In this blog post, Catalyst and facilitator Alexandra Choutko explores the importance of cultivating intuition to face the challenges of our time.

Alexandra Choutko is an experienced facilitator, and Catalyst from the Catalyst Lab cohort 2023–2024. With this blog post, she shares her personal experiences that have brought her to where she is now, and where her initial sense of disconnection in the Catalyst Lab led her to create an intervention in the form of a radical honesty workshop.

In this podcast, Catalyst Walter Zueck talks about his experiences in the Catalyst Lab. Colette from our team asked him how he came to the Catalyst Lab, what his first impressions were and why it was worthwhile for him to take part in this unique learning journey.

July 11, 2024, Bern – Collaboratio helvetica is experimenting with a new value-based pricing model for the Catalyst Lab. In September 2024 collaboratio helvetica launches the fifth edition of Catalyst Lab, their flagship learning program for awareness-based system change on the topic of intergenerational combining. The aim is to explore how to merge future needs with the demands of the present through collective learning and new ways of collaboration.

Introducing a new, value-based pricing model for the fifth edition of the Catalyst Lab!

Jose Antonio Gordillo Martorell is the founder of Cultural Inquiry, and Catalyst from the Catalyst Lab cohort 2023–2024. With this blog post, he shares his personal experiences that have brought him to where he is now, and how the Catalyst Lab has empowered his personal growth along his journey towards change.

20 Minuten berichtet über die Kritik von Eltern und Lehrern an Schulen als “starres Konzept”. Catalyst Nils Landolt spricht über seine Erfahrungen als Lehrer an der Schule und weshalb er eine eigene Schule gegründet hat.

Im Jahr 2020 überstieg die Masse von Menschen geschaffener, unbelebter Objekte – die anthropogene Masse - zum ersten Mal das Trockengewicht allen Lebens auf der Erde, einschliesslich Menschen, Tiere, Pflanzen und Pilze und sogar Mikroorganismen. Dabei betrug sie im Jahr 1900 erst 3% der Biomasse. Sie hat sich seither alle 20 Jahre verdoppelt…

Gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen sind komplex und anspruchsvoll. Oft scheint die Möglichkeit einer Verbesserung unerreichbar. In diesem Beitrag berichte ich darüber, wie mich die Methode der Stakeholder Interviews bei einer schwierigen Thematik weitergebracht hat. Es ist ein einfaches Mittel, um sich einen Überblick zu verschaffen und potenzielle Entwicklungsschritte zu erkennen.

The 3D mapping exercise aims to help unveil the multifaceted aspects of the system in which the Catalysts aim to achieve change. Working with my hands helped me to unearth aspects my mind alone did not “see”. Working in parallel with somebody else revealed interconnections within the Catalyst community.

My original goal when I joined the Catalyst Lab was to improve the work I do in helping the Swiss economy become more sustainable.

Having never founded my own NGO or worked in anything other than a commercially oriented company, I’m somewhat an outlier in this year’s Catalyst Lab. As collaboratio helvetica’s mission is to fundamentally change how we work together I was often asked what the difference is between working my day job and supporting the Catalyst Lab team in my communications role. Well then, let’s try to find out.

Along my participation in the Catalyst Lab, I have experienced an inner shift in the past months. The Catalyst Lab journey has provided me with valuable insights, a new understanding of my role in my system and deep connections with the most inspiring people. In one of the last modules one of the Catalysts mirrored back to me how he perceived me at the start of the journey and now. It resonated a lot and his correct assumption that I became more open towards other views and in some way more vulnerable allowed me to get into action and activate my ecosystem.

Unser Engagement und unsere Intention für eine andere Welt ist oft nicht messbar und doch deutlich spürbar. Dies erschwert die Kommunikation darüber und erfordert noch mehr Selbstvertrauen in unser Wirken. Mich interessieren mittlerweile genau solche, langsamere Prozesse für die noch kein Messgerät erfunden wurde und unsere innersten Werte, Menschlichkeit, Herzens-Intelligenz und Intuition die Richtungen angeben. Das Catalyst Lab hat mich in dieser Demut und Geduld bestärkt, um das Grössere, Verbindende schätzen zu lernen, systemische und strukturelle Verbindungen zu sehen.

„Ich denke an die Zukunft. Ich weiss, dass wir so längerfristig nicht weiter machen können. Wir brauchen einen Wandel. Unsere Zukunft und die der zukünftigen Generationen liegt mir unglaublich am Herzen. Irgendwie habe ich mir das alles besser vorgestellt, als ständig an diese nicht so vielversprechenden Aussichten zu denken. Ich habe dieses Gefühl in mir, dass das alles nicht gerecht ist, und wir das doch ändern können, auch wenn es nur kleine Erfolgsschritte sind...”

This blog is the first out of a series of my own journey into the 2nd cycle of the Catalyst Lab. This first part talks about learning how to listen to the echoes of the future through a collective network. It gives emphasis on the first step that preludes crystalizing a project - a step that is often overseen by society and the one that seems to be a must into real systemic change.

As we get closer to the unfathomable 1.5°C point-of-no-return it gets clearer that the way we are organized today is not working. But how do we solve this mess? Should we wait for scientists and engineers to innovate ourselves out of this crisis like we've done in the past?

Factory farming, animal suffering and agricultural practices that harm the environment shape my daily life, privately and at work. The Catalyst Lab presented me with the opportunity to open a dialogue space and expand my view on how others perceive the problem around these issues through a generative dialogue – a challenging and fascinating endeavour.

Since the first lockdown in March 2020 I was struggling with a challenge: how to transfer my activities into the digital world so I can continue to develop Let’s Talk Waste. Let’s Talk Waste is an entrepreneurial project I created in 2018 to cut plastic pollution at its roots. I offer team building activities to my clients who want to promote better team cohesion while creating a culture of caring for the planet and the environment. One of the tools I developed consists of two card games aimed at triggering discussions on the impact of littering and on challenging the relevance of recycling to promote sustainable behaviors.

Dedicated attention to a personal and ongoing practice is more of a necessity than a luxury in these times of navigating unprecedented changes. In this blog, we share a 5-fold approach to personal care in order to nourish our inner wellsprings and maintain a sense of groundedness and calm during these times.

Leslie Burkhalter is a talented networker and weaver. With her authenticity and genuine interest in other people, she creates connections that inspire and motivate others.