Bridge Institute

- Feedback from the J&K Changemakers Fellowship - “The J&K Changemakers Fellowship was an incredibly enriching experience that I will cherish for years to come.” – Syed Beenish "This fellowship has been life-altering in every sense of the word — career-wise and personal life. It has cultivated a sense of growth, made me aware of the objectives in life, and brought me together with several like-minded individuals who wish to make a difference." – Nadeem Ahmad “The mentorship provided by Simon McKenzie (Mac) and Ifrah Butt was exceptional.  Their guidance, support, and expertise have been invaluable in helping me develop my skills and discover my abilities and interests in a wide range of topics” – Syed Beenish "I truly appreciated the interdisciplinary groups that were formed, the comprehensive mentoring offered, and the space to foster fresh ideas." – Nadeem Ahmad   🌟 Celebrating the Journey with J&K Changemakers Breakthrough Fellowship! 🌟 At the Bridge Institute, we are honoured to have been a part of this transformative journey with the fellows of the J&K Changemakers Breakthrough Fellowship. The programme has empowered individuals to grow, clarify their objectives, and connect with others who share the same passion for creating positive change. The interdisciplinary groups, mentoring, and collaborative environment were key to creating an environment for innovation and growth. As we look ahead, we will also embrace the valuable feedback from the fellows.  We will continue to build a dedicated platform and create regular meet-ups to help shape an even stronger network of change-makers, with continual access to information, resources, and support. Thank you to all the fellows, mentors, and partners for your dedication and trust. Together, we will continue to build a fairer, safer, more prosperous and joyous world. 🙌 #BridgeInstitute #Changemakers #Fellowship #Mentorship #Innovation #Collaboration #Community  

We are excited to share that we’re supporting partners for the upcoming RAK Energy Summit! Our energy system faces two pressing global challenges:  1.         Energy is responsible for 73 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions (World Resources Institute).  2.         In our world today, 1.18 billion people live in energy poverty, lacking reliable and affordable electricity. The absence of electricity has profound and far-reaching effects, including loss of lighting, no internet or phones, pollution from cooking, disrupted water supply, spoilage of food, diminished education, economic stagnation, and social isolation.  We need a Just Transition – a transition to a sustainable, low-carbon, and renewable energy system, which is equitable, inclusive, and fair to all stakeholders involved, leaving no one behind. In service of this, the Bridge Institute is a supporting partner of the RAK Energy Summit, taking place on the 27th and 28th of November 2024, at the Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. The event will showcase solutions for energy efficiency, renewable energy and decarbonisation, enabling a just transition. Link to Summit Overview: https://lnkd.in/e9bZaZbh Link to Supporting Partners: https://lnkd.in/enJUj9nR Supporting Partners: Bridge Institute, Emirates Green Building Council , GWCN — Global Waste Cleaning Network , UAE Alliance for Climate Action, Dii Desert Energy. Tim Kruger | Simon McKenzie (Mac) | Michael Arthurs | Ruqiya Shariff | Andrea Di Gregorio | Parul Rana | Barnaby Hill #RAKEnergySummit #Sustainability #RenewableEnergy #EnergyEfficiency #BridgeTheBridgeInstitute #GreenFuture #Innovation #JustTransition Stating Sources and Further Reading - Please Review: 1 - https://lnkd.in/eHS96tRg 2 - https://lnkd.in/eeKppSFR 3 - https://lnkd.in/gpU_ZNXA 4 - https://lnkd.in/e36qPAHg. 5 - https://lnkd.in/e3ksjGHh

The Bridge Institute is shining a light on the intersection of the human rights of children, and how our governments and corporates can work together to end the trafficking of children in their nations.    We are honoured that Fenwick & West has guided us in the writing of this White Paper, setting out a roadmap for governments and corporates to end child trafficking. By providing pro bono legal research and guidance, both Fenwick & West and the Bridge Institute take great pride in reinforcing the need for the human rights of children, from a legal, moral, and strategic perspective. We are deeply grateful to the extraordinary and amazing team at Fenwick, including Sarah Hopkins, Cara Ta, Yvette Chen, Faye Wang, Sam Dodson, Nicholas C. Dugas, Veronica Rusu, April Sanchez, and Heidi Lawson, CPCU, AIM Fenwick, who catalyzed and led everything.   The White Paper sets out a roadmap of how governments, corporates and civil society can come together, unlocking the power of the law:  The Power of Law: Governments can create substantial and long-term impact in protecting children through international and domestic legal frameworks. The Opportunity for Corporates: Corporates can play a significant role in combating human trafficking while strengthening their businesses. The Power of Coming Together: By uniting government, business, and civil society, we can end child trafficking in every nation.   We both wholeheartedly support the mission to collaboratively build a more equitable and sustainable world for all.   Get a glimpse into a better future by reading the full White Paper here. Simon McKenzie (Mac) | Ifrah Butt | Barnaby Hill

