OUR SERVICES

Image: Creative Resilience Lab, Vancouver 2019

Regardless of the challenges, we facilitate inclusive processes with groups to enable connection and transformation in the face of complexity. By creating spaces where all voices can be heard, we co-produce outcomes for deep and long lasting change, fostering courage, mutual understanding and belief in the common good.

Our processes are deeply seated in respect, wisdom, empathy and inclusion.

We also believe in having fun!

At Once upon tomorrow, we specialise in developing strategy that supports systems change - deep change that creates shifts in the way we see the world around us. It’s amazing to experience shifts in mindsets, where we reorganise our thinking and actions as a result of good strategy.

Our strength in subject matter expertise, assists multi-disciplinary thinking where everyone sees themselves in the picture, rather than reinforcing silos where collaboration becomes a challenge and barrier. By joining the dots between people, knowledge and experience, strategy comes alive and can provide a pathway for future change.

We can develop engagement processes to help people think in a visionary way and live their values. We believe that good strategy sets the foundation for aligned actions which is where the rubber hits the road. Ensuring action development pushes the boundaries while being achievable at the same time is what we aspire to.

Ask us about your next strategy to enable deep systems change - if you are from government, a not-for-profit, a business or community organisation, we’d love to support you to make a difference!

STRATEGY & SYSTEMS CHANGE

ENGAGEMENT & CAPACITY BUILDING

Once upon tomorrow specialises in creating capacity building sessions and programs that fill gaps in knowledge, enabling teams, organisations and even neighbourhoods to be their best together.

We are people focused. We design processes and training tailored to the needs of your group or organisation. Our processes are deeply collaborative and active, driving rapid knowledge transfer between everyone in the room. We listen intently and are attuned to the barriers that arise - often it’s not more information that people require, but assistance in seeing themselves in the picture. We are meaning makers and believe that through participatory facilitation, where everyone is heard and has a say, purpose can arise that can shift “it’s too hard” to inspired action.

Ask us about our suite of capacity building programs, or about your bespoke needs. Here are some examples:

  • Urban resilience 101 for teams: what is urban resilience, why is it so important right now, hazard agnostic approaches for building resilience to future challenges.

  • Resilience diagnostic workshop for departments or organisations: Referring to the City Resilience Framework, where are you strong, where are the opportunities for improvement?

  • Disaster preparedness for communities: disaster context and fun activities to help connect community members supporting each other to be better prepared, together.

  • Enabling community resilience: workshops that build community connection and social cohesion for whatever the future holds.

TOOLS & ACTION

Applying creativity in the design of tools, can help shift perspective, inform decision making and create consistency for change. Tools can be online systems for decision making, conversation cards, frameworks to communicate complexity and more. What’s more, tools facilitate discussion and can be loads of fun! When we’re having fun, we are more likely to engage and learn.

Once upon tomorrow loves rising to the challenge to apply creativity in the design of tools to support difficult conversations, inspire ideas and unpack uncertainty.

We can also support the development of actions to achieve your vision as well as their implementation.

Reach out if you’d like to discuss your needs for creating change in government, not for profit, business or community organisation.

SOME SELECTED PROJECTS

  • Resilient Wyndham 2021-25

    Mentored and supported staff at the City of Wyndham to develop the Resilient Wyndham strategy during COVID-19.

    Facilitated cross council workshops increasing collaborative capacity and literacy, and using the City Resilience Framework, helped diagnose resilience gaps to create priority actions to improve resilience across Wyndham.

  • Resilient Melbourne - 100 Resilient Cities

    Maree in her role as Deputy Chief Resilience Officer for Melbourne (as part of the 100 Resilient Cities Program), co-created the process, creation and implementation of Resilient Melbourne, Australia’s first resilience strategy led by local government. Developed and facilitated Resilience Fundamentals to over 1000 multi sector participants building the capacity of all tiers of government to better understand the interconnection between acute shocks and chronic stresses

  • Sustainable Hepburn 2022-26

    Worked with Hepburn Shire Council leading the development of Sustainable Hepburn - an integrated environmental sustainability strategy acknowledging the interconnection between emissions reduction, biodiversity, low waste and climate resilience. This included developing an inclusive community engagement process which bought together a community advisory group representing community voice. Led the first Sustainable Hepburn Expo event, involving local community groups and businesses

  • Cool-ER Changes

    The Cool-ER Changes project resulted in Macedon Ranges Council’s inaugural shire-wide Climate Emergency Response Plan.

    In partnership with Let Me Be Frank, we designed and facilitated a series of six community and stakeholder workshops to ensure everyone in the Shire had the opportunity to provide input into the plan so that the final Climate Emergency Plan is in partnership with the local community

  • Creative Resilience Lab - Vancouver

    In partnership with Resilient Vancouver, Maree, Jen Rae and Katie McPherson facilitated a two day Creative Resilience Lab with 70 people including Indigenous knowledge holders, artists, emergency managers, resilience practitioners, scientists, and community members came together to share in one another’s invaluable knowledge, find hope, and build community.

    Creative Resilience Labs are now an offering through the Centre for Reworlding of which Maree is a partner

  • Evaluation of Community Resilience in Bellingen Shire

    In collaboration with Let me be Frank and Ludowyk Evaluation, we evaluated the impact and effectiveness of community resilience funded initiatives and identified future opportunities to continue to strengthen Bellingen’s resilience. Through the process we developed a resilience framework that can guide local governments and communities wishing to increase their capacity to respond to and bounce back from shocks and stresses

  • The Resilience Canopy

    Building on knowledge and experience from developing the Resilience Fundamentals Capacity Building Program, we co-designed the 4 session Resilience Canopy Practitioner Training Program. Maree has facilitated the program across Australia building the capacity of community leaders, community organisations, local governments and emergency management agencies to learn and practice community led engagement where communities are empowered to design resilience building priorities at a hyper local scale

  • Future Shock: Designing City Resilience

    The Australian Institute of Architects invited Maree to present at their premier 2024 event in Brisbane, Future Shock, to delve into the design aspects of city resilience, highlighting instances where designers, communities, and leaders collaborated to strengthen social, physical, and natural systems’ recovery capacities from extreme events. Maree presented alongside Jeremy McLeod at Breath Architecture speaking to the importance of designing for community connection, building social capital and social infrastructure

  • Climate Resilient Casey Plan 2024-2030

    Climate Resilient Casey 2024-2030 provides a roadmap for a safer, connected, and more resilient Casey, where Council and the community are climate ready and better prepared together.

    Once upon tomorrow and Let Me Be Frank. were engaged by the City of Casey to develop Climate Resilient Casey, joining dots across the organisation to enable deep collaboration which resulted in an action plan representing a whole of council approach for a resilient future.