About this initiative

Elevate is a co-created, participatory gathering on a very special private island in the Stockholm archipelago. We are all co-hosts of this event and everyone creates experiences, meals and activities for each other - there are no producers and consumers. You are not buying an experience, you are invited to create it, together with everyone else who will be attending. 

The ambition with Elevate is to create an open, brave and inclusive communal space, where we can relax and be ourselves as part of the group, connect to nature and get perspective on the life we are living and the world we are part of creating.  Based on the belief that when we are in a state of relaxation, connection and presence within ourselves, we open up and make room for new ideas and perspectives to take root and be expressed. We make room to not only grow, but shift and elevate the way we relate to ourselves, to each other, and to life itself, which not only elevates our own wellbeing, but ripples on to elevate the world around us.

We wish to create a format where there’s a beautiful balance between the individual and the collective. During the work week we focus on our individual work, and in the evenings and weekend we come together to host activities and experiences for each other.

The Elevate Values

In order to create this open, brave and inclusive space there are a few values at the very core of this experience, which serve as a compass for how we wish to come together on the island.

Co-creation - “We are all hosts” - At this event, you are not a consumer. We expect everyone to be an active co-creator of the event and contribute in your own way. You are an essential part of creating the experience for yourself and for everybody else.

Self-reliance - “Only you know your needs" - You are responsible to be aware of, honor and take care of your own needs. This may mean asking for help when you need it, resting when needed,  saying yes or saying no. Only you will know.

Inclusion - “Everyone is welcome” - You will not know everyone there but you are expected to meet and welcome everyone with kindness. We help each other feel part of the bigger group by inviting and including each other. 

Responsibility - "Leave a better trace" - means not only to clean up after yourself, but is also a mindset of always considering how you can leave things/places/situations/people better than how you found them, for the good of the whole. Here you are a caretaker of both the island and the group.

Costs

This independent event is supported and sponsored by the Ekskäret Foundation which means that you only need to cover your share of the running cost of being on the island to participate. This is a non-profit event.

• Membership fee 2 400 SEK per person to cover basic cost for the facilities, including a bunk bed in a double room for all the days. 
• You will also be part of a team that will cook once, where the team will decide and buy the food as a gift to the group (ca 300-350 SEK per person).
• Transportation (bus and boat, 200-300 SEK per person)

Please indicate in the interest signup if you want to join but don't have the financial ability to cover the membership fee (there are a few reduced membership fees, priced at 1800 SEK).

Background

Being in contact with ourselves, each other and with nature

The world is changing rapidly all around us. Conflicts, climate threats, automation, the overwhelming influence of social media, the list can go on and on - and it makes it challenging to find our own way in life. In order to achieve balance and direction, it is increasingly important to be connected to our inner self and to be grounded in the relationship to the self, to others, our communities and to nature. Inner Development Goals is a framework which, through five dimensions, describes 23 different skills and qualities essential to our own inner development - and down the line in order to reach the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. 

At Elevate our aim is to give special attention and focus to the first dimension of the framework. It is called'Being - Relationship to Self' , and is described as: 

"Cultivating our inner life and developing and deepening our relationship to our thoughts, feelings and body help us be present, intentional and non-reactive when we face complexity".

Being consists of;

• Presence - Ability to be in the here and now, without judgement and in a state of open-ended presence
• Inner compass - Having a deeply felt sense of responsibility and commitment to values and purposes relating to the good of the whole
• Self awareness - Ability to be in reflective contact with own thoughts, feelings and desires; having a realistic self-image and ability to regulate oneself
• Authenticity & integrity - A commitment and ability to act with sincerity, honesty and integrity
• Openness & learning mindset - Having a basic mindset of curiosity and a willingness to be vulnerable and embrace change and grow

These skills will all be central to the week we'll share and co-create at Elevate. Our wish is for them to shine through in the activities on the island. It is through these essential skills we develop the relationship to the self. And when we elevate ourselves, we can elevate the world around us  ✨