Impact Drive's Impact Hub is a space that supports civil society organizations in creating good solutions and sustainable development. In a world that is changing at an ever-faster pace – with advances in technology, the growing need for sustainable solutions and the increasing complexity of social and economic challenges – civil society organisations are faced with the need to adapt their approaches. The solid foundation that Impact Hub provides includes learning formats to build knowledge and practical skills in strategic planning, programming and community outreach, operational management, and more. and consultations oriented to the needs of teams in civil society organizations and other actors in the social economy.
In its work, Impact Drive aims to accumulate competencies in participants. It is a powerful approach that provides knowledge and skills, but at the same time, focuses on the practical application of learning and motivation and the attitude for lasting implementation in the daily lives of teams. Impact Hub is specially designed to meet the needs of small, grassroot teams and serves both newly established and established organizations equally well. Each proposed tool and process is tested and validated through practice and easily adapts to the specifics of different teams and needs. This support allows organizations to not only cope with change, but also to be active drivers of positive change in their communities.
What are our trainings and what is their nature?
The trainings we offer are aimed at providing knowledge and practical skills that help organizations create real impact. This is possible thanks to our experienced team of trainers and facilitators, who combine proven and tried methodologies with practical experience.
Design for Social Change
How to find sustainable solutions to complex social problems? The training "Design of Social Change" provides an answer to this question. Participants go through:
Understanding the way of impact and the key drivers that drive a cause
Working with communities, extracting and in-depth understanding of needs, through design methods, as well as involving stakeholder groups.
Generating ideas for solutions and social innovation.
Vision for change and strategic planning through Theory of Change.
Strategic Finance Planning
Transition to programming and understanding of indicators as the main tool for impact assessment.
This training is designed for those who want to inspire change and turn good intentions into real results.
Impact planning canvas through the IOOI model.
Building Strong Alliances
One of the biggest challenges for any organization is creating a network of supporters and partners. This training looks at the organization from the outside and addresses key topics such as:
Building reputation and trust.
Managing the brand and public image of organizations
Building relationships and lasting relationships with stakeholders relevant to different types of approaches to civic activity
Knowing, cultivating and building trusting relationships with donors, volunteers.
Organizing and mobilizing communities.
The benefits of collaboration and networking.
With practical examples and very focused exercises, participants learn how to create and maintain strong alliances.
Workshop „Resilient organisations“
The workshop closes the cycle of organizational management, shifting the focus to the operational plan and the daily life of the teams. Focuses on optimizing and searching for efficiency, with a good understanding of the workload and multifunctionality of professionals in small teams. Workshop „Resilient organisations“ was created as a practical training workshop based on experience and practical work with a variety of situations and tools, which will build practical skills, internal processes and tools and ensure efficiency and optimal use of resources. Aimed at the management teams of the organizations, the workshop helps participants to be able to align their strategies in operational daily work through appropriate tools and effective people management. The workshop also provides a basis for assessing the individual needs of organizations and preparing plans for follow-up support through consultations and mentoring.
Development and monitoring of action plans
Organizational management, incl. internal procedures, process mapping and organisational structure
Managing people and volunteers, with a focus on balance and successful motivation
Flexibility and change management
Evaluation of the effect of the work.
Pro bono support
The workshop also provides personalized support in the form of individual consultations, as needed, giving each organization the necessary confidence and setup to build and implement the proposed techniques and tools effectively.
Linking Strategic and Operational Planning through the Adaptation of the Mission Model Canvas (Strategyzer.com)
The Faces of Impact Hub: Trainers Who Spark Change
One of the key drivers behind Impact Hub's success is Theodora Ivanova-Valeva, co-founder of Impact Drive and an expert with extensive experience supporting civil society organizations. With over 15 years of professional experience in management consulting and NGO work, she has helped numerous organizations develop their strategies, create sustainable solutions, and enhance their effectiveness.
Theodora believes that persistence and partnerships are the key to tackling complex social challenges. As the lead facilitator of training sessions at Impact Hub, she leverages her expertise to provide participants with valuable knowledge and skills.
"I truly believe that each of us has the power to create change. All it takes is to be free from systemic barriers, prejudices, and aggression. I am here to ensure that everyone striving to make the world a better place can do so successfully."
Impact Hub training sessions aim not only to deliver knowledge but also to inspire organizations to create real change within their communities. Our sessions equip participants with practical tools to turn their ideas into actions and their actions into long-term results.
Ivelina Gadjeva is another leading expert who brings Impact Hub's vision to life, combining expertise in design thinking and creative leadership with practical application to support organizations. She has extensive experience using design methods for strategically (re)thinking values and processes that lead to sustainable solutions and business transformations.
"Creativity is what drives us to ask questions and seek meaningful answers. When we remove the barriers to thinking, we create space for true change."
As the founder of the "Design for All Bulgaria" Foundation and an active member of European and global design networks, she not only contributes to the development of innovative approaches but also inspires others to use design as a tool for social and economic transformation. The sessions led by Ivelina focus on empowering participants with methodologies that turn ideas into reality and drive change, leaving a lasting impact on society.
From Training to Transformation: How the "For the Earth" Association Found Its New Rhythm
July 2024, amidst the peak of the hottest days, marked the beginning of an exciting collaboration with the team of "For the Earth" – an organization with a rich history and a clear mission, yet undergoing a transitional phase and in need of updating its long-term vision and strategy. This included revisiting its operational management and structure. "For the Earth" required a methodology to transform their long-term vision into a concrete action plan, ensuring greater sustainability and predictability while optimizing their operations. Representatives of "For the Earth" had already completed the "Design for Social Change" training and now needed deeper work and support to bring the training's concepts into their team.
Over a three-month period, which included five intensive in-person workshop days, we not only rediscovered the organization's philosophy together but also laid a solid foundation for the next three years through the development of a detailed Theory of Change.
The methods used included:
SWOT analysis and contextual analysis, which laid the groundwork for rethinking the organization’s strategy.
IOOI model and Lego Serious Play, which not only stimulated the team’s creativity but also helped visualize specific ideas that were later developed into actionable steps.
Elements of design thinking and the “Accumulation of Desired Changes” technique, to outline the steps toward achieving future goals.
Development and validation of the Theory of Change, a strategic document that will guide the organization’s activities over the next three years..
One of the biggest challenges for the Impact Drive team was the flexible adaptation of the processes for building a vision and a Theory of Change to the dynamics of the team. Each session required intensive facilitation, quick decision-making, and careful listening to the needs and concerns of the participants involved.
The result? A sense of clarity and cohesion. A process of discussions, mutual understanding among team members, and the dialogue they needed. The "For the Earth" team not only rediscovered a new meaning in their mission but also clearly defined the path they want to take to achieve it. By the end of September, they already had a clear framework and had developed a Theory of Change to make their efforts even more sustainable and purposeful.
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