Making space at haven ‘24

In early spring, fourteen leaders from across social and systems change work gathered in Whakatū / Nelson, Aotearoa New Zealand for haven ‘24.

We are often asked when it comes to haven, but what exactly do you do there? A question which itself holds the paradigm which haven was designed to prod.

For so many leaders in social change the problems we are tackling feel (and are) urgent and massive. This creates an imperative to do. And much gets done. Important, intricate, impactful work, every day, by amazing leaders. However, when you are so deep in the do-ing you cannot take a step back and see from above. From way up here is where you see the system, what’s emerging, and where your place in all this is. Through combining space and structure, this vantage point is what haven is designed to give you.

For those who had come last year, they knew the power of space. Several shared they had been saving questions for themselves all year, “till they got to haven”. They knew then they would have the container that allowed them to really dig in. For others, especially those who were new, the space was a revelation and a realisation that they were never without some to do, what were they supposed to be doing? And why was that the first question they asked?

Everyone, with support from the facilitators and their peers, was able to reflect on and explore the big questions they were holding for their life and work.

No two explorations were the same. We saw leaders bouncing through the sessions, energised by new ways of looking at their work, while others quietly and resolutely decided on the life changes they had been angst-ing over, while still others took a well deserved nap.

What we ‘do’ at haven is create a sanctuary of support and nourishment - and trust that space is what is needed for wisdom to emerge.