Announcing the Flourishing Fellowship 2016
Lifehack is proud to announce that we will be convening an iteration of the Flourishing Fellowship this year!
Off the back of a powerful inaugural programme, we are now inviting expressions of interest from people across Aotearoa who are invested in the wellbeing of young New Zealanders and are looking to increase their connection to like-minded people.
We are specifically looking for people who have a few years’ experience working in fields with a connection to young people. These may include (but are not limited to) – education, health, justice, social services, community development and business.
So whether you are a teacher in the Far North, a criminal justice lawyer in Christchurch, a mental health nurse on the West Coast, a youth service manager in Napier or business owner in Wellington we urge you to apply! You could also be running your own wellbeing project (whether as part of your day job or spare time), or work in a seemingly unrelated field — if you have a strong connection to youth wellbeing, please apply!
We believe that when a diverse group of people come together as a community around a central topic like youth wellbeing our solutions can make a meaningful difference.
About the programme
This 13-week part-time programme is designed in a way that enables participants to continue with existing responsibilities at home and work.
Over those 13 weeks, we will gather in person three times (for our hui, the in-person gatherings), at stunning retreat locations near Ōtaki. The hui will be augmented by online content and learning opportunities that participants can complete in their local communities. We will focus on building whanaungatanga (the process of becoming family) as a group, inquire into New Zealand’s wicked issues*, learn about influencing systems and work on our personal wellbeing. We will also up-skill in design and start-up tools like prototyping, and determine the most effective ways to improve youth wellbeing in the communities participants are connected to.
In 2015, twenty-two people from across Aotearoa participated in the Flourishing Fellowship. This involved a series of hui and online challenges that stretched their knowledge and increased connectedness to others who were similarly passionate about improving the lives of young Kiwis. You can read more about the outcomes of last year’s programme in Lifehack’s Flourishing Fellowship Report and you can hear more about participant’s experiences in this documentary below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_87ZaHyiDAU
Before You Apply
This information is meant to be a guide. If in doubt please apply in the first instance and we can take things from there.
Expectations
All successful applicants need to commit to attend all in-person hui. Individuals who attend all hui will have a greater sense of connectivity with others and are more likely to have an engaging and transformative experience. In saying this, we of course understand that things happen in our lives outside of our control (eg. bereavement or illness).
Applicants need to be at least 18 years old at time of application.
We are specifically looking for people who have a few years’ experience working in fields with a connection to young people. These may include (but are not limited to) – education, health, justice, social services, community development and business.
Cost and Value
All experiences cost money — but how do you value an unknown experience? Putting a price on wellbeing is almost impossible, which is why we’re actively experimenting with a pay-what-you-think-it’s-worth model for this year’s Fellowship.
All successful applicants will determine their own level of financial contribution to this programme. The cost of food, travel and accommodation for each participant is around $1,500, which excludes facilitators’ time, resources and unexpected costs.
What past participants have said about the Fellowship’s value
We’re hoping that people contribute what they feel able to (whether it’s individuals or their employers), and ideally make more scholarships available for those who require financial assistance. We will probably check back in on this a few weeks into the programme to check in on expectations and value of the programme.
When people are notified of their successful application, participants are expected to pay at least a down payment of $150 +GST (10% of basic programme costs — food, accommodation, travel ) to secure their place on the programme. We will check in on the what value people are getting from this programme part-way through the experience.
We do not want finances to be a barrier — if you are interested in a scholarship please get in touch with the team.
We look forward to seeing your application in our inbox.
Who might be the person in your life who wouldn’t apply themselves, but should definitely be part of a programme like this? Click here to nominate them.
Key Dates
- 6th May Applications open
- 29th May Applications close
- 30th May – 5th June Interview period
- 5th June Successful applicants will be notified before this date
- 10th June Deposit payable (secures place in programme & travel arrangements).
- 15th June Hui tuatahi. First in-person gathering 4 nights near Ōtaki
- 4th August Hui tuarua. Second in-person gathering 3 nights near Ōtaki
- 9th September Hui tuatoru Third in-person gathering 2 nights near Ōtaki
- 11 November Final payment due by this date
All dates are subject to change, Lifehack will endeavour to provide as much notice as possible if this is the case.
Please head to the Flourishing Fellowship for more info.
*Wicked issues are ‘issues are so complex they have been called ‘wicked’ problems. The term ‘wicked’ in this context is used, not in the sense of evil, but rather as an issue highly resistant to resolution.
Successfully solving or at least managing these wicked policy problems requires a reassessment of some of the traditional ways of working and solving problems . They challenge our governance structures, our skills base and our organisational capacity.’
