Youth Futures for Systemic Justice
Anticipation and Innovation Praxis
learning Journey Guide
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Photo by Gys Loubser
About this guide & our approach
Welcome!
The learning journey & how It works
This learning journey guide is designed for facilitators and changemakers who are planning and leading transformative workshops. It offers practical guidance for structuring group processes using foresight tools and systems thinking approaches and practises.
Ready to facilitate?
Acknowledgments
Word list
How we co-created the Learning Journey Guide
The transformational arc
The methods in this Learning Journey Guide have been developed and tested through the Youth Futures for Systemic Justice project, funded by the IDRC. This initiative brought together young people and facilitators in a series of collaborative foresight and anticipatory workshops, designed to imagine and build more just and sustainable futures. The process was about engaging youth in co-creating transformative futures by igniting, empowering and using their change agency.
An introduction to strategic foresight and anticipation
meaningful facilitation
In this Learning Journey Guide, facilitation is seen as a practice that can enable real systemic change. At its heart, facilitation is more than just keeping a group on track or getting through an agenda. When rooted in anticipatory systems thinking, facilitation helps to create the conditions for emergence, where new connections, ideas and pathways can take shape and grow into novel scenarios and enhanced agency. This means moving beyond the ‘what’ of workshops to also focus on the ‘how’. By structuring engagements around different phases of transformation, facilitators can support idea generation, as well as the deeper capacities and personal competencies needed to navigate complexity, uncertainty and shared decision-making. Purposeful facilitation requires: • careful convening – bringing together a diverse group of participants with intention; • thoughtful design – creating encounters that build trust and psychological safety; and • layered experiences – guiding people through reflection, dialogue and co-creation. When done well, facilitation becomes a quiet kind of leadership. It helps surface what’s often hidden in systems, supports collective sense-making and invites shared responsibility for change. In this way, facilitation can be catalytic, turning ordinary workshops into meaningful, generative spaces where systemic shifts become possible and practical.
Image by Caileigh Pentz
The VISIONING SUMMIT
Learn more about the Mānoa Mash-Up method
A Visioning Summit is a creative, participatory space where diverse youth and changemakers co-create futures rooted in local realities.
Grounded in the Mānoa Mash-Up method, the summit combines foresight tools (such as the Futures Wheel and Three Horizons) with storytelling, art, and group reflection to surface bold, actionable visions. Key ingredients include: - A shared theme (e.g. justice, resilience) - Diverse participants (youth, policymakers, artists) - Creative facilitation (e.g. sketching, role-play) - Outputs in the form of narratives or prototypes for change The process builds trust, unlocks imagination, and identifies leverage points for systemic transformation.
Visioning summit methods are here!
The visioning summit methods
The Cross-Impact Matrix
Scenario Sharing
Theory U inspired presencing exercises
Influence mapping
The Futures Wheel
Three Horizons Framework
The ANTICIPATION summit methods
Creature Features Ecosystem Game
Six Streams of Competence
Multiple Timelines Exercise
Wayfinding Ambiguity & Incongruence
Change Agent Introductions
Leverage point analysis
Designing Strategic Experiments
Understanding the Current State of Your Ecosystem
Learning to be Anticipatory with Mental Shortcuts
Examples of method applications
Culture & CreativityParticipants made waves globally and locally – one secured a British Academy grant, another shared youth perspectives at COP16. A published poem and a vibrant eco-mural brought community stories to life. Health & Well-being The Integrated living programme grew by 60%, empowering more youth with tools for resilience. Art and music-based school initiatives supported mental health, while the Dads for Pads campaign sparked fresh voices in menstrual advocacy. Entrepreneurship & Innovation From solar-powered delivery pilots to a cross-border e-bike courier service, participants reimagined enterprise. A bartering platform and a new charging station model are now reshaping local economies and attracting investor interest. Governance & Policy Impact Participants led change from the ground up – piloting youth employment models now adopted in TVET programmes. A youth governance podcast is launching with AU backing, and futures thinking is gaining traction through PhD research and systems tools.
THE ANTICIPATION SUMMIT FORMAT
In this section, a day-by-day programme is presented for an Anticipation Summit. The purpose of convening this gathering is to build on the visioning methods discussed above. Now that participants have re-imagined futures and discussed innovative ideas and actions to shape preferred futures, the next step is to shift to practical application.
To learn about the methods used, click here
word list
Germinate - The Youth Futures labs
Design the labs to enable iterative cycles of reflection, experimentation, and co-creation. These processes help young people refine their anticipatory praxis frameworks and develop strategies tailored to their specific contexts and goals for systemic justice. Include the following key features:
- Structured reflection and learning
- Encourage participants to engage in reflective practices such as journalling and iterative inquiry. These activities help them adapt their thinking, track their progress, and build a stronger sense of agency.
Practical experimentation
- Support participants to design and test “safe-to-fail” prototypes that respond to real-world challenges.
- Examples include circular economy initiatives, community dialogues, or other context-relevant interventions.
Foresight tools
- Use methods such as Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) and the Three Horizons Framework to help participants analyse systemic issues and explore alternative futures.
Peer and relational learning
- Create collaborative environments where participants can build trust, share knowledge, and engage in intergenerational dialogue.
- These interactions foster mutual learning and reinforce the value of collective action.
Integration of cultural expression
- Invite participants to use storytelling, the arts, and other creative forms.
- These modes of expression support narrative reframing, emotional processing, and community healing.
You are now well equipped to convene a transformative futures workshop using this youth futures for systemic justice Learning Journey Guide. Remember: Learn through doing – go ahead and experiment with the methods offered here, and use the suggested approaches and day-by-day guide to convene your own workshop. Good luck! And for more information please connect with us! Contact details are provided.
READY TO FACILITATE?
Even though the methods and approaches shared here are powerful, they’re not one-size-fits-all. Here are a few things to be aware of when using them: Context matters:
How well a method works can depend a lot on who's in the room – their backgrounds, culture and how comfortable they are with the process. Facilitators often need to tweak things to fit the setting and the group. It’s all about perception:
Many of the approaches in this Learning Journey Guide are based on how people see things, which means results can be subjective or biased. That’s not necessarily bad – but it helps to include different perspectives and voices to balance things out. They can take time and energy:
Doing these activities well often needs skilled facilitation, prep time and a few resources. If you’re short on time or budget, you might need to simplify or adapt them. It’s hard to track long-term impact:
Because these methods are often used in one-off workshops, it can be tricky to know if they’ve made a long-term difference. If you can, check in with participants later to see what stuck.
Pro tip: Lay it all out the day before. Check twice, breathe and step into the session ready to hold space like the legend you are.
Comfort & flow: Because people matter
Workshop materials: Templates, tags & team spirit
Facilitation tools: Be the time wizard
Stationery Central: Stay equipped
Tech & presentation: Plugged-in & picture-perfect
Anticipatory behaviour has two key dimensions: 1) A forward-looking mindset – using tools like forecasts or scenarios. 2) Translating foresight into action – e.g., taking an umbrella because rain is expected. It can be: - Conscious (deliberate planning) - Unconscious (habitual responses) This is more powerful than simply reacting to past events.
The facilitation approach presented here draws on the Mānoa Mash-Up method, as used in the Seeds of Good Anthropocenes project, alongside practices from anticipatory thinking. Both traditions recognise that the seeds of the future already exist in the present – often as small-scale innovations, overlooked practices, or emerging social movements. From this perspective, change tends to begin quietly:
- Someone notices a problem – pollution, inequality, food insecurity.
- A few people experiment with new approaches.
- These early efforts spark conversations and attract others.
- Momentum builds – then, a shift occurs.
