Week 1 - Travelling with a Purpose

The journey from Hong Kong to Paris was a long one, a fourteen hour flight filled with anticipation. I had arrived to begin my six-week "Ageing Well" programme, a part of my Leadership-in-Action as a Laidlaw Scholar. This initiative, supported by the global NGO Makesense, partners with a unique elderly care home in Marseille called Les Jardins d’Haïti. Our mission is to transform an underused garden into a vibrant, intergenerational hub, directly tackling issues of social isolation and reimagining what quality care for older adults can look like.

Stepping off the plane, I was excited to meet the team. At the hotel, I was quickly introduced to the five other scholars I would be sharing this adventure with. Two were from my own Ageing Well team, and three were working on a separate biodiversity project. Despite our different academic backgrounds and home universities, we bonded almost instantly, united by a shared sense of purpose and the excitement of the work ahead.

Our induction began in earnest the next day at the Makesense office in Paris. We dove into a comprehensive training session that framed our projects within the larger context of ecological transition and the pressing realities of global warming. It was a powerful reminder that our local action in a community garden is a small but meaningful part of a much bigger global picture. This was followed by an equally important session on mental health, equipping us with the tools to support not only the community we would serve but also ourselves and each other throughout this intense period.

By Wednesday, our base of operations shifted south. We took the train to Marseille, the vibrant port city that would be our home for the next month and a half. The change in scenery was immediate, from the capital's grandeur to the Mediterranean buzz of Marseille. Here, we finally had the chance to meet the staff of our partner organisations face to face. Our team connected with the wonderful people at Les Jardins d’Haïti, while the other scholars met with their partners from MerTerre. Putting faces to names and seeing the care home for the first time made our project feel thrillingly real.

After meeting our local referent, to ensure we approach our work with the respect and understanding it deserves, we all undertook a course on cultural sensitivity and intercultural leadership. Raised in countries with varying cultural backgrounds, the six of us shared special traditions and practices we have at home, and learnt to understand why our cultures developed such practices, deepening our respect for each other. This training was crucial, emphasising the importance of listening, learning, and collaborating with the community rather than imposing external solutions. It set the tone for a project that is truly community driven.

This first week has been a whirlwind of new faces, concepts, and cities. It has been about building a foundation, both in terms of team cohesion and our understanding of the profound challenge we have taken on. I cannot wait to get started on the ground in Marseille and see what we can grow together (figuratively and literally)!