Many in the field of social change feel that it is high time to invest our collective energy into relational and emergent approaches to transforming systems. But only together, in a community, can that intuition evolve into intention and, ultimately, transformative power. The Wasan Network practitioners act across many different sectors, united by a shared dedication to shifting the dominant norms and practices in social change work towards collaborative and trust-based relationships.

Together, members of the community develop hypotheses on how to better understand, practice, and advance relational approaches. The Wasan Network also serves as a “professional playground” for members to experiment and (un)learn together.

2023: A year of developments

The fruitful work of previous years was reflected in the community growing to almost 50 members in 2023. This was supported by a Wasan Network event at the Skoll World Forum on the topic of “Catalyzing networks for social change”, as well as a gathering in Spain in September—the first one after the pandemic—that deepened the understanding, practice, and advancement of relational approaches for social transformation.

Additional opportunities for sharing and learning were the bi-monthly “Wasan Calls” on topics such as relational infrastructures, money and networks, and radical participatory design. Participation is not restricted to network members as external colleagues and like-minded practitioners are equally welcome.

Learnins, outcomes, and inspirations have been shared publicly on the network’s new digital home www.wasan-network.org.

Guiding intentions

Since its foundation, the Wasan Network has been guided by three central intentions:

1. Care: how can we best support each other? We hope to create an environment where people who practice relational approaches can support each other and find a community of mutual care.
2. Learning: how can we learn and practice together? We aim to provide a courageous space for individual and joint experimentation and learning.
3. Advocacy: how can we invite others into this work? We aim to answer key questions about why this work matters, how it can be better resourced, and how we can most effectively drive lasting social change.

We are humbled and grateful to be a part of this inspiring community. Many thanks to the Skoll Foundation, the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, the Robert Bosch Stiftung, and especially to all the dedicated members.

Our work is made possible thanks to the support and collaboration of so many colleagues and partners. It is a privilege to be connected to all of you through our shared ambitions and initiatives.

If we piqued your curiosity and you would like to find out more, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us!

This article has been taken from our Activity Report 2023. You can download the entire publication here: