The steering group of the National Foresight Network assembles four times a year. Two of the meetings are workshops that discuss the collectively gathered change phenomena. These phenomena include both weak signals as well as well-known themes. The observations are grouped into wider entities, from which the themes for future workshops are then selected.
In the February meeting, the steering group collected approximately 50 different change signals and categorised them into groups. A list of ten items was refined:
- Responsible choices
- The work ethos of net generation
- Leadership challenges
- Backlash
- New forms of learning
- Local cycle (ecology)
- The revolution of interaction
- Sustainable innovations
- Network fatigue
- Weakening economy as a threat to health education
The list is ordered according to the number of votes cast for individual themes in the final voting. Two first items were outside the vote, as they already act as themes for National Foresight Network workshops this spring. So, the candidates for autumn themes are leadership challenges and counteraction, which refers to, for example, globalisation counterforces, climate radicalism and the relationship between the individual and community.
Some of the themes are starting points for other actions and projects. For example, observations on local cycle are channeled to Sitra’s Countryside as a competitive resource project starting in April.
You might criticize the list for not including totally new and unforeseen phenomena. True; it does not. However, the National Foresight Network is not a downright weak signal dispenser machine but a group that is trying to make current issues more tangible. Foresight is a practical field, where people often want to look for solutions and directions for social activities.
Naturally, it is also important to identify emerging trends early enough. The National Foresight Network will continue to develop both the ways of discussing the issues as well as collecting new signals. As both of these lines of work need more people resources than the steering group holds, more citizens will be involved.
