Facilitating Change: How to create transformative spaces that inspire, empower & drive real change – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this episode of Facilitating Change, Mentor Dida speaks with his first facilitator inspiration & guide, Vipin Thekk, an experienced facilitator, design consultant, and creator of the Togetherness Practice, a framework for unlocking human potential. Vipin shares his deep insights on the role of facilitators, the balance between "being" and "doing," and the importance of creating relational fields where transformative change can occur. They also discuss the art of navigating resistance, fostering adult development, and the Togetherness Practice’s research-backed approach to social and systemic change. Vipin is a seasoned social entrepreneur at Ashoka and is known globally for this powerful and transformative changemaking processes. Tune in for an exploration of what it means to facilitate from a place of presence, trust, and deep love for humanity.

Links:

• Learn more about the Togetherness Practice: www.togethernesspractice.org
• Connect with Vipin on LinkedIn: Vipin Thekk
• Explore more about Ashoka’s Your Kids Initiative: Ashoka

In this conversation Cole and Rebecca explore the art of facilitation and creating safe, connected environments. Rebecca shares her journey as a facilitator, emphasizing trust-building and the power of curiosity and playfulness in fostering deeper connections and innovation. They discuss the importance of authenticity in facilitating and designing communities that encourage learning and knowledge sharing. Rebecca also touches on AI's potential in transforming knowledge sharing, while highlighting the need for responsible development and ethical considerations in its use for human flourishing. More about Rebecca here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccakirstein/?originalSubdomain=ca Enjoy! 

In this heartfelt trailer, co-hosts Cole Hoover and Mentor Dida introduce *Facilitating Change*, a podcast born from their shared journey through countless classrooms, trainings, and conferences that left them uninspired and drained. Together, they reflect on the need for more intentional spaces—spaces that empower changemakers, unlock collaboration, and spark meaningful transformation & innovation.  

Facilitating Change is more than just conversations. It’s a hub where facilitators and changemakers connect, learn, and grow. Each episode offers insights into best practices in facilitation, transformative leadership, and designing communities that foster engagement. Through candid conversations with inspiring leaders across the social impact space, we explore what it takes to navigate complexity, bridge differences, and create thriving environments.  

This podcast invites you to step into the art of holding space—where profound learning meets real-world impact. Whether you’re a seasoned facilitator, an aspiring changemaker, or someone curious about transformation, these episodes are crafted to spark growth and inspiration.  

💡 Interested in connecting with us or recommending a guest? 

Connect with us directly on LinkedIn:  

Mentor Dida: https://linkedin.com/in/mentordida

Cole Hoover: https://linkedin.com/in/colehoover

Ali Fraenkel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrafraenkel/ Join us every two weeks for fresh perspectives from world-class facilitators. Let’s build spaces for collaboration, transformation, and sustainable change—together. Facilitating Change podcast is powered by Changemaker Allies an organization co-founded by Cole Hoover, Mentor Dida, and Ali Fraenkel, dedicated to transformative spaces for changemakers everywhere. 

In this episode of "Facilitating Change," Mentor Dida sit down with Kristoffer Carter (KC), founder of Epic Leadership and author of "Permission to Glow." KC dives deep into the art of conscious leadership, exploring how we can courageously embrace transformation and unlock our true potential. He shares insights on holding sacred spaces for teams, essence discovery, and how leaders can foster trust and vulnerability to create lasting change. With a career spent coaching Fortune 100 executives, KC’s wisdom is not to be missed.

Explore how to lead with authenticity, courage, and clarity in this powerful conversation.

Links:

• Kristoffer Carter's Website

• Kristoffer Carter on LinkedIn

• Kristoffer Carter on Insight Timer

• Kristoffer Carter on Instagram
• Permission to Glow Book

In this conversation, Cole and Mark explore the intricate dynamics of cross-sector collaboration and leadership in social enterprise. They discuss the messy reality of collaboration, where often everyone shows up with their own goals, metrics, and ways of measuring success. The discussion gets personal as they unpack how leaders need to do their own inner work around ego and bias, highlighting why those in power must be willing to look in the mirror before asking others to change. Through stories and practical examples, they tackle the challenging truth that long-term collaborations are constantly in flux, with people, motivations, and priorities shifting along the way. Mark and Cole share insights on creating spaces where organizations can pursue some of their goals in the short term while still working toward bigger shared dreams, offering honest perspectives on what it takes to keep complex partnerships alive and meaningful.

