Co-Learning Network
A welcoming place to explore new possibilities for a more connected, thriving future
Come learn with us
The Befriend Co-Learning Network is a community of life-long learners who are curious about living a more connected, community-minded life. We come together through various social learning experiences – workshops, short courses, gatherings and retreats – to grow relational skills, learn community-building approaches, and explore new ideas for our communities.
What we offer
Workshops & Courses
Short and multi-session learning experiences that create opportunities to explore new community building approaches, develop relational skills, and practise community-building together. All sessions create rich mutual learning environments, learning with our experienced Facilitators as well as fellow travellers.
Guidance & Mentoring
Flexible, personalised forms of support for individuals or small groups who are nurturing their own community-building group, project or initiative. Clarify your hopes, explore your way forward and take practical steps to bring your ideas to life, with the support of a trusted, experienced companion.
Seasonal Events
Gatherings, retreats and events that vary from season to season, creating opportunities for connection and mutual learning with other community-minded folk.
Reflections and resources
We’re building a growing collection of reflections, resources, and stories that emerge from the Co-Learning Network and the people who shape it. These pieces capture questions we’re exploring, insights we’re learning, and experiences worth sharing along the way.
You’re invited to browse through the resources below and spend time with whatever catches your attention.
If you’d like to stay connected, you can also join the Co-Learning Network newsletter below to receive updates on new offerings, reflections, stories, and other news as they unfold.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Befriend Co-Learning Network?
The Befriend Co-Learning Network is a collaborative learning network for people who are curious about community – how it forms, how it frays, and how it can be tended with care. It brings together workshops, courses, mentoring and shared reflection spaces that support people to grow connection and belonging where they live and work.
How can I get involved?
You can start by exploring the current Workshops & Courses or Guidance & Mentoring offerings, reading a story in the Reflections & Resources section, or joining the Learning Network newsletter to hear about upcoming opportunities.
Can you host a workshop for my group or team?
Yes. We love to host workshops and learning experiences for groups and organisations who are interested in deepening their approach to community-building and relational practice. These are shaped collaboratively, with care for context, people, and purpose.
If you’d like to explore whether this might be a good fit for your group or team, feel free to get in touch via email.
Who is it for?
If you’re curious about the art and science of growing friendships, dreaming of starting a local initiative or wanting to learn about community-building practices, you’re in the right place! Some people join to deepen their understanding, others to share ideas, and many come to discover how they can bring more community spirit into their groups, neighbourhoods and workplaces.
Who are the facilitators?
Each Co-Learning Network offering is facilitated by people with lived experience and a shared commitment to community-building. This includes members of the Befriend team, as well as guest facilitators from other like-minded organisations and community-minded individuals.
If you’re interested in getting involved as a facilitator yourself, you’re very welcome to get in touch via email.
Growing community spirit together - why this matters
It is the people we share life with that make life worth living. Our relationships bring meaning, purpose, joy and a sense of belonging. The kindness of a stranger can completely change the course of our day, and a heartfelt belly-laugh with a good friend is more priceless than any medicine. And unsurprisingly, the science clearly shows that our relationships are the most significant factor in living a long, happy, healthy life!
Yet we’re living in a context of disconnection. Many of us are feeling the existential pains of loneliness and social isolation. Locally and globally, our communities face separation, polarisation, inequality, injustice. From health to climate change, from poverty to conflict, from technological disruption to global pandemics, we’re facing a crisis of crises.
For whatever we’re facing – personally and collectively – one thing is clear – We need each other. The communities that are the strongest, most adaptive and resilient in the face of any kind of challenge are the ones with the highest levels of connection, care and mutual support. Together, we find a way.
What our world needs right now is the power of community. Not a special program, or a service, or a fancy app – But the act of being together in solidarity, wherever we are, whoever we’re with. That’s community spirit. That’s what we yearn to practise, to explore, and to grow more of, together with you.
With the big challenges of our time, it’s hard not to feel small, hopeless and insignificant. But change happens in mysterious ways, and the little acts of care and connection we can sow into every day truly matter, often much more than we know. The warmth of connection ripples into our families, workplaces, social groups, neighbourhoods in complex ways. This strengthens the social fabric, growing our sense of community spirit, opening new possibilities, and shaping a healthier, more connected, resilient society.
When we come together to grow relationships, learn from each other, and deepen our appreciation for our shared humanity, we welcome in the possibilities for entirely new ways of living. Our future is what we make it, together.