Intro to Facilitating Civic Scenario Building

Tools & Techniques for Leading Futures Conversations

A Systems Informed Foresight™ Practitioner Training

Welcome to the Course

Civil society across Africa is navigating profound complexity. Shrinking civic space, digital repression, climate pressures, gender backlash, and resource constraints are reshaping the work of activists, organisers, and movement leaders. In this uncertain environment, the ability to facilitate futures conversations has become an essential leadership skill.

This course introduces you to the foundations of facilitating civic scenario building. Using the Systems Informed Foresight™ (SIF™) methodology and the Civic Scenario Building Toolkit, you will learn how to guide groups through structured conversations that help them understand their system, explore alternative futures, and design adaptive strategies for change.

Whether you work in human rights defence, feminist organising, youth leadership, climate justice, digital rights, or community development, this course equips you with practical facilitation tools you can use immediately.

A Three-Stage Learning Journey (Aligned With SIF™)

Although this is an introductory course, it follows the full structure of the SIF™ AAA Model:
Awareness → Application → Adaptation

To make learning more accessible, the modules are named in simple, action-oriented language, but each one directly corresponds to a SIF™ stage.

Module 1: Map the System

SIF™ Alignment: Awareness (Sense)
You will learn how to help groups:

• Understand the civic system

• Surface drivers of change (STEEPLE)

• Identify tensions, contradictions, and power patterns

• Build a shared understanding of today’s reality

This foundation is essential before exploring any possible future.

Module 2: Imagine Alternative Futures

SIF™ Alignment: Application (Shape)
You will learn how to guide groups through:

• Focal issues

• Key uncertainties

• Scenario grids and logics

• Scenario narratives and pathways

• Implications for civic actors

This is where creative, strategic futures thinking begins.

Module 3: Plan and Act for Change

SIF™ Alignment: Adaptation (Shift)
You will help groups:

• Backcast using a 10-year horizon (2035 → 2030 → 2027 → 2025)

• Identify small experiments

• Develop signposts and triggers

• Build adaptive, resilient strategies

This is where scenarios translate into actionable next steps.

What You Will Learn

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Facilitate civic futures conversations with confidence.

• Use drivers, tensions, uncertainties, and scenarios as facilitation tools.

• Guide organisations and communities through structured scenario building processes.

• Support civic actors to think long-term and design adaptive responses.

• Apply the Civic Scenario Building Toolkit and the SIF™ flow in practice.

This course is practical, facilitation-focused, and designed for real civic environments.

Who This Course Is For

This course is ideal for:

• Programme managers and coordinators

• Researchers, strategists, and designers

• Civic organisers

• Human rights defenders

• Feminist movement leaders

• Youth facilitators

• Climate justice actors

• Movement builders

• Anyone who wants to become a futures facilitator

No prior experience in foresight or systems thinking is required.

Course Structure

Your learning is organised into three modules:

Module 1: Map the System

Surface drivers and tensions shaping civic futures.

Module 2: Imagine Alternative Futures

Build scenarios through uncertainties, logics, narratives, and pathways.

Module 3: Plan and Act for Change

Turn futures insights into strategy through backcasting, experiments, and triggers.

Each module includes short lessons, tools, templates, examples, reflections, and clear step-by-step facilitation guidance.

What You Will Leave With

By the end of this course, you will have:

• A Drivers Map

• A Tensions Map

• A set of Scenario Grids

• Four Scenario Narratives

• A Pathways Map

• A 10-Year Backcasting Map

• An Action Portfolio

• A Signposts & Triggers Tracker

• A Futures Summary Template

• A complete facilitation process you can use immediately

This is your entry point into becoming a practitioner of Systems Informed Foresight™.

🚀 Your Journey Starts Now

Begin with Module 1: Map the System, where you will build the foundations for all scenario work.