Show Notes:

Follow Mark on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhoroszowski/

Learn about the work MovingWorlds does in the world: www.movingworlds.org

In this thought-provoking episode, Mentor Dida is joined by Kenny Clewett, who co-leads Ashoka’s Hello World initiative, a global effort focused on migration, integration, and refugee movements. Kenny shares his journey from his pastoral work to becoming a facilitator and change leader, spearheading cross-sectoral collaborations to tackle some of the world’s toughest social issues.

Drawing from years of experience, Kenny discusses the art of facilitation, the importance of trust-building across different cultures, and how to navigate power dynamics in a group setting. He also shares the innovative work Ashoka is doing with Ecosystem Accelerators, which bring together diverse stakeholders to scale ideas and create systemic change in the field of migration and beyond. 

Throughout the conversation, Kenny offers profound insights into what it takes to facilitate change at a global scale and how creating space for different voices to emerge is vital in building a better, more inclusive future.

Links:

• Kenny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennyclewett/?originalSubdomain=es Kenny Clewett's Article on Social Innovations Journal
• Hello World Report: https://helloworld.ashoka.org/files/peopleonthemove
• Hello Europe: https://www.hello-europe.eu/our-team 

In this conversation Cole connects with Nate Wong, a Partner at The Bridgespan Group and social impact educator, to explore how facilitation and transformative spaces can reshape relationships between funders and nonprofits. As a strategic advisor, Nate works to reshape traditional relationships between nonprofits and philanthropists, building new models based on mutual trust and shared ownership. Drawing from his rich background in social impact, he shares practical insights on creating welcoming spaces that truly honor diverse perspectives and lived experiences. The conversation explores trust-based philanthropy, power dynamics in the nonprofit sector, and finding the sweet spot between structured and organic community building. Through stories and examples, Nate offers guidance on designing spaces that foster authentic engagement and lasting change, from small intentional gestures to thoughtful long-term planning. This episode is essential listening for anyone working to create more inclusive and effective spaces for social impact.

Show notes:

Learn more about Nate's work on his site: www.natewong.com

Learn more about The Bridgespan Group here: www.bridgespan.org

In this episode of Facilitating Change, Mentor Dida speaks with Valentina Raman, co-founder of YouthxYouth and The Weaving Lab, about her approach to weaving communities, designing learning experiences, and building capacity for collective action. Valentina shares how she creates spaces for participants to bring their whole selves, the art of holding complex and diverse groups together, and how her work with Youth by Youth empowers young people to lead. They explore the role of the facilitator, the power of emergent strategy, and the importance of weaving ecosystems for the collective thriving of people and planet. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on facilitation, leadership, and co-creating transformative spaces.

Links:

• Learn more about Youth by Youth: YouthxYouth
• Discover The Weaving Lab: The Weaving Lab
• Connect with Valentina Raman on LinkedIn: Valentina Raman

In this conversation, Cole and Nani talk about the art of transformative facilitation, exploring how to create spaces where authenticity is more important than assimilation, and deep listening guides design. They dive into Nani's work with the Courage Collective, discussing how her mission to "elevate the voices of the unheard" shapes her approach to DEI facilitation and consulting. The conversation highlights practical insights about building trust incrementally, balancing structure with emergence, and leveraging both virtual and in-person environments effectively. They also explore the importance of facilitators being selective about which spaces they choose to hold in order to ensure meaningful, sustained impact rather than superficial change. Through their discussion of specific techniques and real-world examples, they unpack how facilitators can create environments where multiple truths can coexist and participants feel truly included rather than merely welcomed.

Show notes:

Learn more about Courage Collective

Connect with Nani on Linkedin

In this episode of Facilitating Change, we sit down with Mohsin Mohi Ud Din, founder and CEO of #MeWe International Inc., to explore how communication, storytelling, and mindfulness are shaping changemakers across the globe. With more than 10,000 youth and caregivers impacted in over 12 countries, Mohsin shares insights from his groundbreaking narrative interventions and leadership programs, offering a fresh perspective on how intention, perspective, and creativity are at the heart of change. He also talks about the power of metaphor, the importance of creating space for both rest and connection, and how facilitators can tap into the rhythms of nature to guide communities through profound transformation. Mohsin’s experience spans strategic communications at the United Nations, Ashoka, and UNICEF, and his expertise in narrative therapy and biomimicry provides transformation for changemakers, educators, and facilitators alike.

Learn more about Mohsin’s work:

• LinkedIn: Mohsin Mohi Ud Din
• #MeWe International: www.meweintl.org
• Mohsin’s Ted Talk: Your story of you keeps score | Mohsin Mohi Ud Din | TEDxBeaconStreetSalon