We’ve just returned from a beautiful week in Barcelona and Vidália, Catalunya, Spain. The time spent together provided four sustainability projects the chance to move forward and we’re grateful to see oikos CAMP continue to be a core program of our work at oikos of transforming eduction, developing future leaders, and empowering projects to help change the world.
Are you curious about CAMP and the work we do at oikos? Well, why don’t you read this recap below and get in touch with us if you have any questions. There is an invitation here for you to join oikos around the campfire. 🏕
This project is part of the Transforming Education work that oikos International participates in. We want you to be a part of it for next year! Do you want to join us? Email us at info@oikos-international.org!
What is CAMP?
Imagine a space where sustainability projects have a nourishing, onsite location to grow and develop with creativity, play, and support. Oikos CAMP 2023 is that space. A campground to meet like-minded people and beautifully facilitated spaces that will boost your creativity & motivation. ✨
CAMP is a sustainability incubator where multiple project teams move ahead alongside each other. You decide what to focus on in our onsite, change lab and oikos provides the opportunity to join us for workshops that feed your creativity and provide helpful feedback! Our team from oikos will host you.
This year, CAMP began in Barcelona with everyone gathering together and getting to know each other. We then traveled together by bus to an eco-village where we spent a week together working and living while communing with nature and community. At the end of the week, we returned to Barcelona to present our work to our friends and families and share what we’ve learned.
The Teams at CAMP 2023
At CAMP this year we had four teams of participants from all around the world join to advance their work and to build connections across the different teams. Living, working, and playing together we grew individually and collectively in our projects. If you are curious to learn more about the projects check out their summary below which will have a link on how to get involved.
Here are the four teams that met us onsite:
The 50% x oikos International
This cross-NGO team developed plans for a program that would empower the next generation of business leaders to become agents of system transformation. The team developed their proposal and project plan to make this program a reality and they have committed to finding partners that will make the development and education program a reality.
The Sustainable Finance Team
Prepared a roadmap to follow to develop a Fellowship for Corporate Partners, Young Professionals, and Students to learn about sustainable finance and impact investing. The program will be implemented this fall with partners and participants able to sign up for a multi-month learning journey that will help democratize access to training and learnings to transform the financial world.
The Transforming Education Squad
Created a workshop to help students improve their education programs to include sustainability more deeply in their university and studies. As part of the TE Squad, community members get to know each other and their current initiatives across different universities. Students get informed about the TE Squad’s resources and the current tools to help them incorporate sustainability into their education programs. Together the squad takes future steps.
The Genies
Hosted the experiential learning workshops of oikos CAMP. It was the third year the Genie team participated as CAMP facilitators and each year a new team of participants help develop and test out methods to help the other teams. The workshops the Genies host help teams work collectively, identify roadblocks, and work through challenges, and allow projects to function in new ways of collaborating and living.
The final teams presented their CAMP outcomes at our Final Party and Community Gathering at the end of our week together. If you’d like to learn more about the teams check out their responses below. Here is a recording of their presentations:
Special thanks to ESADE Business School who hosted us at Fusion Point on their Sant Cugat campus.
There were 19 participants from all over the world joining in CAMP 2023. A commitment we made last year was to make the program 2% more diverse and we think we certainily achieved that goal.
* We recognize this map is inaccurate and Eurocentric. Our participants and their projects are working to change the world and the way we see it like this flawed map.
Grateful to our Partners
CAMP 2023 would not have been possible without the help of our amazing network, partners, friends, and families. We want to highlight these partners that were able to support us financiallly.
- Arne Loosveldt Association for Future Education
- Aviva Investors
- ESADE Business School
- Stiftung FGB
- The 50 Percent
- The Club of Rome
We also benefited from individual donations and would like to encourage you to think about supporting our work. If you’d like to donate through our Crowdfunding Platform please do that 🙂 Every little bit helps. – – > https://goto.gg/f/46078
Let’s make Camp 2024 a reality – closing this edition means slowly getting ready for the next one! Please reach out if you can imagine joining our team for next year or make a donation to help make Camp’24 possible.
