Programme

Collaborating with a range of delivery partners, we have developed a unique programme to enable participants to share their learning, and develop new ideas for social action, locally and globally.

The programme features a mixture of world class speakers and panel sessions, alongside practical workshops, facilitated 'open space' conversations, inspirational films and participatory arts sessions. Throughout the two days participants will develop their ideas. A unique feature of Chain Reaction will be the opportunity to self organise, with bookable meeting spaces, and places to connect with others and collaborate in building new projects, new partnerships and new ways of working. By the end of day two, 25 ideas will have received commitment from participants at the event and on-line, to take forward together.

Highlights of the programme include:

Day One

Collaborating for social change
Exploring a new model for social change, ‘collaborative commitments’, with new thinking from David Grayson, Professor of CSR at Cranfield Business School, case studies from the Department of International Development and multinational businesses, and the launch of a new commitment.

Communicating Social Change
Mark Thompson, Director General of the BBC will reflect on the role of the media in supporting social change. A conversation will follow with Jane Tewson, creator of Comic Relief and leading practitioners from the powerful worlds of branding and blogging. This will be supported by practical workshops on a range of communications tools (engaging the media, starting your blog!)

Arts and social change
A conversation on transformative theatre for and by young people with community practitioners from five countries followed by opportunities throughout the day to develop practical skills in non-verbal approaches.

Entrepreneurs and Social Change
The launch of Global Entrepreneurship Week - the worldwide celebration of enterprise, which aims to unleash young people’s enterprising ideas to address some of society’s biggest issues - with a landmark, interactive debate stimulating discussion across a global audience.

Practical workshops
Opportunities to learn about systems thinking, the potential of new technologies, online platforms for social innovation, and Tuseme, a technique developed in Africa that is enabling young girls to lead social change

Day Two

International Perspectives on Social Change
Young people from the UK and around the world will discuss what they have learnt through volunteering, visiting and exchanges and share their perspectives on social change with Government Ministers.

Financing Social Change
Chaired by Rachel Lomax, former deputy Governor of the Bank of England, this session will explore new models for financing social change. The panel will include the ‘father of British venture capital’ Sir Ronald Cohen, alongside inspiring social entrepreneurs, with the challenges provided by Stuart Etherington from NCVO.

Sports and Social Change
An inspiring conversation exploring the potential of sports as a mechanism to engage people in social change.

Social Change one to one
We all need help at some time in our lives. And we all have something to give. The Prime Minister’s Council on Social Action will share their vision of a society where we all have someone to turn to and engage participants in turning this into a reality.

Practical workshops
Opportunities to learn about collaborative organising, practical support to scale up good ideas, hone your social media skills, and participate in story telling from Iceland, citizen theatre from Canada and poetry, song and dance from Africa.

Other Sessions to be Announced:

Look out for confirmation soon on other session including:
Educating for Social Change
Technology and Social Change
Campaigning for Social Change
Committing to Social Change

Day two will also feature the Beacon Fellowship Awards Dinner
Beacon awards annual prizes to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to charitable causes or to organisations that benefit the public. An overall winner will be selected every year who will be given a cash award of £30,000, invested in an innovative way by the winner in a charity of their choice. Find out more about the Beacon Fellowship

See who else has committed to taking part in Chain Reaction so far here

We want as much input as possible from our website users to put the finishing touches to this already exciting line-up. If there is anything that you would like to see covered at Chain Reaction or anyone you would like to see on the agenda let us know in in our blog.

Updates and additions to the programme will appear here in the next few weeks. Sign up to our e-newsletter in the menu bar to the left, and we will keep you notified of all updates.

Please note that the programme may be subject to change outside of our control