While the following terms can be defined in a multitude of ways, here is how Seasons Fund currently defines them:
Transformative Social Change:
Transformative social change addresses the root causes of systemic injustice by linking paths to inner awareness (the basis of personal transformation) with paths to effective social action (the basis of societal transformation). Both are paths to awakening, to core change—to creating butterflies rather than bigger, stronger or faster caterpillars—and both are necessary if the butterflies are to enjoy balanced and blossoming ecosystems.
Social change work:
Acts of advocacy or organizing that address the root causes of economic and environmental injustice and aspire to fundamentally shift social structures, institutions, patterns of behavior, cultures and/or relations of power.
Transformational social change practices:
Social change work that intentionally engages inner awareness and personal development practices to fundamentally shift conditions at the individual, organizational and societal levels.
These tools, skills and approaches may include meditation, reflection, centering prayer or other contemplative practices; creative movement, martial arts or other somatic or kinesthetic practices; dialogue, council process, storytelling or other practices of deep listening; creative expression work such as music, poetry and visual art; individual assessment and feedback strategies; work that helps align values, actions, purpose and vision; and improved wellness and organizational sustainability practices. The practices may be based in traditional religions, newer spiritual approaches and/or secular psychological and organizational development strategies. They must, however, aspire to core change, creating butterflies rather than bigger, stronger or faster caterpillars; and they must make the link between individual and group or societal change.
Network:
- A local, regional or national grouping of organizations that share common goals and objectives and are working together to advance a social change agenda by collaborating on specific projects or campaigns and the sharing of resources and funding.
- One organization that is comprised of local, regional or national chapters and/or affiliates that share common goals and objectives and are working together to advance a social change agenda by collaborating on specific projects or campaigns and sharing resources.
Frontline group:
A group whose mission is to shift the structures of society and improve the conditions of their communities and/or environments through direct action, organizing and other grassroots social change approaches.
Intermediary group:
A group whose purpose is to provide training and guidance in transformational social change practices, including consulting, teaching, retreats, and other opportunities for organizers and activists to learn about inner awareness practices and how to integrate them into their work for social change in order to increase their effectiveness, impact and sustainability.