An Invitation
We want your help to create the next iteration of CAMP. Are you interested?
oikos CAMP 2023 is made possible thanks to the financial and organizational support of the following institutions. We are looking to expand our partnerships and increase the reach of our programs. If you or someone in your network is interested in supporting future iterations of oikos CAMP please get in touch with us so we can start planning together. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻!🏕
Contact us at: info@oikos-international.org
More About Camp and Outcomes
What began as our Curriculum Camp in Sestriere, Italy in 2021 and grew into our 2022 version in Cal Vidal, Spain, has returned for a third iteration. This is the 3rd iteration of the oikos CAMP after a successful pilot in Italy in 2021 and a great second edition in Barcelona last year, where we saw big projects kick-off and develop like the oikos Sustainable Finance Toolkit, Story Squad, Sustainability Basecamp, Sustainable Business Models, Transforming Education squad, ESADE Transformation Lab and more. You can read more about the projects from oikos CAMP 2022 here.
If you would like to see some of the content we created from last year’s iteration here is our YouTube playlist and here is our Invitation Letter.
Team Outcomes
The 50% x oikos – CAMP project team
The 50 Percent and oikos International have been in an emerging partnership for the past year. Our joint ambition to engage young people as agents of systems change was already explored through joint proposals and hosting events during that time. Now, oikos CAMP 2023 gave us the opportunity to come physically together to take a great leap forward towards a concrete multi-year plan of joint activity. Our partnership aims to create an ecosystem of cross-generational leadership and learning for global equity in a healthy biosphere.
What is our outcome of camp:
During the week, our cross-NGO came to the conclusion that we want to create an accessible introduction to systems-thinking in business for business, economics & management students. This target audience was chosen consciously. We see in our networks that business students who have an interest in sustainability do not often find the most progressive systems thinking approaches in their traditional education. Due to a lack of exposure & learning opportunities, they simply lack knowledge & practical experience to do business differently which is a gap that needs to be closed if we want to transform our societies towards regeneration. Businesses are a key part of our system and societies and have the potential to accelerate systems change, and thus, need future leaders (business students) who have the knowledge & skill set to drive change towards a regenerative business landscape.
We aim to: 1. Raise awareness 2. Convey concepts and theory 3. Offer practical business case interaction 4. Build a community of partners and systems change agents
How?
- Aug 23 – Mar 24: Starting with a learning campaign to build awareness for the gaps and opportunities in the business world. Most likely, this will be done in the form of a facilitated student focus group with regular touchpoints.
- Aug 23 -Mar 24: Building a partner ecosystem, explore funding opportunities, organize hackathon & fellowship
- March 24: Host a hackathon
- Aug 24 – Dec 24: Run a fellowship with theoretical & practical elements for deeper systems skill development
- Dec 24 – Mar 25: Evaluate and design next steps
We are excited to venture into this more close partnership and develop a way of increasing our collective impact through joint action! Check out our Outcome Presentation here. If you want to see our CAMP presentation here it is. If you would like to join the 50% x oikos project then contact Caro at carolin.lemke@oikos-international.org.
Sustainable Finance Team
At oikos, we’d like to invite you to join a very special project on Sustainable Finance 💶📈 💚 🌍🌏🌎
We would like the oikos community to join in co-creating our “Career-Map” and “Toolkit” 🔨🔭🔩. You can help us! If you’d like to join the Sustainable Finance Squad, we’ve designed a Google Form for you to share how you might want to particiapate. Sign up here!
Sustainable Finance at oikos
It was the third year that the oikos Sustainable Finance Squad sent a team of people to participate in CAMP. Each year, the team is new people but they always bring a commitment to sharing knowledge about sustainable finance with the world in an effort to help change the financial system to facilitate a sustainable future. The team sees there is a need for access to trainings, webinars, and networking be made more accessible to those interested in it. Many universities are not yet talking enough about sustainabilty in finance and here at oikos, our squad of students are learning by doing and creating ways for others to be empowered and up-skill their financial abilities to include an understanding of impact investing, climate change risks, and many other relevant topics to include.
Outcomes from CAMP:
- In 2021, the team developed a website of resources for students to learn about sustainable finance – oikos.world/susfin
- In 2022, the team created and planned content for the oikos community to go deep into relevant finance topics – check out our YouTube playlist with some of the events and interviews we did.
- In 2023, the team designed and planned a fellowship for students and young professionals to learn about sustainable finance and impact investing. Check out this website to learn more about the fellowship which will be in partnership with a partner called the New England Impact Investing Initiative – https://www.neiii.org/thefellowship
Check out our Outcome Presentation here.
If you want to see our CAMP presentation here it is.
If you would like to join the Sustainable Finance Squad and participate in the Impact Investing Fellowship being developed then you can contact Stephen (our team leader) at stephen.snider@oikos-international.org. I’d love to encourage you to learn more.
