Institute For The Future

Catalysts for Change: A Game To Discover Paths out of Poverty

On April 3, Institute for the Future will launch its most ambitious global foresight game yet—
Catalysts for Change.

 

In partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation and its Searchlight Partners around the world, people from all walks of life will play to catalyze change in the global landscape of poverty. From development professionals to local community leaders to citizens of change, we will gather the voices of people working on the ground to reimagine the future of development and economic well-being.

 

What is a catalyst for change?

 

Complex systems like the global economy have leverage points where a little insight, action, or power can be amplified to make an outsized difference. These are catalysts for change. A catalyst might be new evidence, like real-time detection of an emerging epidemic. Or it might be a new capacity, such as a low-fee ambulance service. New rules, too, can catalyze change, like new rules for tracking earnings across national borders to provide comprehensive worker's insurance. The most powerful catalyst for change? A new story. The stories people tell about the world are lasting legacies that give shape to daily life, and the ability to imagine a different future is often the first step out of poverty.

 

How will we play to win?

The Catalysts for Change game will use IFTF's Foresight Engine, designed by Jane McGonigal, to jump-start a global conversation about new evidence, new capacities, new rules, and new stories that can change the future from the ground up. Playing tweet-like cards, we'll build on one another's ideas. And the more we build, the more pathbreaking solutions we'll uncover. Together, we'll reimagine the future of development from the ground up.

 

Can't wait to get started?

You don't have to wait. Look around you right now. What captures your imagination? Do you see something small that could lead to big changes—to better food, cleaner water, new freedoms, and brighter futures? Take a snap shot. Start a list. Post them on your Facebook page, or Twitter, or your blog. Sign up now so we can let you know when the game goes live.

 

Then watch for our Catalysts for Change Facebook page in just a couple weeks. We'll have pre-game missions, and you can meet the global game guides who will help you translate your list into winning ideas in the game.

 

Remember: The dates are April 3 & 4. Be a hero. Be a Catalyst for Change.