“The Elders Council is a rich space for reflection and exchange of experiences, in which we are all students.”
Vera Cordeiro
Founder and President of the Board of Dara Institute
The Elders Council is supported by a great team from Ashoka.
Webinars.
Social Innovation: Stories Worth Telling
2 May 16:00 (BST) / 10:00 (CDT) / 20:30 (IST).
After the incredibly successful release of the Netflix film 'The Beautiful Game', inspired by the real Homeless World Cup, we invite over very own co-founder Mel Young (President and co-founder of the Homeless World Cup) and Cynthia Rayner (independent consultant, researcher and storyteller) to talk about the importance of storytelling for raising awareness, funds and impact! It can even help ensure the sustainability of your organisation by creating a legacy that impacts well beyond your succession.
This webinar is inspired by the success of 'The Beautiful Game', a Netflix feature film based around the Homeless World Cup. The film is a fantastic example of how storytelling can bring social realities into sharp focus while inspiring us with work that changes lives. This storytelling has propelled social innovation into the mainstream media, with the film hitting number 1 in the UK Netflix rankings and number 5 in the global rankings! Mel will provide insights about why the creators of the film were interested in the tournament and the impact the film is already having for the real Homeless World Cup Foundation.
Cynthia will share insights from her experience of leading the Systems Storytelling Initiative at the Collective Change Lab, bringing together a diverse group of storytellers from across the globe to understand how to better communicate stories of systems change. Having watched the film she will also highlight what tools have been successfully employed in the film and how these can help stories make a lasting impact - no matter the format.
Your organisation - impact after you’ve left
7 May 13:00 (BST) / 14:00 (CEST) / 17:30 (IST) / 17:30 (IST).
How can social entrepreneurs ensure that their organisation sustains, and increases, its impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as they prepare to leave? As we move towards 2030, it’s vital that we share wisdom around succession planning – so that no progress is lost in the process. Andrea Coleman and Chris Underhill (co-founders of the Elders Council for Social Entrepreneurs) will discuss what they have learned, drawing on insights from their own experiences and those gained through the Elders Council for Social Entrepreneurs. As always, lively audience discussion will be actively encouraged, so that we can learn from one another!
Mel Young.
Homeless World Cup, Sportscotland.
Mel Young MBE is currently Chairman of Sportscotland and President of the Homeless World Cup, which he co-founded in 2003.
He is an active social entrepreneur. He is a Schwab Fellow of the World Economic Forum, a Senior Ashoka Fellow and a Board member of the Catalyst 2030 network.
He is a lover of sport and a firm believer in the power of sport to create positive change.
He is author of two books: Home Game; A Ball Can Change The World, which he wrote with Peter Barr, and Social Entrepreneurship: A better Way of Thinking About a Sustainable Future, which he wrote with Alexandra Matthews. Previously he worked as a journalist; co-founded The Big Issue in Scotland in 1993 and co-founded Senscot (Social Entrepreneurs Network Scotland). He is former President and Honorary President of INSP (International Network of Street Papers) and also set up City Lynx magazine and New Consumer Magazine. He is also Co-Founder of The New Ism.
He has five Honorary Degrees from Scottish Universities. He has received several awards including an MBE and the prestigious Jackie Robinson Humanitarian Award. He is a lifelong supporter of Hibernian FC.
Cynthia Rayner.
Independent qualitative researcher & consultant. Senior researcher, Bertha Centre for Social Innovation, University of Cape Town. Visiting fellow, Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, University of Oxford.
Cynthia Rayner is an independent consultant, researcher and storyteller, focusing on how organisations and communities work together to shape social systems. Her current affiliations include Senior Researcher and Adjunct Lecturer with the Bertha Centre for Social Innovation at the University of Cape Town and Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford Saïd Business School’s Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship.
Cynthia's passion is uncovering stories that reveal the power of people in collectives. She recently co-authored a book, The Systems Work of Social Change, which was awarded the Alliance for Nonprofit Management’s Terry McAdam Book Award for “Changing the Way We Think” in 2022. Most recently, Cynthia led the Systems Storytelling Initiative at the Collective Change Lab, bringing together a diverse group of storytellers from across the globe to understand how to better communicate stories of systems change.
Previously, Cynthia served in several organizations, including Generation Ubuntu, an afterschool program educating children in Cape Town; mothers2mothers, an African social enterprise employing women to guide other women to good health; and the Starfish Greathearts Foundation USA, a fundraising organization supporting children and families in South Africa.
Previous Webinars.
Exploring the pitfalls of hero culture, thoughts on what to look for in a successor, open discussions about financial struggles and the importance of taking care of your emotional wellbeing through the succession process - we’ve covered a lot in our webinar series and that’s just a sample. Watch the recordings in our Webinar Archive.
Become a member (completely free) to keep up to date with future webinars, news and resources.
Soul Sessions.
Soul Sessions are a place to talk through difficult issues confidentially.
We are aware that many social entrepreneurs keep many of their professional and personal challenges to themselves which can build up stress, particularly during periods like transitioning out of an organisation and handing over control. We are sympathetic to these issues which are more common than people realise. Talking about them can help.
The number of guests in a Soul Session would be limited to three, to keep the group small.
Upcoming Soul Sessions:
We base our sessions on the needs of our members. Often, we find members contact us with similar challenges. At that point we may offer them the option of us mentoring them individually or the option of us hosting a Soul Session which allows them to talk about the problem as part of a small supportive group, experiencing similar challenges.
Information is not shared with other members unless they agree they would like to take part in the Soul Session, and then only the information they wish to share within the small group is shared.
If you are interested in either a Soul Session or exploring the option of being mentored, then please contact us by emailing chris@elderscouncil.net
Events.
We hold live sessions at some of the best conferences in the social innovation calendar! They are an exciting opportunity for members and new friends to join their fellow social entrepreneurs to explore questions like “what’s next once you leave an organisation you founded”.
One day we hope to create our own conference where there will be first-class speakers, a packed agenda, a great venue and special friends. We will keep all our members updated and, in the meantime, look out for our sessions at your favourite conferences!
Mentoring.
We intend to offer a special mentoring service for social entrepreneurs in the future.
In the meantime, if you would like to speak to someone please send us an email and we will get back in touch as soon as possible.