Groundswell have been selected as one of 100 ‘Sparks of Hope’ by the #WalkTogether campaign. The campaign is founded by the Elders, an organisation of independent leaders founded by Nelson Mandela.
Gro Brundtland, former Norwegian Prime Minister is one of the Elders. Recently she interviewed Groundswell’s Director of Advocacy Kate and Resources Manager Katie to discuss why Groundswell are a ‘Spark of Hope’.
The #WalkTogether campaign is about building a movement based on the freedoms that Nelson Mandela dedicated his life to: Peace, Health, Justice and Equality.
Groundswell has been selected as a ‘spark of hope’ because we ‘champion the voice of our community based on the values of empathy, compassion and solidarity, improving the lives of those in our community’. #WalkTogether exists as a platform for celebrating freedoms and building a bright map of hope, highlighting those who share our mission: to shine a light on courageous moral leadership and offering hope around the world where it’s needed most.
Gro Brudtland who served three terms as Prime Minister of Norway and as Director-General of the World Health Organization visited Groundswell to meet our team and interview Kate and Katie.
Gro Brundtland begins the interview by saying how she believes Groundswell’s approach as inspiring, she starts the interview by saying:
“I believe that you are a spark of hope because the thinking behind what you do can inspire others about what needs to be done to improve the human condition.”
Kate who has led the Homeless Health Peer Advocacy Service since 2012 tells Gro that all volunteers and many of the staff team at Groundswell have personally experienced homelessness. She highlights why this is central to our ethos:
“We believe the solutions to any problem lie within the people that experience that problem”
Katie briefly reflects on her own experiences, sharing with Gro how she came to Groundswell and the opportunities it has given her. They discuss empowerment and how Groundswell’s model enables people to be fully active human beings. Gro explains this is why the Elders chose Groundswell as a Spark of Hope:
“Groundswell inspires me and us as Elders because of their compassion and the systematic approach to empower people”.