Understanding sustainability in a recovering world

Our core Lasting Difference workshops are back!

Join our standalone online masterclasses and special new introductions to leading organisations – and systems.

We've updated our unique Lasting Difference workshops, packaging them into three standalone online masterclasses. Enthusiastic feedback from the last two years shows that they are a successful way for participants to achieve these core learning outcomes:

• Improving understanding of charity sustainability
• Increasing ability to sustain learning and innovation from the pandemic
• Identifying ideas for improving their project or organisation’s sustainability
• Increased strategic clarity and ability to manage capacity.

Scroll down for workshop outlines. Click 'Tickets' to book your place (follow the links below for the other masterclasses in the series).

Features

These participatory online workshops replicate everything you'd expect from face-to-face participation while being cheaper and more accessible:

• Clear content delivery supported by slides, handouts & extra resources.
• Full interaction, with audio, video, text chat, polls and shared notes.
• Peer sharing and support with breakout spaces for small group activity, supported by members of the Lasting Difference team.

This session: Understanding sustainability in a recovering world - paradoxes, principles and practices

The first of our three core masterclasses starts by introducing and re-examining the principles of sustainable organisations in the light of recent challenges:

1. Sustainability is about change
2. It's about more than just money
3. Diversifying income doesn't necessarily reduce risk
4. Sustainability needs capacity
5. Nothing is self-sustaining.

A good portion of the session will be spent in supportive group activity, identifying and sharing learning - what should be sustained? If the principles are true, what does that mean for practice?

The workshop encourages you to plan for the future based on a clear understanding what works and what makes the most impact, a theme that continues in the second masterclass.

'Great session - feeling very inspired.'

'Brilliant. Well worth the time!'

'Fantastic.'

Click on the links below to find out more about the other sessions and book your place.

Masterclass 2: The Five Capabilities

9th November 10am-12.45pm

Develop and apply the five capabilities of sustainable organisations, brought to life with practical examples and learning among supportive peers (Involvement, Income generation, Innovation, Improvement, Impact measurement).

Masterclass 3: Following the Exit Signs

23rd November 10am-12.45pm

Introducing and exploring the six possible exit strategies for any stage in a project or organisational lifecycle. Identify and plan for the most appropriate strategy for transitioning from survival to sustainability.

Managing Capacity: what to do when you can't do any more 14th September

The return of our popular new workshop - tame your main sustainability challenges!

System Capacity and Leadership: 21st September

Introducing 'Shine a Light', our new guide to system sustainability, capacity and leadership.

About The Lasting Difference

These sessions are led by Graeme Reekie, author of the popular Lasting Difference toolkit and Director of The Lasting Difference consultancy (formerly 'Wren and Greyhound'). Graeme is a respected charity consultant who has supported nonprofit organisations through workshops, facilitation and strategic consultancy over 15+ years. Members of the Lasting Difference team will also be on hand to help out during the workshops.

The updated fifth edition of the Lasting Difference has just been published and is available from TheLastingDifference.com, with more than 7500 copies now in use by charities and social enterprises around the world.

FAQs

Q. Do I need to book for all three events separately?

A. Yes, please help us manage the events by booking onto each event separately. You can do this using the links above.

Q. How many people can take part?

A. There are up to 20 places available for each session. Up to three people from the same organisation can take part, but please book separately as this makes it easier to manage communications.

Q. What if I only want to do one or two of the workshops, or if I can't attend one?

A. That's fine! People who do all three get a lot more from the experience and the relationships that are built. Taken together, the masterclasses provide a coherent programme to help you address sustainability in your project or organisation. But they also stand alone in themselves, with short refreshers at the start to introduce any core concepts you may have missed.

Q. What is the refund policy if I need to cancel?

You can cancel your booking within two weeks of the event for a full refund. After this date, we cannot provide refunds because of the administration costs we will have incurred.

Either way, if you book a place but need to cancel, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing: info@thelastingdifference.com