Transforming Education Squad
We envision higher education that prepares youth to navigate complexity, and grow into the leaders of an economic system that generates positive environmental and social outcomes. Students play a key role in this systemic shift: with the sustainability challenge at hand, there now is an open window for young change agents to take ownership of their education and make change happen in real-time. Accompanied by early career researchers, lecturers, and together with other allies, students have the capacity to influence the why, what, and how of teaching and learning.
What is the TE Squad?
Everything started with a small group of 4-6 very different people who share one dream: Transforming higher education. We want to contribute to the transformation by creating a workshop that supports students to become active and achieve the changes they want to see at their local universities. Most of us had never met before camp, but when we got together, we soon realized that we are a great team. Our different backgrounds enabled us to see the project from different perspectives, and we also really enjoyed spending time together. To put it briefly, we had a blast during work and our free time!
We started by envisioning what our education could look like – learner-driven, open for discussion, more focused on sustainability…. we could have kept dreaming and talking for hours! But at some point, it was time to get to action. We started with many questions: How can we make others dream about what their education could look like? How can we help students leverage their impact? What struggles do they face, and how can these issues be overcome? Step by step, and with much support from the genies and the creative workshops they held throughout the camp, we found some answers and created the framework for our workshop “Take higher education one step further towards sustainability”. Currently, we are working on the details of the workshop and looking forward to sharing it with you!
Check out our Outcome Presentation here.
If you would like to join the Transforming Education Squad and participate in the TE Curriculum Change Workshop being developed then you can contact the TE Team at te.squad@oikos-international.org.
The Genies
This team of international oikees helped to design the CAMP workshops. They provided participants with support, training, and skills. This year, the Genies also have been working hard to solve all the logistical issues. They helped to answer any questions participants had and made their stay comfortable.
Genies bring magic to CAMP!
The genies are four young volunteers who have been working hard these past months to make CAMP happen. Once in CAMP, they have been dealing with the day-to-day logistics, offering creative workshops to participants and facilitating teamwork. Each workshop of the week focused on a different topic, which helped the teams further develop their projects.
Being a genie is truly a magical experience: you have a positive impact on many different people, who then bring that impact into their projects and eventually the whole group. It has been very personally rewarding to be able to inspire people and to be inspired back in unexpected ways.
Our purpose was to create a space of creativity, co-creation, and learning together. As the days went by, and among dances, language exchange, and meal talks, we saw the participants “leaning in” and connecting with each other, growing both personally and within the community. It’s amazing how much personal development and project acceleration can happen in 8 days! This shows it’s really possible to transform reality in one week. If you want to see our Genies this year check out this part of our Outcome Presentation.
You can go CAMPing with us at oikos International. Please drop an email to us letting us know you are ready to set out on your own adventure – info@oikos-international.org.
These are the CAMP voices
Hear from the Campers themselves in their own voices. We’re so proud of their contributions as it is really the participants that make Camp a successful environment.
To everyone that helped and participated: huge THANK YOU! We’re incredibly grateful for your trust in us & oikos, for your proactive participation & your daring to lean into new ways of being & doing. We cannot wait to hear more about your takeaways & meet you again.
Drop us a line if you want to help us to go CAMPING in the FUTURE!
Alejandra CruzSustainable Finance Team
Oikos Camp 2023 was a fantastic journey that ignited innovation and a sense of togetherness among students from around the globe. This week-long event was like a big melting pot of ideas, all coming together for the cause of sustainability and transforming education.
As a proud participant in the Sustainable Finance team, my experience at oikos Camp was exhilarating. Embarking on this journey, I was driven by the chance to dive deep into a project that resonated with my passion for sustainable business. Working closely with like-minded students and professionals, our team kicked off the early stages of an inspiring project aimed at reshaping the financial world with a Sustainable Finance Fellowship Program. Amidst the hustle and bustle of workshops and discussions, I was constantly on a learning spree. I dug deeper into sustainable finance and gained insights from the various projects the other teams were working on. Interacting with peers from around the globe gave me new perspectives that broadened my horizons and sparked new ideas.
Undoubtedly, one of the most gratifying aspects was the bond forged within our team. Coming from varied backgrounds, each team member infused their unique insights, cultivating an environment where creativity flourished and barriers simply faded away. Friendships bloomed, and I collected memories that will remain invaluable. Yet, beyond the workshops and team meetings, the conversations shared with newfound friends over meals added an extra layer of richness to the experience. Gathered around the table, connected by mutual respect and a genuine curiosity about each other’s cultures, we swapped stories and shared laughter. These conversations provided a window into understanding others and, in the process, getting to know myself better than before.