- A crisis or disruption opens a window of opportunity.
- What began as fringe experiments gain traction, and may receive institutional support.
- Over time, these once-marginal ideas reshape the mainstream – shifting norms, policies, values, and systems.
For more information please see: https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/19478/1/LP_Using%20futures%20methods.pdf
The Multiple Timelines Exercise is a participatory method that invites groups to explore how history, present-day perspectives and future scenarios intersect to shape a region’s development. In one application focused on Africa, participants work in groups to map narratives across three timelines: the past (including idyllic, colonial and lived histories), the present (Afro-optimism, Afro-pessimism and the aspirational Wakanda) and the future (continue/discipline, collapse and transformation archetypes). Using coloured wool and prompts related to key systems dimensions – such as economic, political, environmental and cultural factors – participants visualise the links between past injustices, present dynamics and potential futures.
The process surfaces diverse perspectives, challenges dominant narratives and deepens strategic foresight. By physically mapping connections and discussing possible disruptions or interventions, participants strengthen their anticipatory thinking and recognise their agency in shaping more equitable and resilient futures. Although developed with a regional lens, the methodology is widely adaptable for any context requiring systems reflection and futures orientation.
When to use
- Presencing Exercise – Begin with an activity grounded in the Six Streams Methodology (Emotional and Cognitive Streams) to foster emotional and cognitive awareness for deeper insight and meaningful change.
- Plenary: Embodying Relationality – Continue with the Creature Features Ecosystem Game, shifting participants from static to adaptive mindsets, and strengthening relational and anticipatory thinking.
- Multiple Timelines Exercise – Explore interconnected narratives shaping the past, present, and possible futures.
- Breakout Sessions – Participants split into four co-identified thematic groups. Each group maps its ecosystem, examining boundaries, purpose, desired outcomes, emotional dynamics, and tensions.
- Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) – Conclude with a CLA session using Wayfinding Ambiguity & Incongruence to uncover deeper systemic causes and hidden layers within each ecosystem.
Agency is not just about individual control—it is relational and collective. Emerges through networks of interaction. It’s dynamic, not fixed—constantly shaped by changing contexts. Actions often have ripple effects that go beyond intention.
Complexity – The interconnectedness of issues within socio-ecological and socio-technical systems, requiring understanding and navigation. Praxis – unveiling the intentionality behind actions encompassing our modes of becoming, deep-seated meanings, and underlying wisdoms Systemic Change – A fundamental shift in deep-rooted systems (economic, ecological, social, and epistemic) towards desired futures. Transformative Change – A fundamental process or action of shifting existing systems to create new realities. This refers to the act of bringing about deep-seated alterations. Transformative Futures – Desired future states that are fundamentally different, just, inclusive, and regenerative, often co-created through youth-centred initiatives. This refers to the outcome or vision of these profound shifts. Anticipatory praxis heuristics: Contextually appropriate, flexible and reflective guiding principles that can serve as relational and strategic compasses to help navigate systemic change
Change Agent Introductions is an energising session designed to spark connection and collaboration among participants through structured, peer-to-peer dialogue. Using a World Café-style format, participants rotate through small group discussions, each taking on one of three roles: a host who stays and anchors the conversation; a traveller who moves between tables bringing new perspectives; and a scribe who captures key insights.
Over three rounds, participants share their personal journeys into social change, explore the challenges they’re addressing and reflect on creative strategies for collaboration and innovation. This format enables rich cross-pollination of ideas, helping individuals discover shared values, align on key issues and build the foundation for collective action. It works particularly well at the start of a process, setting the tone for inclusive, purpose-driven engagement.
When to use
This session helps participants move from systemic analysis to strategic action by identifying high-impact interventions – known as leverage points – that can disrupt entrenched patterns and catalyse transformation.
Using the Systemic Leverage Points Mountain, a visual metaphor for different levels of influence, participants map interventions ranging from surface-level tweaks at the base to deep systemic shifts at the peak. They explore their ecosystem’s historical dependencies, structural barriers and change dynamics to identify where their actions can have the most meaningful impact. Through structured dialogue, groups prioritise interventions based on their potential effectiveness, contextual fit and long-term feasibility.
The exercise blends visionary thinking with grounded planning, enabling participants to generate realistic strategies for change. It supports clarity, strategic alignment and a stronger sense of agency by helping changemakers focus efforts where they matter most.
For more on the leverage points framework, see: The Donella Meadows Project, “Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System”, accessed June 2, 2025, https://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/.
When to use
Anticipation means actively using future possibilities to inform present actions. It’s more than prediction—it’s practical engagement with the future. The present is “thick” with both echoes of the past and seeds of future potential. The future is not fixed—multiple pathways are always possible.
- Somatic and Relational Exploration – Begin with Six Streams Methodology activities focused on somatic awareness and relational dynamics, helping participants identify personal triggers and imbalances.
- Wayfinding Journey Tracking – Use a biosphere metaphor to reflect on personal and collective progress, and the potential for transformation within ecosystems.
- Sensemaking through CLA – Revisit the Causal Layered Analysis using a bottom-up approach to reimagine ecosystems for 2035, exploring alternative narratives, values, and structures.
- Reflexive Meditation: ‘Used Futures’ – Guide participants in reflecting on outdated assumptions and imagining themselves within future ecosystems.
- Identifying Strategic Interventions – In breakout groups, identify leverage points for systemic change.
- Co-Creating Anticipatory Heuristics – Develop guiding principles for navigating change, rooted in personal growth and interconnectedness.
- Designing Strategic Experiments – End the day with collaborative design of ‘safe-to-fail’ prototypes. Participants brainstorm, sketch, and role-play inclusive scenarios to test their heuristics with stakeholder engagement in mind.
The Cross-Impact Matrix is a practical approach to explore how different ideas or trends interact within a system. Originally developed for strategic planning, it has become a valuable facilitation method for surfacing interdependencies, tensions and synergies. In a workshop setting, participants can use the matrix to assess relationships between selected ‘seeds’ – emerging, often marginal ideas with transformative potential.
When to use
Photo by Gys Loubser
Each seed is listed along both axes of a large grid, and participants work together to evaluate how each seed might influence others, noting whether the interaction is reinforcing, conflicting or neutral.
Capture the results visually using Post-It notes to spark rich discussions and insights into systemic dynamics. Facilitators can guide the process with prompts to stretch thinking and highlight cross-cutting themes such as governance, cultural shifts and social inclusion. The matrix helps participants move beyond isolated ideas, revealing a web of interactions and potential leverage points for change. It is especially useful in moments of complexity, where understanding relationships between elements is key to crafting more strategic and informed interventions.
Co-Creating Anticipatory Heuristics is a collaborative exercise that helps participants develop flexible, values-based principles for navigating uncertainty and systemic change. Rather than offering fixed rules, heuristics serve as adaptable guides grounded in personal insight, organisational culture and systemic awareness.
Participants reflect across three interconnected domains: personal (resilience and emotional intelligence), organisational (shared values and adaptive leadership) and system-wide (long-term strategies for collective transformation). Working in small groups, they co-develop, refine and share heuristics that are contextually relevant and practically useful. The process deepens foresight, enhances individual and group adaptability and strengthens the ability to act intentionally in complex environments. It’s particularly useful in moments of transition, where clarity, alignment and strategic agility are essential.
For more on this method see: Rika Presier Co-exploring relational heuristics for sustainability transitions towards more resilient and just Anthropocene futures. https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2815
When to use
• A timer (your best friend when energy runs wild)
• Facilitator’s grid (keep your flow on track)
• Clipboards (for roving note-takers and spontaneous brilliance)
• Whiteboard markers (4 sets – because one always dries out)
• Sharpies (7 packs of 5)
Small, positive initiatives can catalyse system-level transformation. Youth-led innovations are examples of such “seeds.” These seeds carry the potential to reshape communities over time. The SOGA approach values local knowledge, creativity, and community-rooted solutions.
