Messages of Support
" The SHIFT Foundation is key to the changing of the guard in the world today. The brilliant and profound thinking and doing that informs it can help orchestrate the present whole system transition to ways and means that will enhance life and purpose on our planet in this time. It is education and preparation for new ways of being. It offers both vision and training for creative world making, enhancing human capacity in the light of social complexity. I can think of few other ventures that offer so much to so many."
Dr. Jean Houston - Director, Foundation for Mind Research
Director, International Institute for Social Artistry
Advisor/Consultant, UNICEF, UNDP and His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Author, Jump Time: Shaping Your Future in a World of Radical Change
" The only way to deal with some of the planet's most entrenched social, environmental and political challenges is to create a young elite cadre of integrally-trained, cross-culturally informed, and globally-aware future world leaders. The SHIFT Foundation is dedicated to cultivating such a cadre of 21st century change agents by immersing them in leading edge, second-tier thinking and integral practices, and providing them with ongoing mentoring and an international network of support. As a result, these young leaders will be the first generation mentally, technically and spiritually prepared to realize humanity's hope for a more balanced, equitable and sustainable world order. "
Dr. Susanne Cook-Greuter - Principal, Harthill USA
Founding Member, Integral Institute
Co-editor, Transcendence and Mature Thought in Adulthood
"
Australia has a history of producing individuals who have made significant
and lasting contributions to our wider society. Contributions that affect
the way we live, and the world around us. As a young Australian, I am
particularly proud and humbled by the dedication, talent and commitment
shown by many of my peers towards the arts, sciences and the environment.
Of concern however, is the growing notion that to reach the peak of
one’s field, young Australians must pursue their studies and endeavours
overseas. It seems a shame to lose so much of our developing talent
to Europe and North America, when right here in Australia we have all
the elements needed for success.
One of the major factors that impresses me about the SHIFT Foundation
is their mission to inspire and nurture local and international talent
within our shores, positioning Australia as a global focal point for
cultivating the leaders of tomorrow. The Foundation sees the potential
for Australia to become a centre of excellence across a number of fields
- an incubator where creative and innovative solutions to our planets
major challenges can be discovered. I know of no other organization
that has grasped these challenges with such passion, commitment and
resolve, and I for one am excited about the prospect of what could be
achieved. "
David Ohana - Creative Director, Insomnia/2002 Young Australian of the Year for
Community Service
Writer/Director, In Memoriam, UN film tribute commemorating the life of Sergio Vieira de Mello
" It is now a matter of urgency that the centre of gravity of understanding in leaders be shifted away from flatland piecemeal approaches. It is crucial that an integral approach be adopted that brings more depth and more breadth into our understanding of current global complexity. Sustainable development cannot be expected without an integrated and multi-layered understanding.
It becomes important to work with young people to develop (or 'grow') future leaders that are capable of dealing with the level of complexity that is required in today's world. To this end, the critical role the SHIFT Foundation is playing in terms of cultivating a new generation of young leaders with the capacity to apply this new learning when dealing with increasingly complex global challenges becomes central to our future sustainable development. "
Paul
van Schaik - iSchaik Development Associates
International Development Consultant
Founding Member, Integral Institute
Member of the Integral University Sustainability Team
" It is only once we integrate the interior and exterior dimensions of transformation, development and leadership that we will truly begin to address the many entrenched global challenges facing humanity. I believe that the pioneering approach of the SHIFT Foundation provides an extraordinary opportunity for future world leaders to explore these deeper issues of sustainable development. In bringing together the world's most provocative thinkers and pioneering practitioners in the fields of human and social development to work with an emerging generation of young leaders, the SHIFT Foundation is playing a key role in the development of a new collective intelligence required to facilitate deeper changes in individuals, cultures and systems. "
Dr. Maureen Silos - Director, Caribbean Institute
Founding Member, Integral Institute
" The challenges confronting our world are increasingly global in nature, and youth are on the front-line. We're more likely to be unemployed, and the first to face social, environmental and technological change. Yet we have little voice and even less support when it comes to turning things around. We need to provide young people, in their overwhelming demographic force, real opportunities for growth, development, engagement and leadership around the issues that impact not only their own lives but the broader global community. Ensuring this is a key challenge for humanity in the 21st century. The SHIFT Foundation's mission to address this challenge is not only perceptive and significant, but indeed urgent. I'm excited that this global initiative is to be based in Melbourne, Australia. "
Nick Moraitis - Online and Outreach Director, GetUp!