A key and exciting pillar of the new British Government is mission-driven government: to change the how of government. In their words:  “Mission-driven government means raising our sights as a nation and focusing on ambitious, measurable, long-term objectives that provide a driving sense of purpose for the country. It means a new way of doing government that is more joined up, pushes power out to communities and harnesses new technology, all with one aim in mind – to put the country back in the service of working people.”   It has been the great privilege to partner with Camden Council, which has been pioneering mission-driven government for a number of years now, under the leadership of Georgia Gould, who is now Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office.   On 8th July, we partnered to host a mission breakthrough event, focusing on making shifts in the following opportunity areas of Camden life.    A. Sports and Play B. Net Zero Communities C. Healthy Living D. Circular Economy E. Arts and Culture F. Social Connectivity G. The Look and Feel of our Community H. Greening and Biodiversity   85 leaders from government, business, and civil society came together to shape breakthroughs in thinking and action. Prior to the Breakthrough Event, delegates well able to immerse in these challenges on the ground, seeing the extraordinary work of people and communities, and the real challenges first-hand people face. The immersions aim to disrupt and inspire – and change the way we see the world. The delegates were also exposed to the most innovative practices happening around the world, from circular economies in towns in Japan through to greening urban environments in the Netherlands through to promoting social connection in Singapore through to the promotion of arts and culture in New Orleans.    A report of the solutions is now being documented, and teams are being formed to see this through to impact, driving positive change for the people of Camden.    Sending deep gratitude to the extraordinary and pioneering leaders at Camden, and all the stakeholders who supported this important event. To engage further, please use this link - https://lnkd.in/deeawnWn or get in touch with any of the team listed below. Simon McKenzie (Mac) | Jane S. | Cathy Manning | Barnaby Hill | Tina Oldham | Robert Osborne | Jess Sassienie | Osian Jones | Jaclyn Bello | Daniel Wainwright | Alex Kavanagh | Sharon Dunn | Caroline Kennedy | #MissionDrivenGovernment #CommunityEmpowerment #CamdenCouncil #BreakthroughEvent #SportsAndPlay #NetZeroCommunities #HealthyLiving #CircularEconomy #ArtsAndCulture #SocialConnectivity #CommunityEnhancement #GreeningAndBiodiversity #Leadership #PublicService #PositiveChange #StakeholderCollaboration

We, at the Bridge Institute, are thrilled to announce that, starting from the 1st July, we will be partnering with #SHEChangesClimate. It is a profound honour to partner with an organisation so deeply committed to promoting gender equality at all levels of climate action. As pioneers in systems change, we are committed to leveraging our expertise to support and advance this vital movement. Together, we will ensure that SHE Changes Climate continues to create meaningful progress towards more inclusive and effective climate leadership. By amplifying the voices of women and ensuring their representation, we will collectively strive for a sustainable future where gender equality is at the forefront of climate solutions. 🌊 🌎 #GenderEquality #ClimateAction #Partnership #BridgeInstitute #SHEChangesClimate 🌎 🏔 Website 🔗 : www.shechangesclimate.org/ Jane S. | Jerry Connor | Simon McKenzie (Mac) | Barnaby Hill

We, at the Bridge Institute, are thrilled to announce that, starting from the 1st July, we will be partnering with #SHEChangesClimate. It is a profound honour to partner with an organisation so deeply committed to promoting gender equality at all levels of climate action. As pioneers in systems change, we are committed to leveraging our expertise to support and advance this vital movement. Together, we will ensure that SHE Changes Climate continues to create meaningful progress towards more inclusive and effective climate leadership. By amplifying the voices of women and ensuring their representation, we will collectively strive for a sustainable future where gender equality is at the forefront of climate solutions. 🌊 🌎 #GenderEquality #ClimateAction #Partnership #BridgeInstitute #SHEChangesClimate 🌎 🏔 Website 🔗 : www.shechangesclimate.org/ Jane S. | Jerry Connor | Simon McKenzie (Mac) | Barnaby Hill