When to use
The Three Horizons Framework, developed by Bill Sharpe, is a facilitation tool for exploring how systems evolve over time and how change can be shaped intentionally. It invites participants to consider three overlapping timeframes: Horizon 1 (H1), the dominant system or ‘business as usual’; Horizon 2 (H2), the space of innovation and transition; and Horizon 3 (H3), which represents a visionary future grounded in new values and structures.
In workshops, participants can use this framework to structure dialogue around transformation – first envisioning a desirable future (H3), then identifying the entrenched patterns in the current system (H1) that stand in the way. The framework invites participants to explore transitional strategies (H2), distinguishing between incremental tweaks that sustain the old system (H2-) and transformative innovations that signal deeper change (H2+).
The Three Horizons approach creates a shared language for navigating complexity and enables groups to align short-term actions with long-term aspirations. It is particularly helpful in linking visioning with strategy and in surfacing tensions between continuity and transformation. For more information, click here.
The Creature Features Ecosystem Game is a custom-designed facilitation tool* that is a playful yet insightful exercise designed to shift participants into a systems mindset by embodying different archetypes of change-making.
Each participant adopts the role of an animal symbolising a distinct change approach – Lion (charismatic leader), Zebra (optimistic visionary), Giraffe (strategic thinker), Penguin (detailed planner) or Hippo (pragmatic mediator). Through card-based prompts and role exchanges, participants explore how these archetypes interact, overlap and adapt within complex systems. The game encourages them to articulate connections between roles, shift perspectives and reflect on the interdependence of diverse strategies. As they navigate changing contexts, participants practise flexibility, deepen anticipatory thinking and gain appreciation for different styles of leadership and collaboration. The exercise cultivates awareness of how change agents must continually adapt and relate within evolving ecosystems, making it especially effective for group formation, leadership development and workshops focused on transformation and systems change.
*Designed by Deon Cloete, Rika Preiser and Tanja Hichert (2019)
When to use
• Projector + screen (if you’re rocking slides)
• Laptops/tablets for facilitators
• HDMI & VGA cables/adapters (don't let tech trip you up)
• Plug converters + extension cords (aka lifelines)
• Microphones (for the soft speakers and the power talkers)
• Videographer + photographer (capture the magic!)
• Journals or notebooks for each participant (cue reflective genius) • Pens, pencils, highlighters – because colour-coded chaos is still organised • Flipchart paper + easel stands (you’ll need space to dream big) • Sticky notes (colourful thoughts = colourful stickies): ▫️ 10 x packs of rectangular (100mm x 150mm)
▫️ 10 x packs of square (100mm x 100mm) • Paper clips & binder clips (the unsung heroes) • Staplers + staples (don’t forget to load them!) • Scissors (2 pairs for snippy moments) • Masking tape (5 rolls – for putting things on walls without leaving a mark) • Prestik/adhesive putty (4 packets – for low-key magic on the walls)
Praxis is intentional, reflective action. It combines thinking and doing in a purposeful way. Grounded in awareness of our own beliefs, values, and assumptions. It’s a commitment to responsible future-shaping.
- Integration & Spirituality Exploration – Open with a plenary session focused on the Integration and Spiritual Streams of the Six Streams Methodology, fostering holistic alignment, meaning, and purpose.
- Group Discussion: Heuristics & Experiments – Participants discuss their anticipatory heuristics and designed experiments, refining their understanding of reframed ecosystems.
- Collective Presentations – Groups creatively present their reimagined ecosystems and experiments through diverse formats (e.g. plays, songs, poetry).
- Closing Reflections – Reflect on reframed ecosystems, wayfinding, and becoming anticipatory. Conclude with a shared sense of purpose and commitment to ongoing collaboration.
Presencing practices draw from the experiential roots of Theory U, a framework developed by Otto Scharmer and colleagues at MIT to support deep systems change.
At its core is the idea that sustainable change arises not just from analysing problems or projecting solutions but also from sensing what is emerging and acting from a deeper source of knowing.
In practice, this involves creating spaces for participants to slow down, listen deeply – to themselves, each other – and begin to co-sense what is possible. Over time, this practice has evolved through dialogues with practitioners across diverse fields, including education, sustainability and social innovation.
Photo by Gys Loubser
Presencing invites people into a different mode of engagement: one that values silence, embodied awareness and collective insight as vital parts of the change process. It’s a grounded, human practice that opens the door to meaningful co-creation and systemic renewal.
When to use
More information
Wayfinding Ambiguity & Incongruence is a futures-thinking exercise that uses CLA to help participants unpack complex systemic issues and reimagine transformative futures. The process moves through four layers of analysis, starting with the surface-level litany of observable trends; then diving into underlying systems and structures; deeper worldviews and cultural values; and finally the foundational myths and metaphors that shape collective understanding. Once these layers are explored, participants work back upwards to reframe each one, imagining new metaphors, value shifts, governance models and future headlines that describe a reimagined world.
In one example, this method enables groups to challenge dominant narratives, surface hidden assumptions and co-create futures grounded in equity, well-being and interconnection. CLA supports paradigm shifts by encouraging layered reflection, fostering cross-sectoral dialogue and empowering participants to envision and articulate radically new possibilities. It’s especially valuable in contexts requiring long-term systemic change, cultural reframing and inclusive visioning.
For more on this method, visit: Sohail Inayatullah, “Causal Layer Analysis: Poststructuralism as a Method”, Futures 30, no. 8 (1998): 815–29.
When to use
This phase involves building the core architecture of the project and creating the conditions for meaningful youth-led futures work. The team starts by aligning on methods and strategies through inception meetings, formalising partnerships, and developing a detailed project plan outlining key deliverables, timelines, and research approaches. It also includes recruiting and onboarding youth researchers, seeds, and changemakers as part of the co-researcher team. The team then designs and tests workshop methodologies through trial runs, refining facilitation tools and finalising materials ahead of the first in-person engagement. This foundational phase builds trust, establishes governance structures, and co-creates the process with youth participants. By the end, the project is ready to launch collaborative foresight and systems innovation activities from a strong, participatory base.
The Six Streams of Competence is a framework designed to cultivate self-awareness and support holistic development by engaging multiple dimensions of human experience. Moving beyond purely cognitive approaches, it recognises six interrelated capacities:
• cognitive (pattern recognition and insight);
• emotional (emotional presence and awareness);
• somatic (bodily knowing);
• relational (empathy and connection);
• spiritual (purpose and service); and
• integrating (living one’s values with integrity).
In facilitation practice, this framework is often used to anchor reflective exercises, deepen learning and create space for personal and collective growth. At the Anticipation Summit, for instance, each day opened with presencing activities grounded in these streams, ranging from storytelling and journaling to emotionally attuned dialogue. This helped participants connect inner awareness with systemic insight, making their learning both personally meaningful and strategically relevant.
Applied in workshops, coaching and group processes, the Six Streams provide a structure for balanced engagement, strengthening emotional resilience, group cohesion and the ability to act with clarity in uncertain or complex contexts.
For more information, see: “Six Streams of Competence”, New Ventures West (blog), accessed April 2, 2025, https://www.newventureswest.com/six-streams-of-competence/
When to use
• Sign-in sheets (know who’s in the room)
• Water bottles for every participant (hydration = activation)
• Snack & refreshment station (fuel the ideas)
• Printed emergency contact list (just in case)
• Group allocations – clearly displayed (organised chaos, but make it smooth)
- Welcome Session – Introduce the event’s structure, objectives, and logistics. Establish ground rules to create a safe, open, and collaborative space.
