Spark
A 5-week journey igniting systems change through an intensive dive into leadership, facilitation and practice.
intermediate
Spark
Autumn 2025
Why Spark?
Leading change initiatives often sees us working against the tide, feeling isolated and confronted with the challenges of collaborative work. It takes strength to hold a vision, more to share it with others as we work across differences. Even sharper is the awareness we need to have of ourselves to lead with integrity and adaptability in the face of complexity, while leaning into discomfort.
Find community in Spark, a leadership and facilitation course for people guiding others through change processes. Shine a light on your personal edge; deep dive into navigating group dynamics such as power imbalances, tensions/conflict, making decisions; and engage with new ways to design meetings, workshops and engagements.
"People need guidance - from facilitators and coaches - to shift to collective and adaptive ways of working for transformative change."
Scott Hinkle, Basecamp & Spark alum
Senior Consultant, Systems Change & Project Management, Wasafiri
What you’ll learn
Spark is a 5-week course designed around intensive bursts of framing and facilitated practice in a cohort, whilst supporting you to apply your learning to your live projects through individual coaching. We will explore group dynamics and differences, power, process design, leadership and understanding yourself as an instrument for change. You will go back out into the world accompanied by a new network of peers.
A systems view of facilitation and leadership embraces the fact that engaging people in change means looking to embrace uncertainty, working in relationship with others, and paying attention to process. Spark has been designed with this worldview in mind, nurturing you to deepen your practice through a combination of inner work, relational work, and adaptive design skills. As a co-learner, you will be invited to experiment and take what makes sense for you in your own context, projects and areas of application.
"I learned some really valuable new thinking/ideas/frameworks that I will bring into my work. I was exposed to ways of working online that I will attempt to emulate."
Spark alum
"What I appreciate most is the ability to bring the systems change practices & habits in my own work and feeling more confident that my outlook is more systemic than it used to be."
Spark alum
Learning Outcomes
Through this course, you will:
- Build your self-awareness and personal leadership capacity
- Support yourself working with group dynamics including perspective taking and polarities
- Nurture your confidence in bringing a systemic approach to facilitate transformational change in your practice
How we host
At the School, we believe there is no one ‘right’ way of doing systems change work, and embrace both multiple methodologies and multiple ways of learning. In Spark, we host you through a combination of participatory online workshops, personal reflective exercises, peer learning groups, and individual coaching with one of our facilitation team. You will also be asked to take your learning away and apply it to your work, with our support.
"I have more confidence around my vision of self as a systems change facilitator."
Spark Americas alum
"I have connected with a new constellation of ideas and people that will continue to grow."
Spark alum
Facilitators
Facilitators for Spark Autumn 2025 will be shared shortly.
Cohort
Is Spark for me?
Spark will work well for you if:
- You have a foundational understanding of systems change, having learned about and used at least some tools in practice
- You have some previous group facilitation experience whether through learning offers, workshops or collaborative projects
- You are looking for an opportunity to apply the skills you are learning from this course in a practical setting
This is not a course that will introduce you to systems frameworks and tools that support diagnosis and strategy development for systems change; if you are looking for this kind of training, check out our Delta course for a short introduction, or Basecamp for a longer learning journey.
Who else will be on the course?
Mirroring system change principles in our cohort, we aim for a group of around 15-20 people, representing:
- A wide diversity of worldviews, lived experience, and perspectives
- A range of professional contexts - including business, non-profit, government, philanthropy, and other enablers of change
- A variety of complex challenges in sustainability and social change
"From my experience, the unsung heroes of successful systems initiatives are capable and compassionate facilitators ... Spark allowed me to sharpen my facilitation practice and develop a facilitation guide for our systems change work with the Reach Children’s Hub in Feltham."
Scott Hinkle, Basecamp & Spark alum
Senior Consultant, Systems Change & Project Management, Wasafiri
Scott Hinkle completed our Basecamp and Spark programmes in 2021. In From War Zones to Children’s Hubs: Insights and Advice from my Systems Journey, he shares insights and advice from entering the world of complexity to his current focus, including embodying systems change as an internal practice and three practical facilitation ideas nurtured through Spark.
Equity & Diversity
We seek to create safe and brave spaces for participants from different backgrounds and lived experience to engage in learning together. We acknowledge the power and responsibility we hold in our role as a convenor and learning provider, placing multiple ways of knowing and awareness of difference as fundamental design principles in our programmes.
Read more about our commitment and journey around equity and difference here.
Accessibility needs
If you anticipate requiring additional support for your wellbeing, learning or access needs during the course, then please let the team know as soon as possible, so we can factor this into our session design. You can let us know in the application form or email us at [email protected]. We are happy to arrange a call to discuss how we can support your learning. The course producer will also be on hand throughout the course if you have any questions or concerns to raise.
Date and time
Course dates and times, as well as information session times, will be shared shortly. Spark Autumn 2025 will start in October or November.
Course Fees
Course fees will be shared shortly.
Info Sessions
Apply
We will be accepting applications from late summer 2025. Express interest in Spark to receive an email once applications open.
Contact Us
Are you interested in speaking with one of our team to answer any specific questions you may have? Please shoot us an email at [email protected]. We're looking forward to hearing from you!