In the world of social impact, working together can often be the catalyst for innovation and positive change. And this is something we regularly see within the Acumen Fellowship program. The spirit of collaboration doesn't end with the completion of the program; instead we see it evolve into a vibrant community that continues to drive positive change throughout the world together.

In the UK, our Fellows continue to forge partnerships and work together on initiatives that extend far beyond the program. In this blog post, we explore the stories of UK Fellows who have joined forces to amplify their impact. Continue reading to discover an example of how the UK Fellows, Last Mafuba and Natalie Creary, continue to be a driving force behind lasting social change, proving that when leaders come together, positive change is powerful. 

Natalie Creary is the Founder of Liberating Knowledge, a consultancy that focuses on creating and curating insights that have the potential to address systemic injustices. She is also currently on sabbatical from her role as the Programme  Delivery Director at Black Thrive Lambeth, a systems change initiative which addresses mental health inequalities experienced by Black communities. After many years in the field, Natalie knows that this isn’t work that should be carried out siloed. 

“Black Thrive was commissioned to support the Department of Health and Social Care with their  engagement around the recommendations that came through following the review of the Mental Health Act,” says Natalie. 

“Because of the reputation we’ve built up, organisations tend to approach us as if we’re the only Black-led organisation that does work around mental health, which we’re absolutely not. I think it’s important to showcase and highlight others who are also in the space and  may not necessarily have the same kind of levers that we do.”

“Last and I had been on the Fellowship together and we could see the synergies between our work. But with her in Coventry and me in London, you often find that funding only allows you to work locally.”

Based in Coventry, Last Mafuba, is the Founder and CEO of Inini Initiative, where her work focuses on the mental health of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants who are struggling to access the correct support when integrating in the UK. 

For Last, working with organisations based outside of Coventry allowed for her impact to be recognised by a bigger audience -  in this case, the Department of Health. Not only did working alongside Natalie mean that the research project had perspectives from a range of marginalised groups but also led to further work for Last and the Inni Initiative.

“Collaboration is very important for the Inni Initiative because we’re based in the West Midlands, which is much slower than London. There’s a lot to learn from those operating in the capital. Even today, I will refer to the work that I’ve done with Natalie in London - it’s a game changer to even just talk about that and say that I’ve partnered with organisations outside of the West Midlands, it’s a strength. Working together and doing partnerships strengthens your organisation,” said Last.

“I find a lot of strength in my cohort. There’s a lot of support there and I always feel very comfortable reaching out. Even if Fellows can’t support me personally, they will always try their best to connect me with someone that can. This is why the Fellowship is so beautiful to me.”

Many Fellows in the UK have gone on to collaborate during and since completing the Fellowship. As well as working with Last, Natalie has also worked with UK Fellow, Reema Patel, who joined as a panelist on a webinar for the launch of Liberating Knowledge's 'What it means to be seen' report which explored the factors that contributed to inequities in NHS datasets for Black and South Asian communities in partnership with Understanding Patient Data. These examples are a testament to what can happen when Fellows bring their resources, knowledge and expertise together to address complex social challenges. 

Following the Fellowship year, Fellows join The Foundry; our community of over 1,300 socal innovators from around the world working to catalyse the practices of Moral Leadership within their organisations and our society. Join Fellows like Natalie, Last and Reema and become part of the collaborative force of social leaders in the UK. 

Learn more about the UK Fellowship and apply today.