- Integration Session – Open the first formal session by exploring the theme of relationality and collaboration.
- Systemic Justice Discussion – Unpack concepts of social and systemic justice, linking them to participants’ work and lived experiences.
- Change Agent Introductions – Use a World Café-style format for participants to share personal journeys and collective challenges, fostering connection and peer learning.
- Close-Out Session – Summarise key insights from the day and preview activities for Day Two.
The Futures Wheel is a classic foresight method developed by Jerome C Glenn in the early 1970s to help groups think through the consequences of change. It offers a structured way to explore how emerging ideas, trends or events might ripple outward over time, starting with immediate effects and moving towards broader, long-term implications.
In practice, participants place a central idea (such as a ‘seed’ of change) in the middle of a chart and map out first-, second- and third-order impacts in concentric circles, often using the STEEP+V lens (social, technological, economic, environmental, political and values-based dimensions).
When to use
Photo by Gys Loubser
This method can be used to unpack the transformative potential of marginal ideas that are not yet mainstream but are rich with possibility. Working in small groups, participants explore how these seeds might reshape systems if scaled, and reflect on interconnections between futures.The Futures Wheel fosters collective sense-making and systems thinking, revealing how even modest shifts can lead to far-reaching change.
For more on this method, see: www.millennium-project.org/futures-wheel.
The transformational arc that informs our approach. It’s grounded in anticipatory systems thinking, which helps us to: • recognise how small actions can lead to large-scale shifts; • understand the importance of timing and context; and • work with complexity rather than against it. Each facilitation process in this Learning Journey Guide has been designed to mirror this arc of change, following a step-by-step approach: • Surfacing seeds – noticing early signals, ideas, or practices with future potential • Making sense together – connecting experiences and drawing out shared meaning • Stretching the horizon – imagining how these ideas might evolve and scale • Learning to be anticipatory with mental shortcuts – acting on the future and embodying transformative ways of relating • Mapping leverage points for action and experimentation – understanding how to strategically intervene and experiment with complex systems in transformative ways In aligning this Learning Journey Guide with the dynamics of transformation, the aim is to grow both the imaginative capacity as well as the systems and futures literacy of those involved. Ultimately, this approach equips participants not only to imagine better futures but also to begin shaping them.
Designing Strategic Experiments is a practical exercise that helps participants turn ideas into action through small, low-risk interventions known as ‘safe-to-fail’ prototypes. Working across three domains – intra-personal (mindsets and habits), organisational (team dynamics and culture) and systems-wide (policies, technologies or partnerships) – participants design bold, creative experiments to challenge assumptions and test new possibilities. The process includes brainstorming, scenario testing and role-play to assess feasibility and refine interventions. Inclusivity is central, ensuring diverse voices inform design and implementation. By focusing on iterative, adaptive learning, this method equips participants to test emerging strategies in real contexts, gain practical insights and build resilience in navigating complexity. It’s especially effective when exploring systemic change, encouraging innovation and preparing for larger-scale transformation.
When to use
Thinking about, preparing and planning for our future is something we naturally do as part of our daily lives. It is an innate cognitive capacity we all have. When we think ahead about tasks we wish to accomplish within the next week or month, and when we plan for our academic year, for our careers and for the next birthday or celebration, we are using futures thinking. As a discipline, strategic foresight has its roots in military planning during the Second World War, where it was used to support better decision-making under conditions of uncertainty. In the 1970s, Royal Dutch Shell became one of the first private companies to adopt foresight methods, using scenario planning to successfully navigate the oil crisis. Its approach demonstrated the value of anticipating change and exploring multiple future possibilities as a way to build resilience and strategic agility.
Today, foresight is going mainstream. From individuals to groups, and from boardrooms to city councils, governments and multilateral institutions, people everywhere use foresight to expand thinking, explore decision-making options, stress-test strategies and stay flexible and adaptable in the face of uncertainty.
When to use
Scenario Sharing is a creative, participatory method that assists groups to explore and communicate diverse visions of the future through expressive formats. Instead of relying on traditional presentations, participants use visual art, performance, storytelling or multimedia to bring future scenarios to life. This imaginative approach helps surface values, emotions and insights that might otherwise remain hidden.
In the workshop, groups present their scenarios in creative formats – ranging from drawings and songs to short skits – that make abstract or complex ideas more accessible and emotionally resonant. After each presentation, the group reflect together, discussing their emotional reactions, emerging themes and underlying assumptions. This process sparks rich conversations about what kind of futures participants desire, what tensions they noticed and which ideas feel most urgent or inspiring. Scenario Sharing not only deepens engagement and empathy but also helps identify leverage points for change and motivates collective action. It’s especially effective when creative thinking is needed to unlock new perspectives and when a group is ready to move from vision to strategy.
Photo by Gys Loubser
When to use
Photo by Francois Pretorius
Influence Mapping is a hands-on method for visualising the relationships and dynamics within complex systems. It helps groups explore how different elements such as stakeholders, impacts or ideas affect one another, revealing pathways of influence and potential points for intervention. In workshops, participants can use this tool to map out how the impacts of their assigned ‘seeds’ may interact in their mature forms. Invite participants to sketch diagrams linking key impacts, using colour-coded markers – green for complementary, red for conflicting and blue for neutral relationships.As patterns emerge, groups are able to spot virtuous and vicious cycles and reflect on how these dynamics could shape future scenarios. The process deepens understanding of systemic interconnections and makes power dynamics more visible.
Influence Mapping is particularly helpful in identifying leverage points, clarifying roles and relationships and communicating complexity in a clear, structured way. It sets a strong foundation for collaborative planning and strategic decision-making in contexts where influence flows are not always obvious but critical to understand.
Youth – 18 to 30 year olds recognised as key architects of systemic transformation. Youth-centred – Approaches and initiatives that prioritise the perspectives, needs, and active participation of young people. Youth Futures – The exploration and shaping of potential future realities by and for youth.
• Printed agendas + workshop schedules (make it snazzy if you can)
• Name tags or lanyards (bonus if they double as icebreakers)
• A2 templates:
▫️ Futures Wheel (4 copies)
▫️ Three Horizons (pre-printed & ready to roll)
▫️ Cross-Impact Analysis worksheets (A2 size)
• White art-paper roll (80gsm, 50m x 840mm – the creative runway)
• ‘Get to Know the Cohort’ board printouts: seeds, faces and changemaker flair
Understanding the Current State of Your Ecosystem is a structured group exercise designed to build shared insight into the complex systems participants are working within. Through guided prompts, participants map key elements, relationships and boundaries of a chosen ecosystem – such as food systems, climate action or eco-feminism – while surfacing tensions, inequities and hidden power dynamics.
The process encourages analysis of intended and unintended outcomes, emotional undercurrents and differences in pace across governance, economic and technological systems. It also invites critical reflection on how dominant structures privilege some while marginalising others. By uncovering these dynamics, the exercise helps groups identify leverage points and systemic barriers, laying the groundwork for collaborative strategy and transformative action. Especially useful in cross-sectoral or multi-stakeholder settings, this method fosters deep systemic awareness and empowers participants to act more intentionally within complex, shifting contexts.
When to use
- The future is not something we await—it’s something we co-create.
- Small actions, thoughtfully taken, can grow into transformative change.
- Thinking systemically helps us understand wider impact.
- Best approach? Stay flexible, keep learning, and act collaboratively.
