Ulex Strategy training Jan Jelles

We spoke with Jan Jelles about taking the Ulex training "Strategizing for Active Citizenship." Below are some reflections:

"Because I wanted to learn more techniques and methods for strategic thinking and action within the groups I’m involved in, I was very happy to be able to participate in the Ulex training. Also, the location and the hosting turned out to be truly wonderful! It is often quite difficult to translate the goals and ideas a group or movement has into actionable plans. I know that my own strength lies in facilitating learning processes within groups, but before this training, I didn’t have many tools for that."

"During this training, titled ‘Strategizing for Active Citizenship,’ a large group of us spent a week working through the various phases of a strategic process. We learned about the ‘strategy cycle’ and its different components. Participants came from very diverse parts of Europe, ranging from Hungary to the United Kingdom, and represented a wide variety of organisations, spanning everything from corporate firms to grassroots civic initiatives. What I found rewarding and inspiring was the combination of cognitive, collaborative, and physical work. I noticed as early as the first day that working “in your head” can lead to “brain fog” or mental exhaustion but just when that happened, an embodied exercise would often be introduced. These embodied exercises taught me something about the topics we were exploring in an entirely different way. I remember one specific exercise quite clearly: we had to stand in a circle and precisely mirror every movement made by the person two spots to our right. It was striking that, even though we started from a standstill, we eventually found ourselves performing all sorts of movements. It also became apparent that, while you are part of a larger system, you can choose to speed up or slow down your own actions, thereby influencing the environment around you."

"In my work as an action researcher, I am certain that I will frequently be able to apply the techniques and exercises I learned during this training. In the context of the civic initiatives I collaborate with, these tools allow me to work backward from long-term goals or visions to determine which actions and interventions are strategic in the present. One exercise I found particularly useful is the ‘critical pathways’ method. In this exercise, you reason backward from a utopian goal toward the present, considering the minimum requirements for each step. As you move closer to the present, the steps gradually become more realistic. I believe this training is valuable for many people, as the knowledge you gain allows you to make an immediate impact within the groups and networks in which you work. Although I didn’t bring a specific case study of my own to work on, many others did. It was very interesting to brainstorm with them about their cases and to share stories and experiences. All in all, I found it a transformative experience, one I would gladly repeat if given the chance!"

Ulex is a training organisation that facilitates high-quality, multi-day training programs for social movements from across Europe. This training was fully funded by a grant from Erasmus+.