Since 2017, collaboratio helvetica has worked tirelessly to promote and catalyse systems change, helping individuals and organisations tackle complex societal challenges towards the SDGs, and advancing the conversation around sustainable transformation in Switzerland. In 2024, we embarked on a strategy revision process to clarify our focus, while also addressing the financial challenges that many non-profit organisations face.

Human - or sociometric - mapping is a technique in group processes that invites participants to physically position themselves on imaginary spectrums, circles or clusters in relation to certain statements and questions. Read on to find out why we at collaboratio helvetica are using it so often, and how it can backfire. 

We often picture collaboration as a harmonious exchange of ideas, a well-oiled machine churning out success. But beneath the surface, unseen forces can disrupt this dynamic. Trauma, whether a past event or chronic stress, can leave its mark on our nervous system, impacting how we interact with colleagues. In this blog post, Matthias Ryffel discusses how trauma can impact collaboration at the workplace and how a trauma-informed approach can foster healing processes for a better work environment.

Zusammen mit Impact Hub Zürich und One Planet Lab hat collaboratio helvetica den Changemaker Workshop Bundling Forces organisiert.

What a beautiful get-together with about 70 participants from our community and partners we celebrated 5 years of co-creation, system change and collaboration. It fills us with hope and happiness to see all those people willing and engaged in co-shaping the Switzerland you want to live in. Many thanks to everyone who came to our celebration with your presence and warmth. We feel nourished by your trust, warmth and connection. Have a look at some impressions here!

More and more people agree that we need to work towards systemic change. But how can we define it, and where to begin? Systemic change can be understood as a change in how a system operates from the inside out. Besides deep shifts in the underlying paradigm(s), this includes changes in the Rules, Roles, Relationships and Resources that govern a given system (USAID, 2016).

What we usually say is that Radical Collaboration is both a toolset and a mindset. We can practice being together, in relationships with one another and the collective both on a practical level as well as on a more energetic and emotional level. To practice collaboration takes a lifetime to master. In this lifelong practice, we see the Catalyst Lab as a boot camp. In order to bring upon systemic change in the world, improving and deepening your relationships is a key skill and is, unfortunately, often underestimated and practised insufficiently.

In order to tackle the complex societal challenges we are facing, for instance around topics of climate change, migration, health etc., we need to come together across sectors and organisations and learn new ways of collaborating with each other, engage in meaningful conversations that go beyond polarization, learn from each other, and find new ways forward together. The challenges we are facing are too multilayered and complex to be addressed in a meaningful way just by one organisation or even one sector.

In multi-stakeholder workshops relevant stakeholders from a specific system (for example stakeholders linked to the healthcare system) come together around a specific calling question and topic to explore it in depth together, learn more about different perspectives and experiences, get a deeper understanding of the topic and identify leverage points for change. Ideally multi-stakeholder workshops take place as a series of events, where the same group comes together several times to explore relevant questions.

Any collaboration has its ups and downs and, if we are paying attention, offers an abundance of learning opportunities for all involved. Even when all are trained in collaboration tools, such as Sociocracy 3.0, and have developed key skills, such as self-awareness and listening, things are bound to go awry at some point.

collaboratio helvetica was founded on the experience that more conscious collaboration is needed in order to properly deal with systemic challenges such as the ones contained in the Agenda 2030, and a hunch that a different kind of working together with unlikely allies was key.

Das noch junge Projekt «collaboratio helvetica» will Individuen und Organisationen unterstützen, die sich für die internationalen Ziele für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung einsetzen.

This method helps you to the base for a trustful collaborative relationship. Sending a 30 is a metaphor, from the Radiant Transit exercise from Radical Collaboration, for sending an invitation to collaborate.

On the occasion of their 20th anniversary, Biovision Foundation offered our Catalyst Nora Wilhelm the challenge of holding a Laudatio, expressing her vision for the next 20 years. Amongst her conclusions were:

Nora Wilhelm unsere Social Entrepreneurin in der Zeitung @Finanz und Wirtschaft zum Thema soziales und politisches Engagement ihrer Generation

On June 12, WeSpace invited representatives of women communities in Zurich to the first cross-women-communities event. WeSpace aimed to provide a physical space for the teams to meet, interact and share. However, we understood the need of professional expertise to be able to meet this goal, therefore, Collaboratio Helvetica was the obvious co-host. WeSpace aims to act as the home-base for women communities where interactions and collaborations can continue in the future.

Eleven years ago, I made a conscious decision to wear my permanent Gender glasses.

Despite pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies, Rhetoric and Public Discourse at the time, when my influential university professor, Shira Tarrant, introduced me to the field of gender justice, my entire worldview drastically changed.

I realized that my education has the power to influence me and change my values. In ways that goes beyond the knowledge I am taught, in ways that I am in fact blind to. As soon as I had this realization I could not deviate from it anymore. It was like a gate that had been opened, and as I continued to pay attention, it was not possible to close that gate again. In fact, it just became more open. I left the traditional education system, I went out into the world (and into the unknown) and decided on a path that I really wanted and felt I had truly chosen myself.

There are many different perspectives on this topic, and different ways to look at an ideal future. Language is important, and we need to be aware of our own blind spots when falling into the binary man/woman. It’s a topic that’s inherently systemic but never not personal. The four clusters that were formed so far: inclusive language, power dynamics, entry points/dialogue and parenting/education.

A coworkation is a creative way to get things done in a beautiful space with inspiring people. As the word says, it is a mix up between collaboration, working and vacation. The time away from our day to day surrounding shall support us in moving the things we care about forward - individually as well as collectively. This means you’ll have time available to work on your own while also having the opportunity to exchange with others, give and find support and inspiration.