BUILDING BRIDGES INITIATIVE

In 2009, in response to an emerging impulse from many quarters, the Findhorn Foundation created a vibrant new team to consciously build bridges with as wide a spectrum of people and organisations as possible, for mutual learning and growth.

Using 50 years of experience, the whole community has cooperated to welcome an excitingly diverse range of people in the last two years — young entrepreneurs from the international corporate scene, children from local schools, participants with learning disabilities and their carers, international groups wanting to learn about living in community, local disengaged young people, social workers and the socially excluded seeking to transition back into society.

The huge success of an experiential Youth Empowerment Programme, offered freely to local young people in 2010, has attracted wide interest from government agencies and charities. In 2012 the Moray Alcohol and Drugs Partnership has funded us to work with local people with addiction issues.

The rapid expansion of the Building Bridges initiative has already seen huge changes in the Foundation’s flexibility and perspective, in its involvement and integration with the local area, and in its relevance to the lives of an ever-widening spectrum of people. It is truly heartening and affirming to see the transformational effect on all the participants as they live, work and play with us in community.

This is truly Findhorn for the 21st century.

Yvonne Cuneo