Civic Foresight Group Reflects on Shaping the Gateway to a Futurist Mindset
The Kansas Future Fellows (KFF) program was launched in 2021 by the University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships and Research (CPPR) to build a state-wide network of individuals across multiple sectors such as education, health and well-being, tribal communities, civic leadership, business/commerce, faith communities, and non-profit service organizations. The purpose is to inspire hope, create camaraderie, and equip fellows with strategic foresight skills and tools supportive of holding the pressures of today while leading for tomorrow. Today, there are 30 Fellows joining together to define our collective challenges and move forward for a thriving Kansas.
In the spring of 2024, KFF, in partnership with CPPR, initiated the Civic Foresight Group, an outreach initiative where fellows engage community members, civic leaders, and students in futures experiences. After engaging nearly 2,000 Kansans, Civic Foresight Group members Kate Van Steenhuyse, Logan Stenseng, and Jennifer Keomany shared reflections on how they introduced the concepts and practice of futures thinking and how they showed the discipline of foresight can be applicable, relevant, and critical to every community.
“At the State Fair, we aimed to cast a wide net, but many people were skeptical, wondering, ‘Why are you talking to me? Are you selling something?’ shared Kate Van Steenhuyse, KFF 2023-2024 and Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission assistant director. Similarly, middle school students were initially cautious, questioning who we were and why we were there. However, the fair prepared us for these reactions, and we found that skepticism often comes with curiosity, which was exciting to lean into. From both events, we learned the importance of simplifying our introduction to foresight and creating adaptable approaches, from a quick five-minute pitch to more in-depth workshops, so we can reach the public in a variety of places.”
“My life has always been around civic engagement and studying how people feel powerful in community,” said Logan Stenseng, KFF 2022-2023 and Thrive Allen County policy and strategic initiatives coordinator. “And there’s been this missing puzzle piece connecting action and engagement with a vision. People have ideals. People have values that they care about and want to live life by but often don't feel connected or feel powerful enough to shape their future path. So, how can we ask people to engage and to devote their energy to their community when it doesn't even feel like we're having conversations to figure out where we're going? Future Fellows is centered on the idea that there’s hope, and I think we’ve all been inspired by our fellowship experience and want to give people the tools of hope to not only create a vision of a future, but to also think how to get to that future.”
Jennifer Keomany, KFF 2021-2022 and department manager of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichit agreed. “We want to engage people in whatever capacity allows them to be involved. The Civic Foresight Group has been committed to doing these smaller, often one-on-one futures thinking experiences with people who typically wouldn't have an opportunity to talk about how they see the future. This moves us beyond a select few in leadership positions and brings inspiration for anybody to engage in these thought processes.”
The Civic Foresight group goal is to make futures thinking accessible statewide, supported by three core pillars: encourage people to dream radically about multiple possible futures; teach the tools to articulate actions to reach these aspirations, and; support people to recognize their ability to play an active role in reaching their dreams.
“The most fun part of my job is working with communities to help them see the way that arts and cultural initiatives can be really huge drivers for development,” Van Steenhuyse reflected. “However, 90% of the time when I'm working with community officials, they immediately think ‘so we should paint a mural somewhere?’ And I tell them they could, but there's so much more we could do. The Civic Foresight Group gives me the opportunity to introduce more ways to get people to do the deeper thinking of what’s possible.”
“It’s been an organic process, aligning with the spirit of futures thinking,” said Keomany. “Futures thinking requires consistent practice, like learning a language. If you don’t use it, you lose it. That’s why I stay engaged with the Civic Foresight Group. It’s been inspiring and fun, and we’ve seen how receptive people are to exploring new thought processes, pushing boundaries, and finding innovative ways to approach the future.”
Architects of the future know the power they can have in designing and building the future worlds we wish to see. The future feels scary and out of our control, however, foresight tools can be used by every Kansan to overcome these challenges. Our dreams for the future begin as ideas that require our actions today to build prosperous tomorrows.
About CPPR
The Center for Public Partnerships and Research (CPPR) partners with communities and public agencies to envision and lead transformative change that ensures healthy and thriving families. CPPR is one of eight strategic centers within the University of Kansas Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI). AAI and its centers partner with numerous agencies to improve the lives of children and adults through academics, employment, career advancement, and building healthy environments. This work addresses critical challenges in educational assessment, pedagogy research, technology and innovation, school district-level support, direct impact programming, educational opportunity, well-being optimization, and more. AAI centers provide positive impact across all 105 Kansas counties as well as serving partners in over 20 states across the U.S.
Read more about CPPR’s futures work with communities.
Read more about the start of Kansas Future Fellows.