Hope and Positivity

Hope and positivity are values that influence my actions, decisions and mindset. To me hope is not just an optimistic state of mind, it is also an active cognitive process that includes setting goals and developing ways of achieving them without letting obstacles and barriers stop me. Positivity is consciously choosing to adopt an optimistic and solution-focused mindset and to focus on strengths and gratitude. Hope and positivity help me intentionally look for opportunities and to use an appreciative inquiry approach that focuses on what is already working well and using that as the foundation for future improvements in practices and processes. They also help me address setbacks and challenges with resilience and optimism and they encourage me to reframe them as opportunities to learn and grow. Holding onto hope is sometimes difficult, but it is very important, because it motivates me to keep working on constructive and beneficial steps in the right direction even when the goal seems far away. This means never giving up on finding ways forward even when relationships are fractured and contexts are volatile. It also means always trying to give people the benefit of the doubt rather than jumping to unhelp conclusions about their actions and motivations.

Curiosity and Creativity

Curiosity and creativity are also values that affect my actions, decisions and mindset. Curiosity is a conscious choice to prioritise exploration, open-mindedness and learning over assumptions and comfort. Creativity is the belief that new, original and practical ideas, solutions and expressions are vital for personal fulfilment, problem solving and positive change. I value curiosity, because it pushes me to continuously question, what I know and why and how I know it. It also encourages me to be open-minded, to explore diverse perspectives and to embrace complexity. Therefore, curiosity drives my interest in understanding other people’s thoughts, feelings and experiences, which helps me create spaces, where people feel understood and valued. It also helps me deepen my empathy for and relationships with them. To me creativity has many different very helpful dimensions. On a personal level, creative activities help me relax and switch off from my professional responsibilities to give me a break and come back with new energy and perspectives. It also helps me reframe challenges in more constructive ways that help me gain a sense of control. In my professional capacity I use creativity to think outside the box and develop new ways to effectively address complex problems and bring about positive change. I also use creativity to present complex findings in alternative ways that are easy to understand and action.

Social Justice and Responsibility

Social justice as a value is the commitment to develop fair and just societies and communities, where everyone regardless of their background and identity have equitable access to fundamental rights, opportunities and resources. To me it also means developing societies and communities, where all people are treated with respect, empathy, fairness and dignity and where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. Social responsibility as a value maintains that we are all responsible for developing such societies and communities and for addressing any obstacles and barriers that hinder this vital development even when this is not in our own financial interest. To me this means being fully committed to always intentionally trying to challenge and change detrimental structures, processes and practices. It especially also means intentionally and vigorously opposing all forms of racist and religious hate, homophobia and sexism and supporting any resistance against them. It also means asking fundamental questions about power dynamics and structures and how they can be challenged and changed. In addition, it also includes prioritising positive actionable change, when developing objectives for research and training, advocating for meaningful change and taking part in collective action. Finally, it also includes having a sliding scale payment system.

Diversity, Equity and Radical Inclusion

Diversity as a value means treasuring all the differences between people that makes each of us a unique human being. Equity means acknowledging that everyone’s intersectional identity such as their race, religion, class, gender and sexuality shapes their lived experiences both positively and negatively. It signifies the guarantee of fair access, opportunity and treatment for everyone regardless of the characteristics of their intersectional identify, while also committing to identifying and eliminating barriers that prevent their full participation.  Inclusion means creating spaces, where everyone feels welcomed, respected, valued and supported in participating fully and authentically. To me radical inclusion means proactively identifying, who is excluded from full and authentic participation and what the obstacles and barriers to their inclusion are. It also means actively engaging with those that are excluded and carefully and actively listening to their concerns and ideas about how their inclusion can be secured and then making the changes needed to dismantle the obstacles and barriers. It basically requires shifting the focus from changing the individual to fit into the process or system to changing the process or system to accommodate and value every individual.

In addition, I believe that all participation and engagement must be intentional, active and meaningful. Intentional means making deliberate choices and taking deliberate actions to ensure that everyone is included in all activities. Meaningful and active participation and engagement mean that everyone has equitable opportunities to contribute their lived experiences, thoughts, views, ideas and skills, to influence discussions and decision-making. I also believe that showing empathy for everyone and focusing on developing positive relationships and change are important for making participation and engagement meaningful. Finally, I believe that any initiative should not be done for people but with people through participatory approaches that fully value their participation and engagement.

Relationships, Collaboration and Co-Creation

I believe that developing relationships and networks across all levels of society including between individuals and within and between organisations and communities are essential for developing fair, just and peaceful contexts. Therefore, developing and supporting networks and relationships between people and encouraging collaboration are always at the heart of all my practices. Collaboration as a value means sharing the commitment to achieving common goals. It also means enabling open communication, committing to fostering mutual trust and empathy and cherishing collective problem-solving. I value collaboration because I believe that when diverse groups of people pool their knowledge, perspectives, experiences, and skills together, it leads to more effective and inclusive initiatives and solutions. However, I also acknowledge the limitations of collaboration including often operating within established hierarchies, using existing expertise and often focusing on solving particular issues. Consequently, I also highly value and thoroughly enjoy co-creation with its focus on shared vision, creativity, innovation and the exploration of opportunities and ways to disrupt established power structures and dynamics. To me this means creating safe spaces, where everyone feels confident and safe enough to engage in a dialogue, where they can share their ideas and perspectives, learn from each other and dare to take risks. Finally, I also always strive to ensure that the relationships that have been developed are strong enough to last after my involvement has officially ended.

Transparency, Integrity and Accountability

Valuing transparency means being open and honest about the services I offer including all costs and potential conflicts of interest. It also means proactively sharing information with all stakeholders about project methodologies, progress and findings. Integrity means always acting in accordance with my values and adhering to high ethical standards, including maintaining confidentiality and protecting participants’ safety, privacy and dignity. Accountability includes reporting on, explaining and being responsible for all my actions and the outcomes they lead to. To me it means not only keeping agreements and deadlines but also adapting to everyone’s changing needs and circumstances while still maintaining services at a very high standard. It also includes negotiating and clearly establishing objectives, scope, methodology, outputs and expectations to everyone’s satisfaction.