Systemic Justice – The intentional transformation of the deep-rooted systems - economic, ecological, social, and epistemic - that shape youth realities and futures. It extends beyond fairness in outcomes to interrogate and reimagine the structures, power dynamics, and cultural narratives that determine who benefits, who decides, and whose knowledge counts. Social Justice – Justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.
Anticipation – The development of skills and competencies to address future needs and navigate complex challenges. Futures – The exploration and shaping of potential future realities. Foresight – The capability to explore potential futures and challenge dominant narratives, often using specific tools and methods for future thinking. Agency – The capacity for youth and communities to shape the systems they inhabit and act as active agents of change. Change – A shift in framing from passive recipients to active agents of development and transformation. Change Agency – The role of youth as active agents driving systemic transformation. Co-creation – The collaborative process of developing initiatives and outcomes, involving shared design and input. Participatory – Involving active engagement and shared input from participants in processes and platforms. Participatory Futures – Processes that actively involve participants in exploring and shaping potential future scenarios. Action Research – A dynamic, participatory process where those affected by a problem are central to understanding and transforming it.
A common misconception is that strategic foresight is about predictions. But the future is unknown and uncertain, and our futures cannot be predicted accurately. More precisely, strategic foresight is about getting future-ready. It offers us a compass to navigate unknown and uncertain futures—spotting signals, tracking shifts and adjusting course as new futures take shape. Essentially, it is a way of seeing and positioning oneself in the now, and in the present, with a readiness and an ability to respond appropriately to, as well as to shape, what comes next.
Another common misconception is that strategic foresight is focused on ‘the one future’. But instead, it’s about imagining many futures and preparing for the different ways that these might unfold.
So, what’s the main idea? Bottom line: the future isn’t fixed and strategic foresight is about moving from reaction to anticipation.
Futures are ours to explore, shape and co-create. This Learning Journey Guide is about how we can embrace our agency in uncertain, complex and changing times, to build the best futures that we can and that we want.
Youth Futures for Systemic Justice
SAIIA FP
Created on May 5, 2025
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Transcript
Youth Futures for Systemic Justice
Anticipation and Innovation Praxis
learning Journey Guide
Click here to start
Photo by Gys Loubser
About this guide & our approach
Welcome!
The learning journey & how It works
This learning journey guide is designed for facilitators and changemakers who are planning and leading transformative workshops. It offers practical guidance for structuring group processes using foresight tools and systems thinking approaches and practises.
Ready to facilitate?
Acknowledgments
Word list
How we co-created the Learning Journey Guide
The transformational arc
The methods in this Learning Journey Guide have been developed and tested through the Youth Futures for Systemic Justice project, funded by the IDRC. This initiative brought together young people and facilitators in a series of collaborative foresight and anticipatory workshops, designed to imagine and build more just and sustainable futures. The process was about engaging youth in co-creating transformative futures by igniting, empowering and using their change agency.
An introduction to strategic foresight and anticipation
meaningful facilitation
In this Learning Journey Guide, facilitation is seen as a practice that can enable real systemic change. At its heart, facilitation is more than just keeping a group on track or getting through an agenda. When rooted in anticipatory systems thinking, facilitation helps to create the conditions for emergence, where new connections, ideas and pathways can take shape and grow into novel scenarios and enhanced agency. This means moving beyond the ‘what’ of workshops to also focus on the ‘how’. By structuring engagements around different phases of transformation, facilitators can support idea generation, as well as the deeper capacities and personal competencies needed to navigate complexity, uncertainty and shared decision-making. Purposeful facilitation requires: • careful convening – bringing together a diverse group of participants with intention; • thoughtful design – creating encounters that build trust and psychological safety; and • layered experiences – guiding people through reflection, dialogue and co-creation. When done well, facilitation becomes a quiet kind of leadership. It helps surface what’s often hidden in systems, supports collective sense-making and invites shared responsibility for change. In this way, facilitation can be catalytic, turning ordinary workshops into meaningful, generative spaces where systemic shifts become possible and practical.
Image by Caileigh Pentz
The VISIONING SUMMIT
Learn more about the Mānoa Mash-Up method
A Visioning Summit is a creative, participatory space where diverse youth and changemakers co-create futures rooted in local realities. Grounded in the Mānoa Mash-Up method, the summit combines foresight tools (such as the Futures Wheel and Three Horizons) with storytelling, art, and group reflection to surface bold, actionable visions. Key ingredients include: - A shared theme (e.g. justice, resilience) - Diverse participants (youth, policymakers, artists) - Creative facilitation (e.g. sketching, role-play) - Outputs in the form of narratives or prototypes for change The process builds trust, unlocks imagination, and identifies leverage points for systemic transformation.
Visioning summit methods are here!
The visioning summit methods
The Cross-Impact Matrix
Scenario Sharing
Theory U inspired presencing exercises
Influence mapping
The Futures Wheel
Three Horizons Framework
The ANTICIPATION summit methods
Creature Features Ecosystem Game
Six Streams of Competence
Multiple Timelines Exercise
Wayfinding Ambiguity & Incongruence
Change Agent Introductions
Leverage point analysis
Designing Strategic Experiments
Understanding the Current State of Your Ecosystem
Learning to be Anticipatory with Mental Shortcuts
Examples of method applications
Culture & CreativityParticipants made waves globally and locally – one secured a British Academy grant, another shared youth perspectives at COP16. A published poem and a vibrant eco-mural brought community stories to life. Health & Well-being The Integrated living programme grew by 60%, empowering more youth with tools for resilience. Art and music-based school initiatives supported mental health, while the Dads for Pads campaign sparked fresh voices in menstrual advocacy. Entrepreneurship & Innovation From solar-powered delivery pilots to a cross-border e-bike courier service, participants reimagined enterprise. A bartering platform and a new charging station model are now reshaping local economies and attracting investor interest. Governance & Policy Impact Participants led change from the ground up – piloting youth employment models now adopted in TVET programmes. A youth governance podcast is launching with AU backing, and futures thinking is gaining traction through PhD research and systems tools.
THE ANTICIPATION SUMMIT FORMAT
In this section, a day-by-day programme is presented for an Anticipation Summit. The purpose of convening this gathering is to build on the visioning methods discussed above. Now that participants have re-imagined futures and discussed innovative ideas and actions to shape preferred futures, the next step is to shift to practical application.
To learn about the methods used, click here
word list
Germinate - The Youth Futures labs
Design the labs to enable iterative cycles of reflection, experimentation, and co-creation. These processes help young people refine their anticipatory praxis frameworks and develop strategies tailored to their specific contexts and goals for systemic justice. Include the following key features:
- Structured reflection and learning
- Encourage participants to engage in reflective practices such as journalling and iterative inquiry. These activities help them adapt their thinking, track their progress, and build a stronger sense of agency.
Practical experimentation- Support participants to design and test “safe-to-fail” prototypes that respond to real-world challenges.
- Examples include circular economy initiatives, community dialogues, or other context-relevant interventions.
Foresight tools- Use methods such as Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) and the Three Horizons Framework to help participants analyse systemic issues and explore alternative futures.
Peer and relational learning- Create collaborative environments where participants can build trust, share knowledge, and engage in intergenerational dialogue.
- These interactions foster mutual learning and reinforce the value of collective action.
Integration of cultural expressionYou are now well equipped to convene a transformative futures workshop using this youth futures for systemic justice Learning Journey Guide. Remember: Learn through doing – go ahead and experiment with the methods offered here, and use the suggested approaches and day-by-day guide to convene your own workshop. Good luck! And for more information please connect with us! Contact details are provided.
READY TO FACILITATE?
