Overview
Over the last few months, many people across ASP have been balancing travel, work, family commitments, health, new projects and changing priorities. Despite this, conversations, ideas and collaboration around ASP’s future have continued to evolve steadily across the community.
A significant amount of work has been happening across workshops, consultations, meetings and collaborative discussions focused on ASP’s future direction, community infrastructure and long-term sustainability. The overall aim is not simply to introduce new tools or platforms, but to help ASP become:
- easier to understand
- easier to participate in
- more connected and visible
- and better able to support meaningful collaboration and collective impact across the community
This bulletin provides a summary of where things currently stand, the themes emerging from the work so far, and some of the next areas of focus.
What has been happening
Strategy baseline development
A consolidated ASP Strategy Baseline document has been developed based on:
- workshops
- consultations
- existing ASP materials
- discussions across teams
- member feedback and observations
The purpose of this work has been to:
- identify recurring themes
- clarify ASP’s value proposition
- map strategic direction
- identify operational and infrastructure needs
- and help create a more coherent long-term roadmap
Several important themes have consistently emerged through this process.
ASP’s biggest asset is its members
The work so far strongly reinforces that ASP already contains:
- deep expertise
- trust
- shared values
- practical experience
- creativity
- learning capacity
- and significant collaborative potential
The challenge is not lack of value.
The challenge is creating the visibility, structures, systems and pathways that allow this value to become more discoverable, connected and activated across the community.
ASP is a community, not simply a network
A recurring theme throughout discussions has been the importance of relationships, collaboration and community weaving.
ASP is increasingly being understood not simply as:
- a membership organisation
- a content platform
- or a professional directory
…but as a living, collaborative learning community focused on:
- sustainability
- systems thinking
- wellbeing
- regenerative practice
- inquiry
- and collective change-making
Community weaving in this context means intentionally strengthening:
- relationships
- onboarding
- participation
- collaboration
- visibility
- and connection across the ASP community
One of the most inspiring aspects of the process so far has been the diversity of perspectives shaping it, with ideas, experiences and conversations emerging across multiple countries, cultures and disciplines throughout the ASP community.
Technology is only one part of the ecosystem
A major area of discussion has been around community platforms, infrastructure and operational systems.
This includes conversations around:
- Circle.so
- Notion
- onboarding systems
- member engagement pathways
- communication structures
- CRM and integrations
- and long-term operational sustainability
One of the strongest conclusions emerging so far is that technology alone is not the solution.
Platforms can support connection and collaboration, but only if they are designed around:
- clear member journeys
- participation pathways
- operational ownership
- community weaving
- sustainable processes
- and long-term strategic clarity
The discussions so far are increasingly reinforcing that ASP’s long-term strength will come not from tools alone, but from how relationships, learning, participation and collaboration are supported across the community.
Circle is currently one of several platforms and approaches being explored as part of this wider process.
Community platform exploration
We are very grateful to both Ruth Nelson-Andorf and Corinna for their generous offers of support and expertise.
Ruth has shared valuable practical experience from building and operating the Creative Space Circle community platform, including:
- onboarding
- engagement
- member participation
- event structures
- and platform operations
Corinna has been helping explore how existing ASP strategy and values could translate into practical systems and member-led participation structures, including:
- decentralised contribution models
- sustainable value creation
- education and revenue opportunities
- and reducing dependency on central coordination
These conversations are helping ASP explore not just what platform may be appropriate, but how any future platform could support a thriving, sustainable and collaborative community ecosystem.
Growing contributor ecosystem
Over recent months, more members have stepped forward to contribute ideas, expertise and practical support across areas including:
- community weaving
- onboarding
- communications
- systems thinking
- education
- website development
- digital infrastructure
- and platform exploration
This work is gradually evolving into a more collaborative and distributed effort across the ASP community.
Emerging contributors and conversations
Alongside the core conversations and workstreams already underway, several additional members have expressed interest in supporting different aspects of ASP’s evolution as the project develops further.
This includes conversations and emerging ideas around:
- website development
- community weaving
- engagement and onboarding
- systems thinking
- education and learning pathways
- communications
- and collaborative community infrastructure
Members currently involved in, or expressing interest in, these evolving conversations include:
- Robyn Davie
- Erin Hiner
- Oke Epia
- Eleanor Whyton
- Shelmith Kariuki
- Julia Chiappetti
- Kaarina Rugiero
As the strategic direction, operating model and workstreams become clearer, there will be increasing opportunities for members to contribute their skills, experience and ideas in more structured ways.
Emerging focus areas
Several interconnected areas are now developing simultaneously.
Community weaving and engagement
Exploring how ASP can better:
- welcome new members
- strengthen member connections
- increase participation
- support collaboration
- and create stronger feedback loops across the community
Member journeys and onboarding
Clarifying:
- how new members enter ASP
- how members connect with others
- how people discover opportunities
- and how engagement becomes easier and more meaningful
Website and communications
Exploring how ASP’s external presence can:
- better explain who ASP is
- make opportunities more visible
- reduce confusion
- and support clearer pathways into the community
Infrastructure and systems
Reviewing:
- community platform options
- CRM requirements
- integrations
- operational workflows
- and sustainable long-term structures
Current strategic direction
The current direction emerging through the strategy work can broadly be summarised as:
Phase 1 – Clarity
- value proposition
- member journeys
- communication clarity
- website foundations
- onboarding pathways
- strategic alignment
Phase 2 – Activation
- member visibility
- community engagement
- collaboration pathways
- structured activity streams
- opportunities and connections
Phase 3 – Infrastructure
- community platform
- CRM
- integrations
- operational systems
- long-term sustainability
The current focus is on building clarity and coherence first, before moving into larger implementation decisions around systems, platforms and operational structures.
The intention is to avoid implementing technology before the community behaviours, journeys and operational needs are properly understood.
What happens next
Over the coming weeks the focus will include:
- continuing platform exploration and assessment
- refining member journeys and engagement models
- connecting workstreams into a more coherent roadmap
- clarifying operational needs and ownership
- strengthening communication and visibility
- and identifying sustainable implementation approaches
We will also continue exploring how members can become more actively involved in shaping and contributing to ASP’s evolution.
Thank you
A huge thank you to everyone contributing ideas, energy, expertise, patience and encouragement across this process.
What is becoming increasingly visible through this work is not only the expertise within ASP, but also the willingness of members to support, collaborate and help shape the future together.
There is still a great deal to explore and clarify, but meaningful momentum is building across the community.
More updates to follow soon.
