You asked, we listened. RSA Strengthens global and local connections for Fellows

My role as Director of Fellowship is to ensure we serve the whole of the fellowship, and that fellowship is at the heart of everything we do at the RSA. This is why we have introduced different avenues for our Fellows to give feedback on their experience, including surveys, group discussions and meetings with the staff team.

The leadership team at the RSA and I are particularly passionate about ensuring we serve our full community.

Did you know?

The RSA Fellowship spans the globe and two-thirds of UK Fellows reside outside London. This is why I am particularly passionate about RSA Connect – a Fellowship event series that creates opportunities for Fellows to talk directly with the RSA leadership team. In 2024, we visited and held open meetings in 22 cities across the UK with plans to expand internationally next year.

The feedback from the survey and these in-person meetings is quite clear. It’s evident that while we are making progress in addressing this feedback, we need to be more transparent about how we are actioning it. So, I’d like to begin by highlighting the top three recurring themes I’ve encountered this year and share what steps we’re taking to address them.

Tailored Communications

The ask: We were told by Fellows that they receive too many emails that aren’t directly relevant to their interests or needs.

Our response? In October 2024, the RSA launched the first phase of personalised monthly communications tailored to Fellows’ interests. This approach ensures that Fellows receive information relevant to their passions and activities and highlights events led by our amazing micro-communities. By late spring, these communications will further refine opportunities based on local proximity, reducing information overload and promoting hyper-local engagement. No more seeing events a three-hour drive away!

The path ahead

Every quarter, we send out our Pulse survey timed to your joining date, ensuring we’re regularly gathering insights from Fellows to inform our actions. We highly recommend you complete this survey to help us build a comprehensive understanding of what matters most to our Fellows. This approach complements existing channels like RSA Connect, the annual survey, the Fellowship Council and the Youth Advisory Group. Through expanding co-working opportunities and enhancing communication we are working hard to ensure our Fellowship remains a dynamic force for innovation and societal progress for years to come.