As I look back on my time at oikos Camp 2023, I’m thankful for the doors it opened. The camp wasn’t just an event but a declaration of our combined potential to create positive change. The platform oikos provided, the knowledge I gained, and the friendships I fostered collectively carved an indelible mark on my journey. For me, oikos Camp 2023 will forever be a vivid and captivating chapter of growth, camaraderie, and empowerment.
If you would like to join the Sustainable Finance Squad and participate in the Impact Investing Fellowship being developed then you can contact Stephen (our team leader) at stephen.snider@oikos-international.org. I’d love to encourage you to learn more.
Signed – Alejandra Cruz
alcruz140@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cruzfigueroa/
Eloi RibasSustainable Finance Team
My entry to the oikos CAMP came quite by chance, just two weeks before it started I learned about the opportunity, and despite having some doubts initially. I ended up deciding to go because my friend who went last year recommended that I attend. Because I had a week off and it seemed interesting I decided to go and I am so glad that I did!
Throughout this week, I truly lived an incredible experience. What I liked most about the CAMP was the good relationship that existed at all times with all the participants. Meeting new people from different backgrounds, engaging in discussions that invited reflection, and taking part in various activities, I enriched my understanding of sustainability and global perspectives. The immersive environment fostered personal growth and lasting connections, making it a truly unforgettable and rewarding journey, where the strangers I met on the first day turned into friends!
Finally, I want to express my gratitude to all the people at oikos who make it possible, and now that the CAMP has ended, all I can say is how lucky I was to have gone!
If you would like to join the Sustainable Finance Squad and participate in the Impact Investing Fellowship being developed then you can contact Stephen (our team leader) at stephen.snider@oikos-international.org. I’d love to encourage you to learn more.
Signed – Eloi Ribas
eloiribas26@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eloiribas/
Laura NestaresSustainable Finance Team
During the transformative week at the oikos camp, participants were immersed in a unique blend of project development and personal growth. With the shared goal of creating a fellowship centered on sustainable finance, my team came from diverse corners of the globe and collaborated to develop a sustainable finance fellowship. This one-of-a-kind camp provided a productive environment for brainstorming, strategizing, and refining their project ideas, while also dedicating time to introspection and self-discovery.
Beyond the project discussions and workshops on sustainable finance strategies, participants delved into the exploration of their own inner landscapes, as well as building bonds with people from different parts of the world. Guided by the Genies, we engaged in mindfulness sessions, reflective exercises, and group discussions aimed at fostering personal growth and self-awareness.
This holistic approach allowed the camp to not only connect individuals from various cultures and backgrounds, fostering a truly multicultural environment, but also to empower participants to bring their authentic selves into the collaborative process. As the week concluded, the camp’s legacy continued to thrive through the ongoing fellowship, inspiring lasting change in the world of sustainable finance.
If you would like to join the Sustainable Finance Squad and participate in the Impact Investing Fellowship being developed then you can contact Stephen (our team leader) at stephen.snider@oikos-international.org. I’d love to encourage you to learn more.
Signed – Laura Nestares
laura.nestares@alumni.esade.edu
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-nestares
Mark NabongSustainable Finance Team
I would like to thank all the staff at oikos for at Camp 2023. The substantive meetings were fantastic, and really allowed us to learn from each other and share expertise and insight in a way that, quite honestly, is rare in other meetings/conferences. I think that a collaborative environment was established by oikos prioritizing the following things:
- Diversity of Expertise. oikos assembled a group of professionals and students from different academic disciplines, industries, and professional roles, which allowed for incidental learnings and, for my team at least, for really effective brainstorming sessions.
- Support of the human behind the business card. The camp agenda seemed really designed to maximize the energy and creative spark of the attendees, by creating yoga, dance, and meditation sessions in advance of the substantive meetings each day. For myself, that was a welcome and unexpected bonus; meetings and group decision making can be intellectually and emotionally draining, but the care for the whole person shown by oikos made my time there fulfilling and invigorating.
- Shared struggle. Team building exercises have become a trope in the business world, but oikos subverted the trope by making the act of attendance at Camp 2023 a week long team building regime. Folks cleaned together, were physically isolated from distraction together, and took meals in common every day. I know more about the professional and intellectual interests of people I spent one day with at Camp than I do about colleagues I’ve known for years. That shared effort was also present in the need to create deliverables by end of week, and the combination of all those factors lead to, in my observation, an unusually tight-knit group (many of whom had never met before).
