What we do

Build thought leadership and create strategically important knowledge

We collaborate with thought leaders from research and activism to collate and evolve existing academic research to create transformative knowledge that is specifically relevant for activists who are keen to engage in systemic change.

We draw new insights from action experiments conducted in collaboration with CSOs. Our focus is to create concrete ideas, examples and stories about effective approaches for organisational change and for strategies and approaches for systems change.

We use pedagogical and communications expertise as well as creative design for our publications and tools to make them highly useful and accessible to activists.

This essential work is the basis for all other activities in the Lab.

Training, Capacity Building and Individual Support

We offer trainings (including training of trainers), develop relevant capacity-building programmes, and provide individual support to change agents in their efforts to implement new systemic change strategies.

Specifically trained members of the community are encouraged to become multipliers and spread training opportunities in their organisations and networks.

See the toolkit for more information.

Community of Practice

We organise workshops and conferences to connect and provide space for learning and reflection among change agents from different fields who share the Lab’s purpose.

Beyond the Smart CSOs gatherings, the Smart CSOs Community of Practice thrives as a learning group through regular exchange and opportunities to learn from one another or develop collaborative activities linked to the Lab’s mission.

Facilitators and learning experts on the Smart CSOs team help the community to create and nurture such opportunities, e.g. via peer-to-peer learning groups, working groups and local and national hubs on issues linked to activist strategies for the Great Transition.

These activities are led by members of our network who are encouraged to expand them.

Take a look at our events for more information.