Fellowship invited to shape the future of the RSA

Like many others, as 2023 came to an end and we embarked on 2024, we reflected on our collaboration and engagement with our incredible global Fellowship. In 2023, we directly engaged with over 8,880 Fellows across a variety of platforms. This included regular town hall meetings, 'coffees with Andy' sessions, the 2023 Fellows Festival, discussions with the Fellowship Council and the Youth Advisory Group, and one-to-one and group meetings. Our 2023 annual survey suggested that 23% of Fellows had direct communication with RSA staff in the last six months.

Our interactions also extended to direct correspondence. We surveyed more than 7,500 Fellows in 2023 from a range of surveys such as the annual survey, post-event, exit and ad hoc surveys including a questionnaire that explored the value and impact of the RSA Journal. We initiated our pulse survey in June to further enhance our feedback processes. The daily pulse surveys, which are sent to all Fellows every three months based on their joining date, ensure we receive and act on feedback regularly. This supplement forums like our Fellowship Council and Youth Advisory Group, as well as the annual survey, to give us a well-rounded idea of Fellows’ views.

Our Fellows played an active role in various working groups, including the digital taskforce, the Journal Editorial Board, the Journal tender group, and the admissions panel. And, as pathway councillors, Fellow associates, and volunteers, they collaborated closely with our intervention teams working towards our Design for Life mission. We also formed a new group to examine potential improvements to the Fellowship offer. All Fellows were invited to contribute to global strategy discussions at the Fellows Festival and via our online community platform Circle. The call for ideas for the RSA manifesto garnered over 300 suggestions from Fellows, which we will expand upon in 2024.

To gain deeper insights into the Fellowship experience, we conducted focus groups, including focusing on women's experiences within the Fellowship. More recently we have formed the CMS working group and migration group with Fellows as lead participants, driving forward how we develop our digital estate and ensuring Fellows' voices are fully embedded in our digital future.

Led by data, guided by our Fellows

All collected data and feedback are continuously analysed, forming the core of the Fellowship team’s work, and are consistently shared with the relevant staff and senior leadership team. All this great feedback shaped our work hugely: launching Circle was a response to Fellows’ desire for more direct connections, as was our investment in coworking spaces across the UK and our plans to move the 2024 Fellows Festival to the global stage in the spring, rather than just in London. The new 18-25 Fellowship offer was also in response to a wish from the Fellowship to work with the next generation of changemakers and to make it more affordable.

In 2024, we plan to amplify our engagement further through the forthcoming RSA Connect initiative. This programme will enable the senior management team to expand their active involvement beyond London, fostering deeper connections and more direct interactions with our Fellows. We are also preparing to launch additional RSA committees, working groups, and an intervention faculty, all featuring expertise from within the Fellowship. Additionally, we will introduce more opportunities for hands-on involvement in interventions for all Fellows. The next annual survey is set to launch in April 2024, along with more chances for Fellows to participate in focus groups.

Lastly, the majority of our work is formed by your feedback and we will start to communicate more regularly in 2024. So, if you do have any feedback, please do share it either via one of our surveys or by emailing fellowship@rsa.org.uk