It was an amazing experience as both a participant and from the perspective of an outside observer, coming in halfway through the week. I hope there can be plans made to circle back together in the coming months to solidify decisions and advance the goals and milestones set in the final deliverables of Camp 2023.
Thank you to Stephen Snider for the invitation and to all of oikos for allowing me to participate with such an enervating group of people. If you would like to join the Sustainable Finance Squad and participate in the Impact Investing Fellowship being developed then you can contact Stephen (our team leader) at stephen.snider@oikos-international.org. I’d love to encourage you to learn more.
Signed – Mark Nabong
mark.nabong@monotremeconsulting.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marknabong/
Neema NellyTE Squad
oikos CAMP was an enriching experience. For me, working closely with the Transforming Education (TE) Squad team equipped me with the capability to adapt to diverse viewpoints and methodologies. I gained a deeper understanding of the power of collective thinking. Navigating through various opinions within the team helped me to refine my communication skills and find common ground, a skill that I believe will serve me well in any future collaborative endeavor.
The camp offered a reflective environment that contributed to my journey of self-discovery, allowing me to assess my strengths and areas for growth. Through guided workshop-sessions and interactions with fellow participants, I discovered hidden talents and recognized areas where I could further develop.
I deeply value the transformative impact that oikos camp has had on me. If you would like to join the Transforming Education Squad and participate in the TE Curriculum Change Workshop being developed then you can contact the TE Team at te.squad@oikos-international.org. I’d love to encourage you to learn more.
Signed – Neema Nelly
neemanellyb@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/neema-balolebwami-nelly-8a2226107/
Turana AlievaSustainable Finance Squad
This summer school was not like others I attended before. My personal experience was different as I jumped in in the middle of the week and had no idea what to expect. Once I entered the village and school I felt magically calm and welcomed.
It was one of those unique experiences during which I explored myself while connecting with participants and using my creativity to contribute to the design of a brand-new project. The balance between the physical activities we had and intellectual work helped us to be more productive.
Truly appreciate this experience and look forward to joining next year.
Many thanks to the organizers and all the participants for this beautiful experience.
If you would like to join the Sustainable Finance Squad and participate in the Impact Investing Fellowship being developed then you can contact Stephen (our team leader) at stephen.snider@oikos-international.org. I’d love to encourage you to learn more.
Signed – Turana Alieva
aliyeva.turanaa@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/turana-alieva-100287123
Valentina HuangTE Squad
The oikos Camp was like a garden to me, where each group brought their own seeds, nurtured them, and waited for them to grow. Over the course of a week, our seeds grew to varying degrees – some blossomed into flowers, some bore fruit, and even those that had just broken through the soil to reveal new shoots showed a promising upward future. This flourishing garden, much like the sustainable and green future we yearn for, allowed us to take home flowers and fruits, yet left our roots embedded in the Camp, preserving a part of our memories.
I consider myself fortunate to have encountered an open, diverse, and vibrant team. The camp provided us with a safe space where we could freely share our viewpoints and ideas. I remember how, in the beginning, as a new member, I was filled with uncertainty, fearing I might not contribute valuable insights to the team. However, everyone around me encouraged me, saying things like, “You are so creative; I would have never thought of that,” and “I feel that we work so well as a team.” Gradually, I gained confidence, and I am truly grateful for that.
As the week came to the end, I looked at each person from the Camp, and it felt as though we weren’t meeting for the first time just a week ago. It was as if we had been good friends for many years. To me, all of this was incredibly beautiful. I am deeply thankful to oikos for providing us with such an opportunity, and to everyone who worked together to build this beautiful dream.
If you would like to join the Transforming Education Squad and participate in the TE Curriculum Change Workshop being developed then you can contact the TE Team at te.squad@oikos-international.org. I’d love to encourage you to learn more.
Signed – Valentina Huang
valentinahuangbcn@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/qiong-huang-1a658724b/
BOBThe Genies
BOB attended oikos CAMP 2023 just as much as any other participant or organizer. BOB joined workshops, listened in to trainings, and contributed to discussions in the way ki can. CAMP would not have been the same without BOB there. Ki’s presence was a constant reminder to commune with nature and ki encouraged us we are apart of nature and it should be part of the ways we live and work.
BOB would like to say to you that if you’re feeling warm reading this page and feel excited to participate in such a gathering then you should reach out and join us. You can go CAMPing with us at oikos International. Please drop an email to us letting us know you are ready to set out on your own adventure – info@oikos-international.org.
Signed – BOB
