the different phases an organization experiences and their impact on leadership and strategy.
2. Adapting to Each Season: Learning how to tailor organizational strategies and leadership approaches to suit the current season.
3. Leveraging Seasonal Strengths: Maximizing the unique opportunities each season presents, while managing its challenges effectively.
4. Integrating Seasonal Awareness: Implementing this understanding of cyclical patterns to enhance organizational resilience and effectiveness.

Participating in this live training equips organizational leaders and their teams with critical insights and tools for adeptly managing the seasonal cycles of organizational life. This knowledge is essential for organizations to adapt, grow, and maintain sustained impact in their social change efforts.