Member, Australian National Commission to the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organisation
" It is my sincere pleasure to write this letter in support of the SHIFT Foundation and their goal of cultivating the world’s next generation of young leaders—those who will be globally aware, culturally sensitive, and prepared to take on an ever-changing world. As a member of their advisory committee, I have been honoured to support this unique and innovative organization that views youth as a key resource in addressing the global challenges we face in the world today.
Since I founded Free The Children in 1995, it has grown into the world's largest network of children helping children through education. Through our unique youth-driven approach, more than one million young people have been involved in our innovative programs in more than 45 countries. Our mission is to free young people from the idea that they are powerless to bring about positive social change, and encourage them to act now to improve the lives of young people everywhere.
Founded in 1999, Leaders Today is the top youth leadership training organization in the world, delivering innovative local and international training experiences to more than 350,000 youth every year. Our mission is to empower a new generation of socially committed and engaged youth to make a difference at local, national and international levels.
As a strong believer in the power of youth, I am well aware of the difference an initiative such as this can make in changing the dimension of world leadership. I also know from personal experience the many challenges young people face in having their voice heard. In the early days of our efforts to draw attention to the global injustices of child labour, we were often ignored and even derided for choosing to speak out at such a young age. However, by embracing such challenges and drawing upon the wisdom of many others—not only some of the world’s most inspirational leaders, but the thousands of passionate youth we met around the world—we were able to transform opposition into opportunity.
The SHIFT Foundation has similarly displayed true innovation through its many initiatives toward enhancing the vast capacity of tomorrow’s global leaders. With projects such as the World Institute for Leadership Development, SHIFT demonstrates a conviction that education is the primary tool toward tackling the world’s most pressing issues—a belief shared by Free The Children and Leaders Today.
To be a leader and a visionary for the future, one must possess the passion to believe, the courage to dream and the intensity to act in the face of all challenges. At Free The Children and Leaders Today, we are committed to these values and to empowering young generations with the knowledge that they can make a positive difference right now. In doing so, it is our hope that our work might eventually introduce future participants to the SHIFT Foundation’s many exciting programs.
For this I offer my wholehearted support for the SHIFT Foundation’s initiatives and I am truly excited about the impact their programs will surely have in shaping new sustainable leadership solutions for the future. "
Craig Kielburger
- Founder and Chair, Free The Children
Co-Founder, Leaders
Today
" At last a global leadership organization of quality for the next generation of leaders – one that I can support unconditionally!
As a research specialist in the multi-dimensional aspects of building a global culture and civilization, I have been in consultative status with the United Nations for almost twenty years. I have been involved in integral thinking for forty years meeting and engaging with gifted leaders with innovative ideas, such as Ken Wilber, Don Beck, Yasuhiko Kimura and Ervin Laszlo. It is rare to find the combination of leading edge thinking and in depth understanding of globalization from economic, social, and political perspectives. SHIFT has managed to develop a uniquely inclusive program for training the planet's young global leaders for the world they will inherit. It is qualitative in every way.
I founded Kosmos Associates Inc. and the first global integral journal, Kosmos Journal, seven years ago because of a pressing and unmet need for applying integral thinking to creating a newly globalized world. Kosmos is a unique publication, combining new paradigm thinking, excellence in performance, and ethical professionals, who are building our new world community. We have attracted such luminaries as Mikhail Gorbachev with whom we participate at the World Political Forum, Gillian Sorensen, Peter Senge, Otto Scharmer and others. SHIFT has also engaged some of the same outstanding leaders on their faculty – ones Kosmos has chosen to partner with because of their rare and unique abilities.
From my experience in international affairs, including working in war zones on the ground, founding the Values Caucus at the United Nations, selecting and developing global leadership programs, counselling the United States government on the human dimension of the United Nations, I have learned that if you have the right people in the right program you have a winning combination.
Although there are several leadership development programs for emerging leaders available, they are often loosely pulled together and lacking in the professionalism needed for maximum effectiveness. Many teach skills appropriate for the industrial age and the age of sovereign states, but have failed to modernize their methods for the information, networking age of expanded consciousness and global interdependence.
SHIFT fulfills a vital need in our newly globalized world. Our young leaders will decide if we create a world for the common good or we continue along the devastating trajectory we are now headed. The need is urgent to train the world's emerging young leaders for a complex, interdependent global society. SHIFT can do it. "
Nancy Roof,
Ph.D. - President, Kosmos Associates Inc.
www.kosmosjournal.org