We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.

Anaïs Nin

We are launching a new project and need your help…

A prosocial leader is someone who leads, lives and acts for the welfare of others and the world

We live in an unfair world. Opportunity is not equal. 1% own as much as the other 99%. War is common. Materialism in the West is God. Old models are not working for the most. Even with this imbalance the 1% use power to impose austerity and hold on rather than make sacrifices for a greater fairer world. But this is not about the rich. It is about all of us.

There are, and always have been, individuals and groups willing to put themselves on the line to bring about profound and lasting prosocial change, from the Abolitionists to the Suffragettes. They realised that profound sustainable change was about more than one person and often takes more than one lifetime. Empathy, compassion, righteous indignation fuelled prosocial change.

This work is far from done. We live in an age which will be viewed by history as pivotal. As we look back now to the build up to Kristallnacht, so will our successors judge the way we have handled the refugee crisis. Our grandchildren involved in food wars will look back on Paris 2015 with despair. Social historians will wonder why in the face of such riches were we unable to rebalance poverty and social justice.

This project takes as its starting point President Obama’s suggestion that we all be ‘useful and kind’ and aims to develop, nurture and support prosocial leadership. It is the natural development of 15 years of working with leaders in the third and public sectors and aims to build a large constituency of those wanting to make life better for all of us, our brothers and sisters, be they neighbours or on the other side of the world. It is about celebrating diversity and difference. Giving and not counting the cost. Not fighting for what we believe is right but loving and willing it into being.

So what can you do?

•  Read the paper describing the project (below)

•  tweet what you did today that was #Useful and Kind

•  join us 

The project will learn from history, will aim to define and develop prosocial leadership in all.

A prosocial leader is someone who leads, lives and acts for the welfare of others and the world.

We can all be useful and kind. Unlimited. U&K UnLtd.

One Earth. One People. One Sky.

Duncan Fraser

Project Director