Nurturing Civil Society: Our way to deepen and amplify your impact

The Social Change Nest wanted to better organise how it connects groups to a shared pool of resources and relationships and create a foundation for collaboration and mutual aid. 

That’s why we’re proposing evolving the programme previously referred to as The Help Desk into The Radicle: a dynamic response to the challenges of today and a preparation for those yet to come, nurturing a participatory culture within The Social Change Nest community.

What this evolution means

We feel The Radicle better reflects our commitment to supporting grassroots groups by serving as stewards and connectors, anchoring the structures needed to nurture resilience. 

It reflects our role in helping grassroots groups root in place, build capacity, and respond dynamically to challenges, while also suggesting how they might continue working collectively beyond our involvement.

This renewed focus would mean the Radicle would:

• Anchor your Work in Shared Resources and Mutual Aid: Connecting groups to a commons of tools, advice, and infrastructure.

• Distribute Support Through Networks of Collaboration: Building relationships that amplify ground-up power.

• Grow Collective Capacity to Navigate Challenges and Adapt: Providing the resources and shared learning needed to respond dynamically to future needs.

The Help Desk always aimed to meet groups where they are, offering practical support that responds to real needs. However, its name risked setting the wrong tone, suggesting a passive, transactional relationship rather than the active, participatory ethos The Social Change Nest has always led with.

The shift to The Radicle also reflects our desire to move away from a central position as “experts” and instead join with the community as stewards, co-creators, and collaborators.