Even though the methods and approaches shared here are powerful, they’re not one-size-fits-all. Here are a few things to be aware of when using them: Context matters: How well a method works can depend a lot on who's in the room – their backgrounds, culture and how comfortable they are with the process. Facilitators often need to tweak things to fit the setting and the group. It’s all about perception: Many of the approaches in this Learning Journey Guide are based on how people see things, which means results can be subjective or biased. That’s not necessarily bad – but it helps to include different perspectives and voices to balance things out. They can take time and energy: Doing these activities well often needs skilled facilitation, prep time and a few resources. If you’re short on time or budget, you might need to simplify or adapt them. It’s hard to track long-term impact: Because these methods are often used in one-off workshops, it can be tricky to know if they’ve made a long-term difference. If you can, check in with participants later to see what stuck.
Pro tip: Lay it all out the day before. Check twice, breathe and step into the session ready to hold space like the legend you are.
Comfort & flow: Because people matter
Workshop materials: Templates, tags & team spirit
Facilitation tools: Be the time wizard
Stationery Central: Stay equipped
Tech & presentation: Plugged-in & picture-perfect
Anticipatory behaviour has two key dimensions: 1) A forward-looking mindset – using tools like forecasts or scenarios. 2) Translating foresight into action – e.g., taking an umbrella because rain is expected. It can be: - Conscious (deliberate planning) - Unconscious (habitual responses) This is more powerful than simply reacting to past events.
The facilitation approach presented here draws on the Mānoa Mash-Up method, as used in the Seeds of Good Anthropocenes project, alongside practices from anticipatory thinking. Both traditions recognise that the seeds of the future already exist in the present – often as small-scale innovations, overlooked practices, or emerging social movements. From this perspective, change tends to begin quietly:
- Over time, these once-marginal ideas reshape the mainstream – shifting norms, policies, values, and systems.
For more information please see: https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/19478/1/LP_Using%20futures%20methods.pdfThe Multiple Timelines Exercise is a participatory method that invites groups to explore how history, present-day perspectives and future scenarios intersect to shape a region’s development. In one application focused on Africa, participants work in groups to map narratives across three timelines: the past (including idyllic, colonial and lived histories), the present (Afro-optimism, Afro-pessimism and the aspirational Wakanda) and the future (continue/discipline, collapse and transformation archetypes). Using coloured wool and prompts related to key systems dimensions – such as economic, political, environmental and cultural factors – participants visualise the links between past injustices, present dynamics and potential futures. The process surfaces diverse perspectives, challenges dominant narratives and deepens strategic foresight. By physically mapping connections and discussing possible disruptions or interventions, participants strengthen their anticipatory thinking and recognise their agency in shaping more equitable and resilient futures. Although developed with a regional lens, the methodology is widely adaptable for any context requiring systems reflection and futures orientation.
When to use
Agency is not just about individual control—it is relational and collective. Emerges through networks of interaction. It’s dynamic, not fixed—constantly shaped by changing contexts. Actions often have ripple effects that go beyond intention.
Complexity – The interconnectedness of issues within socio-ecological and socio-technical systems, requiring understanding and navigation. Praxis – unveiling the intentionality behind actions encompassing our modes of becoming, deep-seated meanings, and underlying wisdoms Systemic Change – A fundamental shift in deep-rooted systems (economic, ecological, social, and epistemic) towards desired futures. Transformative Change – A fundamental process or action of shifting existing systems to create new realities. This refers to the act of bringing about deep-seated alterations. Transformative Futures – Desired future states that are fundamentally different, just, inclusive, and regenerative, often co-created through youth-centred initiatives. This refers to the outcome or vision of these profound shifts. Anticipatory praxis heuristics: Contextually appropriate, flexible and reflective guiding principles that can serve as relational and strategic compasses to help navigate systemic change
Change Agent Introductions is an energising session designed to spark connection and collaboration among participants through structured, peer-to-peer dialogue. Using a World Café-style format, participants rotate through small group discussions, each taking on one of three roles: a host who stays and anchors the conversation; a traveller who moves between tables bringing new perspectives; and a scribe who captures key insights. Over three rounds, participants share their personal journeys into social change, explore the challenges they’re addressing and reflect on creative strategies for collaboration and innovation. This format enables rich cross-pollination of ideas, helping individuals discover shared values, align on key issues and build the foundation for collective action. It works particularly well at the start of a process, setting the tone for inclusive, purpose-driven engagement.
When to use
This session helps participants move from systemic analysis to strategic action by identifying high-impact interventions – known as leverage points – that can disrupt entrenched patterns and catalyse transformation. Using the Systemic Leverage Points Mountain, a visual metaphor for different levels of influence, participants map interventions ranging from surface-level tweaks at the base to deep systemic shifts at the peak. They explore their ecosystem’s historical dependencies, structural barriers and change dynamics to identify where their actions can have the most meaningful impact. Through structured dialogue, groups prioritise interventions based on their potential effectiveness, contextual fit and long-term feasibility. The exercise blends visionary thinking with grounded planning, enabling participants to generate realistic strategies for change. It supports clarity, strategic alignment and a stronger sense of agency by helping changemakers focus efforts where they matter most. For more on the leverage points framework, see: The Donella Meadows Project, “Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System”, accessed June 2, 2025, https://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/.
When to use
Anticipation means actively using future possibilities to inform present actions. It’s more than prediction—it’s practical engagement with the future. The present is “thick” with both echoes of the past and seeds of future potential. The future is not fixed—multiple pathways are always possible.
The Cross-Impact Matrix is a practical approach to explore how different ideas or trends interact within a system. Originally developed for strategic planning, it has become a valuable facilitation method for surfacing interdependencies, tensions and synergies. In a workshop setting, participants can use the matrix to assess relationships between selected ‘seeds’ – emerging, often marginal ideas with transformative potential.
When to use
Photo by Gys Loubser
Each seed is listed along both axes of a large grid, and participants work together to evaluate how each seed might influence others, noting whether the interaction is reinforcing, conflicting or neutral.
Capture the results visually using Post-It notes to spark rich discussions and insights into systemic dynamics. Facilitators can guide the process with prompts to stretch thinking and highlight cross-cutting themes such as governance, cultural shifts and social inclusion. The matrix helps participants move beyond isolated ideas, revealing a web of interactions and potential leverage points for change. It is especially useful in moments of complexity, where understanding relationships between elements is key to crafting more strategic and informed interventions.
Co-Creating Anticipatory Heuristics is a collaborative exercise that helps participants develop flexible, values-based principles for navigating uncertainty and systemic change. Rather than offering fixed rules, heuristics serve as adaptable guides grounded in personal insight, organisational culture and systemic awareness. Participants reflect across three interconnected domains: personal (resilience and emotional intelligence), organisational (shared values and adaptive leadership) and system-wide (long-term strategies for collective transformation). Working in small groups, they co-develop, refine and share heuristics that are contextually relevant and practically useful. The process deepens foresight, enhances individual and group adaptability and strengthens the ability to act intentionally in complex environments. It’s particularly useful in moments of transition, where clarity, alignment and strategic agility are essential. For more on this method see: Rika Presier Co-exploring relational heuristics for sustainability transitions towards more resilient and just Anthropocene futures. https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2815
When to use
• A timer (your best friend when energy runs wild) • Facilitator’s grid (keep your flow on track) • Clipboards (for roving note-takers and spontaneous brilliance) • Whiteboard markers (4 sets – because one always dries out) • Sharpies (7 packs of 5)
Small, positive initiatives can catalyse system-level transformation. Youth-led innovations are examples of such “seeds.” These seeds carry the potential to reshape communities over time. The SOGA approach values local knowledge, creativity, and community-rooted solutions.
