National Association of Independent Schools’ Post

POV: you opened an annual report and found a systems-change story. In 2025, PLACE worked across governance, socio-economic inclusion, and artivism to strengthen communities’ capacity to lead, create, and influence. This is not just what we did. It is what we are learning about how inclusive societies are built. Read ZOOM ON PLACE 2025: Rewriting Narratives: https://lnkd.in/eAZMfmTV

How do we belong? At PLACE, figuring that out is our work. I am honored to write PLACE's Annual Impact Report for the second time in my career. Writing this report has taught me a lot, and I know I will continue learning how we can build more inclusive societies by drawing on one of their greatest strengths: communities. Let me hear your thoughts after reading the report! https://lnkd.in/eah-NYn4

This morning marked the official opening of the seminar “Beyond Polarisations: Youth Renewing Democracy” in Tallinn! Our first session, “Who are We?”, focused on something fundamental yet often overlooked in international gatherings: intentionally building a shared foundation before moving into content. We brought together a diverse group of 50 participants working across: - grassroots youth work - education and training - research and policy - advocacy and civic engagement Through a combination of interactive mapping (Mentimeter), thematic discussions, and cross-sector dialogue, we explored: - participants’ roles, experience, and expectations - current confidence in addressing polarisation among youth - perceptions of institutional trust, AI, and education systems - gaps and opportunities in cross-sector collaboration The session highlighted a key insight: while our contexts differ, many of the challenges we face — particularly around polarisation, trust, and participation — are deeply interconnected. By creating space for honest exchange from the outset, we are setting the tone for the days ahead: collaborative, reflective, and grounded in practice. Looking forward to continuing this journey of learning, questioning, and co-creating approaches to support young people in navigating democratic uncertainty! #YouthWork #DemocraticParticipation #ErasmusPlus #BeyondPolarisations #NewPowerInYouth #CivicEducation #CrossSectorCollaboration #Tallinn SALTO Participation & Information SALTO Resource Centres

Many of us are working at the intersections of research, policy, practice and social movements, but rarely have the chance to sit down together across institutions and roles to talk honestly about that work. Not a conference. Not a showcase. Not a public engagement workshop. Just space for conversation between people working with and around social and political change whether through research, teaching, partnership work, activist-oriented projects, community collaboration, or movement-engaged practice. So a few of us from LSE, Imperial and UCL are organising a small informal gathering in June for people based in London and the South East. The aim is to: → find out what others are doing → share experiences of what works (and what does not) → identify common questions and challenges → make connections that could lead to future collaborations We’ll also create space to identify areas of shared interest that people may wish to take forward beyond the session. The response so far has been really encouraging, which suggests there is genuine appetite for this kind of cross-institution conversation. 📍 LSE, London 3rd June 2026 🎟️ Details and booking: https://lnkd.in/eHfMvNA6 #ScholarActivism #SocialMovements #EngagedResearch #ParticipatoryResearch #CoProduction #HigherEducation #LondonUniversities #HigherEd #Academia Dr Ed Stevens Duncan Green Tom Kirk

One thing conferences continue to remind me of is how many educators and leaders are carrying so much silently. The passion is still there. The care is still there. Many educators are exhausted while still continuing to show up every day for children, families, staff, and communities. That’s why spaces for reflection, honest conversations, collaboration, and support matter so much. Sometimes the most meaningful part of these experiences is simply realizing you’re not the only one navigating the weight of this work. This field needs more than strategies and “best practices.” It also needs spaces where educators feel seen, supported, and connected 💙

Most events follow a familiar pattern. You sit in a room. You listen to a talk. You move to the next room. Repeat. And you hope something connects later. Reason 59: London Community Week is designed so ideas do not stay isolated. Each part of the week builds on the other. Workshops that go deep into practice. Talks that bring new perspectives. Roundtables that turn ideas into conversation. Unconference sessions where direction is shaped by the room. It is not just variety for the sake of it. It is structure that allows thinking to evolve over three days. So instead of collecting disconnected insights, teams start connecting them. And that is usually where better decisions come from. London Community Week 2026 7–9 July 2026 Big Penny Social, London 3-day breakdown: Day 1 Expert-led workshops Day 2 Conference talks + curated roundtables Day 3 Conference talks + unconference discussions Early Bird passes are now live: https://lnkd.in/dw_Vnvfj

Most events follow a familiar pattern. You sit in a room. You listen to a talk. You move to the next room. Repeat. And you hope something connects later. Reason 59: London Community Week is designed so ideas do not stay isolated. Each part of the week builds on the other. Workshops that go deep into practice. Talks that bring new perspectives. Roundtables that turn ideas into conversation. Unconference sessions where direction is shaped by the room. It is not just variety for the sake of it. It is structure that allows thinking to evolve over three days. So instead of collecting disconnected insights, teams start connecting them. And that is usually where better decisions come from. London Community Week 2026 7–9 July 2026 Big Penny Social, London 3-day breakdown: Day 1 Expert-led workshops Day 2 Conference talks + curated roundtables Day 3 Conference talks + unconference discussions Early Bird passes are now live: https://lnkd.in/dw_Vnvfj

Most events follow a familiar pattern. You sit in a room. You listen to a talk. You move to the next room. Repeat. And you hope something connects later. Reason 59: London Community Week is designed so ideas do not stay isolated. Each part of the week builds on the other. Workshops that go deep into practice. Talks that bring new perspectives. Roundtables that turn ideas into conversation. Unconference sessions where direction is shaped by the room. It is not just variety for the sake of it. It is structure that allows thinking to evolve over three days. So instead of collecting disconnected insights, teams start connecting them. And that is usually where better decisions come from. London Community Week 2026 7–9 July 2026 Big Penny Social, London 3-day breakdown: Day 1 Expert-led workshops Day 2 Conference talks + curated roundtables Day 3 Conference talks + unconference discussions Early Bird passes are now live: https://lnkd.in/dw_Vnvfj

🚀 Save time. Deliver better care. Therapists, educators, and supervisors—we know the challenge of finding culturally-relevant tools that are both practical and meaningful. That’s why we created Cultural Compass: A Workbook for Culturally-Informed Practice. 📘 This resource helps you: ✅ Spend less time building lesson plans or therapy materials ✅ Use interventions that actually resonate with clients ✅ Equip supervisees with real tools they’ll carry into practice ✅ Promote deeper reflection and cultural competence Every page is grounded in real-world scenarios, diverse lived experiences, and the goal of equity in care. And here's the impact kicker: 📣 All proceeds support the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP)—building a future where culturally responsive care is the standard, not the exception. 🎯 Order now and bring more purpose—and efficiency—to your work: [www.humansyst.org] #TherapistResources #ClinicalTraining #TherapyWorkbook #TimeSavingTools #CulturalCompass

Glad to see this out. “From Participation to Imagination: Youth Futures and Deliberative Making in Inland Areas” collects the experimentation carried out with colleague Mirella De Falco in bridging futuring methodologies and deliberative approaches, with Social Representations Theory as a shared theoretical background, while framing youth as “actors of change.” The article highlights the central role of Give Back Giovani Aree Interne, the Italian youth-led and youth-focused think tank for young people from inland areas, whose growth and development we have been able to follow over the past few years. The paper is available in the Handbook YES WE ARE: one of the key deliverables of the Erasmus+ YES I AM project, which we have been working on behind the scenes since 2024, when we started to think on how to turn ideas into a project Roberto Sullo Davide Emanuele Iannace Arturo Mariano Iannace. Team work always pays off! Access to the full handbook: https://lnkd.in/d_mBeHtk