USING FUTURES

An important motivation for futures-thinking is to help individuals, communities, and organizations better use the future for their own benefit. Effective futures-thinking can be empowering and help communities de-colonize futures. Using Futures activities are designed to help communities consider alternative futures, envision preferred futures, and develop strategic approaches to achieving community-based goals. Here is a list of Using Futures activities offered by Three3. Each type of activity can be tailored to fit the needs of participants and their communities and organizations.

1- Facilitated Community-based Visioning – Three3 staff will facilitate community-based activities designed to help participants envision preferred community futures. The visioning sessions will be complemented by:

• the assessment of key trends and drivers that could support or constrain community changes towards preferred futures; and
• the development of scenarios that describe how potential futures could be achieved.

These activities will be designed to encourage vigorous community participation and help participants become more futures-oriented. 
2- Linking Strategic Organizational Goals to Obligations to Future Generations – The press of the now can obscure how the good work of community-based organizations actually fosters the achievement of obligations to future generations. These sessions will:

• run participants through a process to foster appreciation of how their organizations are contributing to meeting these obligations; and
• how their programs could be better aligned to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.

3- Scenario Writing for Young People – It is important for young people from historically under-represented groups and communities of color to be empowered to imagine new futures for themselves and their communities. Under this activity, Three3 will engage with young persons to write preferred scenarios for their communities that are based on advantageous use of trends and drivers that are at work nationally and even internationally. For example, scenarios could focus on how technologies that are disrupting major sectors of the economy could be used to disrupt poverty in their communities. The target audience for this activity is young persons 18-24 years old, though activities can be designed for younger and older participants.
 
For more information about Using Futures activities, please contact please contact Dr. Bruce Tonn at [email protected].