When to use
The Three Horizons Framework, developed by Bill Sharpe, is a facilitation tool for exploring how systems evolve over time and how change can be shaped intentionally. It invites participants to consider three overlapping timeframes: Horizon 1 (H1), the dominant system or ‘business as usual’; Horizon 2 (H2), the space of innovation and transition; and Horizon 3 (H3), which represents a visionary future grounded in new values and structures. In workshops, participants can use this framework to structure dialogue around transformation – first envisioning a desirable future (H3), then identifying the entrenched patterns in the current system (H1) that stand in the way. The framework invites participants to explore transitional strategies (H2), distinguishing between incremental tweaks that sustain the old system (H2-) and transformative innovations that signal deeper change (H2+). The Three Horizons approach creates a shared language for navigating complexity and enables groups to align short-term actions with long-term aspirations. It is particularly helpful in linking visioning with strategy and in surfacing tensions between continuity and transformation. For more information, click here.
The Creature Features Ecosystem Game is a custom-designed facilitation tool* that is a playful yet insightful exercise designed to shift participants into a systems mindset by embodying different archetypes of change-making. Each participant adopts the role of an animal symbolising a distinct change approach – Lion (charismatic leader), Zebra (optimistic visionary), Giraffe (strategic thinker), Penguin (detailed planner) or Hippo (pragmatic mediator). Through card-based prompts and role exchanges, participants explore how these archetypes interact, overlap and adapt within complex systems. The game encourages them to articulate connections between roles, shift perspectives and reflect on the interdependence of diverse strategies. As they navigate changing contexts, participants practise flexibility, deepen anticipatory thinking and gain appreciation for different styles of leadership and collaboration. The exercise cultivates awareness of how change agents must continually adapt and relate within evolving ecosystems, making it especially effective for group formation, leadership development and workshops focused on transformation and systems change. *Designed by Deon Cloete, Rika Preiser and Tanja Hichert (2019)
When to use
• Projector + screen (if you’re rocking slides) • Laptops/tablets for facilitators • HDMI & VGA cables/adapters (don't let tech trip you up) • Plug converters + extension cords (aka lifelines) • Microphones (for the soft speakers and the power talkers) • Videographer + photographer (capture the magic!)
• Journals or notebooks for each participant (cue reflective genius) • Pens, pencils, highlighters – because colour-coded chaos is still organised • Flipchart paper + easel stands (you’ll need space to dream big) • Sticky notes (colourful thoughts = colourful stickies): ▫️ 10 x packs of rectangular (100mm x 150mm) ▫️ 10 x packs of square (100mm x 100mm) • Paper clips & binder clips (the unsung heroes) • Staplers + staples (don’t forget to load them!) • Scissors (2 pairs for snippy moments) • Masking tape (5 rolls – for putting things on walls without leaving a mark) • Prestik/adhesive putty (4 packets – for low-key magic on the walls)
Praxis is intentional, reflective action. It combines thinking and doing in a purposeful way. Grounded in awareness of our own beliefs, values, and assumptions. It’s a commitment to responsible future-shaping.
Presencing practices draw from the experiential roots of Theory U, a framework developed by Otto Scharmer and colleagues at MIT to support deep systems change. At its core is the idea that sustainable change arises not just from analysing problems or projecting solutions but also from sensing what is emerging and acting from a deeper source of knowing. In practice, this involves creating spaces for participants to slow down, listen deeply – to themselves, each other – and begin to co-sense what is possible. Over time, this practice has evolved through dialogues with practitioners across diverse fields, including education, sustainability and social innovation.
Photo by Gys Loubser
Presencing invites people into a different mode of engagement: one that values silence, embodied awareness and collective insight as vital parts of the change process. It’s a grounded, human practice that opens the door to meaningful co-creation and systemic renewal.
When to use
More information
Wayfinding Ambiguity & Incongruence is a futures-thinking exercise that uses CLA to help participants unpack complex systemic issues and reimagine transformative futures. The process moves through four layers of analysis, starting with the surface-level litany of observable trends; then diving into underlying systems and structures; deeper worldviews and cultural values; and finally the foundational myths and metaphors that shape collective understanding. Once these layers are explored, participants work back upwards to reframe each one, imagining new metaphors, value shifts, governance models and future headlines that describe a reimagined world. In one example, this method enables groups to challenge dominant narratives, surface hidden assumptions and co-create futures grounded in equity, well-being and interconnection. CLA supports paradigm shifts by encouraging layered reflection, fostering cross-sectoral dialogue and empowering participants to envision and articulate radically new possibilities. It’s especially valuable in contexts requiring long-term systemic change, cultural reframing and inclusive visioning. For more on this method, visit: Sohail Inayatullah, “Causal Layer Analysis: Poststructuralism as a Method”, Futures 30, no. 8 (1998): 815–29.
When to use
This phase involves building the core architecture of the project and creating the conditions for meaningful youth-led futures work. The team starts by aligning on methods and strategies through inception meetings, formalising partnerships, and developing a detailed project plan outlining key deliverables, timelines, and research approaches. It also includes recruiting and onboarding youth researchers, seeds, and changemakers as part of the co-researcher team. The team then designs and tests workshop methodologies through trial runs, refining facilitation tools and finalising materials ahead of the first in-person engagement. This foundational phase builds trust, establishes governance structures, and co-creates the process with youth participants. By the end, the project is ready to launch collaborative foresight and systems innovation activities from a strong, participatory base.
The Six Streams of Competence is a framework designed to cultivate self-awareness and support holistic development by engaging multiple dimensions of human experience. Moving beyond purely cognitive approaches, it recognises six interrelated capacities: • cognitive (pattern recognition and insight); • emotional (emotional presence and awareness); • somatic (bodily knowing); • relational (empathy and connection); • spiritual (purpose and service); and • integrating (living one’s values with integrity). In facilitation practice, this framework is often used to anchor reflective exercises, deepen learning and create space for personal and collective growth. At the Anticipation Summit, for instance, each day opened with presencing activities grounded in these streams, ranging from storytelling and journaling to emotionally attuned dialogue. This helped participants connect inner awareness with systemic insight, making their learning both personally meaningful and strategically relevant. Applied in workshops, coaching and group processes, the Six Streams provide a structure for balanced engagement, strengthening emotional resilience, group cohesion and the ability to act with clarity in uncertain or complex contexts. For more information, see: “Six Streams of Competence”, New Ventures West (blog), accessed April 2, 2025, https://www.newventureswest.com/six-streams-of-competence/
When to use
• Sign-in sheets (know who’s in the room) • Water bottles for every participant (hydration = activation) • Snack & refreshment station (fuel the ideas) • Printed emergency contact list (just in case) • Group allocations – clearly displayed (organised chaos, but make it smooth)
The Futures Wheel is a classic foresight method developed by Jerome C Glenn in the early 1970s to help groups think through the consequences of change. It offers a structured way to explore how emerging ideas, trends or events might ripple outward over time, starting with immediate effects and moving towards broader, long-term implications. In practice, participants place a central idea (such as a ‘seed’ of change) in the middle of a chart and map out first-, second- and third-order impacts in concentric circles, often using the STEEP+V lens (social, technological, economic, environmental, political and values-based dimensions).
When to use
Photo by Gys Loubser
This method can be used to unpack the transformative potential of marginal ideas that are not yet mainstream but are rich with possibility. Working in small groups, participants explore how these seeds might reshape systems if scaled, and reflect on interconnections between futures.The Futures Wheel fosters collective sense-making and systems thinking, revealing how even modest shifts can lead to far-reaching change.
For more on this method, see: www.millennium-project.org/futures-wheel.