We're excited to partner with SHE Changes Climate to amplify women's voices and drive equitable climate action. 🌍✨ #SHEChangesClimate #SHEChangesClimateEvolution

UAE Carbon Dioxide Removal Breakthrough Coalition! One of the most important priorities in the world is to remove the excess CO2 out of the atmosphere. Reducing emissions must be prioritized, of course. Alongside this, the removal of excess carbon dioxide from current levels of 424 parts-per-million must also be addressed. With this challenge, it has been an honour to work in partnership with the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA) and host the UAE Carbon Removal Breakthrough Coalition in Abu Dhabi last week. Leaders from world-leading carbon dioxide removal (CDR) companies joined leaders from government, corporates, finance, and civil society, including young trailblazers, for three days to explore how the ecosystem can come together to make a world-leading strategy for carbon dioxide removal. Eight streams were formed with extraordinary experts – the streams included Carbon Markets, Finance, Policy, Standards and Regulation, Direct Air Capture, Ocean Solutions, Nature-based Solutions, Enhanced Weathering and Mineralization, and Societal Engagement. Deep gratitude is expressed to all the inspiring Fellows of this Coalition, for Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany, UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, and Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), for welcoming us. #CarbonReduction #ClimateAction #CO2Removal #UAEClimateInitiative #CarbonRemovalCoalition #ClimateLeadership #GlobalCollaboration #CDRCompanies #CarbonMarkets #SustainableFinance #PolicyDevelopment #DirectAirCapture #OceanConservation #NatureBasedSolutions #WeatheringMineralization #SocietalEngagement #ClimateCoalition

Young entrepreneurs and aspiring students from Jammu and Kashmir will be joining us on a transformative journey where they will - Gain Leadership Skills: Learn how to inspire and motivate others, communicate effectively, and lead with confidence in any situation. Develop Decision-Making Abilities: Master the art of making informed decisions, weighing risks, and taking decisive action to drive success. Cultivate a Positive Attitude: Discover the power of positivity and resilience, and learn how to maintain a can-do mindset even in the face of challenges. Hone Problem-Solving Skills: Unlock creativity and critical thinking abilities to tackle complex problems and find innovative solutions. Implement Path-Breaking Solutions: Turn ideas into reality and make a tangible impact in their community or industry with groundbreaking initiatives. With expert guidance, hands-on workshops, and personalized coaching, the JKCBF programme is designed to empower to unleash their full potential and become a leader of tomorrow. #LeadershipDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #PersonalGrowth #TransformativeJourney #MakeAnImpact

Across the State of Odisha, we are launching the IBM SkillsBuild Changemaker programme. The purpose of the programme is to support and develop 31,000 Changemakers to launch 4,000+ Changemaking one-year long programmes across the state, to build a more joyous, fair, prosperous, and sustainable future. Our extraordinary partners are: - IBM, who are providing mentorship and the extraordinary SkillsBuild platform, which provides free digital learning on cutting-edge technology and workplace skills, from AI, coding, interview skills, change, leadership, etc. - Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (K.I.S.S.), who are the largest free educational institution for indigenous children and youth in the world. It is a fully free residential home for 80,000 students. K.I.S.S. are recruiting all the 31,000 Changemakers across the state and hosting all the events. This partnership is starting out in the State of Odisha, with the support of the Government of Odisha and K.I.S.S. The Bridge Institute is the knowledge partner driving the engagement strategy with the young leaders. The Changemakers are trained in the key skills of being a changemaker, including inspirational and visionary leadership, innovation skills, agile execution, the future of technology and data, etc. They apply these skills to a pressing societal challenge in the community they come from. The challenges they are taking on include: - Combatting child marriage, human trafficking, and gender-based violence. - Improving road safety. - Enabling healthy eating in their communities. - Protecting trees and soil health. - Replacing wood fires with clean stoves in homes to reduce air pollution. - Providing opportunities and facilities for sport in the community. We believe our future will be so much better and full of hope when everyone sees themselves as a Changemaker, and believes, “I am the Solution”. This is the vision of the programme. Sending deep gratitude to our amazing partners, IBM, the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, and the Government of Odisha, for making this all possible.