In 2022, we began developing a new organisational strategy for 2024 – 2026, shifting majority of our focus from working on the current ways of working of the peacebuilding and aid system, to fundamentally reimagine alternative futures for how peace and equity is supported and achieved. Together with partners and collaborators, we are seeking out what radically different models of collaboration for peace, justice and equity would entail.
Read more in our Strategic Framework 2024 – 2026.
We seek ways to put into practice how we as a global community can best come together to build sustainable peace and ensure long term development while holding equity and dignity at the core. We believe local efforts to build peace is the cornerstone for lasting peace and development. We aim to bridge the gap between rhetoric and practice and take systemic approach to change.
We envision a world in which those living closest to conflict, fragility and polarisation can respond in the best interest of their communities, and drive decision making. For this reason, we are reimagining new forms of spaces and structures that define collaboration for actors working on issues of peace and equity. RESPACE builds on our ongoing reflections and visons for what an alternative peacebuilding system can be. We draw on our experiences since our inception and our previous engagement in reimagining initiatives as well as other reimagining initiatives around the world to drive this imitative.
The space for innovations and action for change within the peacebuilding and development systems has grown rapidly over the years. Through workshops, learning sessions and other forms of convenings we provide safe spaces for learning, solidarity and joint problem solving where change agents can promote change. These initiatives allow for learning between people, across organisations and geographic locations, increasing complementarities, the potential for innovations to take root, scale and to facilitate joint and collective action.
Alongside this, we developed an online resource hub and community for people to acquire resources on systems change and learn from and connect with likeminded individuals. The website Innovators Hive facilitates learning by allowing change agents to easily search for, find and share systems change tools and resources. We also have an active online space where people connect with and learn from each other. The Innovators Hive is accompanied by virtual convenings on topics and themes most relevant to those seeking change. Join us!
Through our network, we fostered sharing insights, overcoming obstacles, and inspiring complementary approaches to drive innovation. By advocating for new ways of working, we facilitated change. Learn more in our Strategic Framework 2019 – 2022.
CSP catalysed joint engagement among change agents to create evidence that built momentum for change; provided learning and direction; and formed the basis for innovative action and leveraging change CSP identified. It filled gaps in relation to the evidence and learning needed to facilitate change, created space for synthesising evidence in new ways, and channelled convincing evidence to the right people at the right time and in the right way.
It accompanied and supported change agents in leveraging change. CSP created innovative spaces for jointly identifying entry points and added the ‘critical yeast’ to the systems change process.
With a focus on developing platforms for collective action among change agents, at global and country-levels, CSP strengthened the potential for innovative and transformative initiatives so that they could contribute to broader systemic transformation.
We focus on civil society organisations, actors and networks in contexts affected by conflict, fragility and polarisation as the drivers of change and promoters of sustainable peace. We have a global network of partners we work closely with, in the spirit of equity and solidarity. We continue to follow their lead, listening to their insights and acting based on what they tell us. Our work is constantly evolving, which allows us to adapt as the needs of the actors we work with shift, to respond to the ever-changing global context. We are committed to placing the needs of civil society in conflict affected countries at the core of what we do, and act as a catalyst and convenor for change.
We see International non-governmental organisations (INGOs) as playing a pivotal role in the chain of influence due to their unique position, they can communicate and advocate for change to better support local leadership. We work with a variety of INGOs, from multi-mandate organisations to confederations, to understand the challenges they face in their work and accompany them to implement changes. We partner with INGOs in the spirt of partnership, reciprocity and mutual learning.
We recognise the important role donors play in creating an enabling environment for transformative change. We work with bilateral donors seeking to change the modes and means through which they provide support to their partners in conflict affected contexts. We also partner with key philanthropic foundations, who are driving change through their funding and the ways in which they engage and partner with organisations and networks on issues of conflict and polarisation.
Learning is at the core of our engagement, and we hold regular reflective learning conversations with our funders, partners and peers. Mutual vulnerability and honesty are important in creating an open space for engagement, and act as powerful connective forces. As part of our long-term interaction with learning partners, we have fostered relationships built on trust and are driven by a shared passion to fundamentally rethink international support to actors in conflict affected contexts. Our learning efforts lead to new understandings and renewed inspiration for our agenda.