The transformational arc that informs our approach. It’s grounded in anticipatory systems thinking, which helps us to: • recognise how small actions can lead to large-scale shifts; • understand the importance of timing and context; and • work with complexity rather than against it. Each facilitation process in this Learning Journey Guide has been designed to mirror this arc of change, following a step-by-step approach: • Surfacing seeds – noticing early signals, ideas, or practices with future potential • Making sense together – connecting experiences and drawing out shared meaning • Stretching the horizon – imagining how these ideas might evolve and scale • Learning to be anticipatory with mental shortcuts – acting on the future and embodying transformative ways of relating • Mapping leverage points for action and experimentation – understanding how to strategically intervene and experiment with complex systems in transformative ways In aligning this Learning Journey Guide with the dynamics of transformation, the aim is to grow both the imaginative capacity as well as the systems and futures literacy of those involved. Ultimately, this approach equips participants not only to imagine better futures but also to begin shaping them.
Designing Strategic Experiments is a practical exercise that helps participants turn ideas into action through small, low-risk interventions known as ‘safe-to-fail’ prototypes. Working across three domains – intra-personal (mindsets and habits), organisational (team dynamics and culture) and systems-wide (policies, technologies or partnerships) – participants design bold, creative experiments to challenge assumptions and test new possibilities. The process includes brainstorming, scenario testing and role-play to assess feasibility and refine interventions. Inclusivity is central, ensuring diverse voices inform design and implementation. By focusing on iterative, adaptive learning, this method equips participants to test emerging strategies in real contexts, gain practical insights and build resilience in navigating complexity. It’s especially effective when exploring systemic change, encouraging innovation and preparing for larger-scale transformation.
When to use
Thinking about, preparing and planning for our future is something we naturally do as part of our daily lives. It is an innate cognitive capacity we all have. When we think ahead about tasks we wish to accomplish within the next week or month, and when we plan for our academic year, for our careers and for the next birthday or celebration, we are using futures thinking. As a discipline, strategic foresight has its roots in military planning during the Second World War, where it was used to support better decision-making under conditions of uncertainty. In the 1970s, Royal Dutch Shell became one of the first private companies to adopt foresight methods, using scenario planning to successfully navigate the oil crisis. Its approach demonstrated the value of anticipating change and exploring multiple future possibilities as a way to build resilience and strategic agility. Today, foresight is going mainstream. From individuals to groups, and from boardrooms to city councils, governments and multilateral institutions, people everywhere use foresight to expand thinking, explore decision-making options, stress-test strategies and stay flexible and adaptable in the face of uncertainty.
When to use
Scenario Sharing is a creative, participatory method that assists groups to explore and communicate diverse visions of the future through expressive formats. Instead of relying on traditional presentations, participants use visual art, performance, storytelling or multimedia to bring future scenarios to life. This imaginative approach helps surface values, emotions and insights that might otherwise remain hidden. In the workshop, groups present their scenarios in creative formats – ranging from drawings and songs to short skits – that make abstract or complex ideas more accessible and emotionally resonant. After each presentation, the group reflect together, discussing their emotional reactions, emerging themes and underlying assumptions. This process sparks rich conversations about what kind of futures participants desire, what tensions they noticed and which ideas feel most urgent or inspiring. Scenario Sharing not only deepens engagement and empathy but also helps identify leverage points for change and motivates collective action. It’s especially effective when creative thinking is needed to unlock new perspectives and when a group is ready to move from vision to strategy.
Photo by Gys Loubser
When to use
Photo by Francois Pretorius
Influence Mapping is a hands-on method for visualising the relationships and dynamics within complex systems. It helps groups explore how different elements such as stakeholders, impacts or ideas affect one another, revealing pathways of influence and potential points for intervention. In workshops, participants can use this tool to map out how the impacts of their assigned ‘seeds’ may interact in their mature forms. Invite participants to sketch diagrams linking key impacts, using colour-coded markers – green for complementary, red for conflicting and blue for neutral relationships.As patterns emerge, groups are able to spot virtuous and vicious cycles and reflect on how these dynamics could shape future scenarios. The process deepens understanding of systemic interconnections and makes power dynamics more visible. Influence Mapping is particularly helpful in identifying leverage points, clarifying roles and relationships and communicating complexity in a clear, structured way. It sets a strong foundation for collaborative planning and strategic decision-making in contexts where influence flows are not always obvious but critical to understand.
Youth – 18 to 30 year olds recognised as key architects of systemic transformation. Youth-centred – Approaches and initiatives that prioritise the perspectives, needs, and active participation of young people. Youth Futures – The exploration and shaping of potential future realities by and for youth.
• Printed agendas + workshop schedules (make it snazzy if you can) • Name tags or lanyards (bonus if they double as icebreakers) • A2 templates: ▫️ Futures Wheel (4 copies) ▫️ Three Horizons (pre-printed & ready to roll) ▫️ Cross-Impact Analysis worksheets (A2 size) • White art-paper roll (80gsm, 50m x 840mm – the creative runway) • ‘Get to Know the Cohort’ board printouts: seeds, faces and changemaker flair
Understanding the Current State of Your Ecosystem is a structured group exercise designed to build shared insight into the complex systems participants are working within. Through guided prompts, participants map key elements, relationships and boundaries of a chosen ecosystem – such as food systems, climate action or eco-feminism – while surfacing tensions, inequities and hidden power dynamics. The process encourages analysis of intended and unintended outcomes, emotional undercurrents and differences in pace across governance, economic and technological systems. It also invites critical reflection on how dominant structures privilege some while marginalising others. By uncovering these dynamics, the exercise helps groups identify leverage points and systemic barriers, laying the groundwork for collaborative strategy and transformative action. Especially useful in cross-sectoral or multi-stakeholder settings, this method fosters deep systemic awareness and empowers participants to act more intentionally within complex, shifting contexts.
When to use
Systemic Justice – The intentional transformation of the deep-rooted systems - economic, ecological, social, and epistemic - that shape youth realities and futures. It extends beyond fairness in outcomes to interrogate and reimagine the structures, power dynamics, and cultural narratives that determine who benefits, who decides, and whose knowledge counts. Social Justice – Justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.
Anticipation – The development of skills and competencies to address future needs and navigate complex challenges. Futures – The exploration and shaping of potential future realities. Foresight – The capability to explore potential futures and challenge dominant narratives, often using specific tools and methods for future thinking. Agency – The capacity for youth and communities to shape the systems they inhabit and act as active agents of change. Change – A shift in framing from passive recipients to active agents of development and transformation. Change Agency – The role of youth as active agents driving systemic transformation. Co-creation – The collaborative process of developing initiatives and outcomes, involving shared design and input. Participatory – Involving active engagement and shared input from participants in processes and platforms. Participatory Futures – Processes that actively involve participants in exploring and shaping potential future scenarios. Action Research – A dynamic, participatory process where those affected by a problem are central to understanding and transforming it.
A common misconception is that strategic foresight is about predictions. But the future is unknown and uncertain, and our futures cannot be predicted accurately. More precisely, strategic foresight is about getting future-ready. It offers us a compass to navigate unknown and uncertain futures—spotting signals, tracking shifts and adjusting course as new futures take shape. Essentially, it is a way of seeing and positioning oneself in the now, and in the present, with a readiness and an ability to respond appropriately to, as well as to shape, what comes next. Another common misconception is that strategic foresight is focused on ‘the one future’. But instead, it’s about imagining many futures and preparing for the different ways that these might unfold. So, what’s the main idea? Bottom line: the future isn’t fixed and strategic foresight is about moving from reaction to anticipation. Futures are ours to explore, shape and co-create. This Learning Journey Guide is about how we can embrace our agency in uncertain, complex and changing times, to build the best futures that we can and that we want.