The Importance of Being and Getting Together
Recent Participant of the Network Leadership Series Shares Their Experience and Perspective
By Jesús M. Valverde
NLS Participant April 2025
Introduction
Lately, we seem to wake up every day to headlines that remind us of what divides us rather than what binds us together. Political speeches question human rights we once thought were unquestionable. Borders are used as weapons, and polarization is nurtured as a strategy to boost disaffection and individualism. We live in a world where the dominant discourse is built around “who is not with me, is against me,” pushing many to the margins. Meanwhile, the global stage trembles at the threat of economic crises and distant wars, and the idea of coming together can feel like a relic of another era.
“...moments of uncertainty often plant the seeds of new ideas and collective strength.”
And yet, if history has taught us anything, it is that moments of uncertainty often plant the seeds of new ideas and collective strength. The question becomes: in the face of today’s challenges, do we simply flow along with the current, or do we actively seek other ways of relating to the world?
Circle Generation: A Space for Connection
In this complex global context, Circle Generation’s Network Leadership Series offered a refreshing and necessary counterpoint. It created a safe space to pause, reflect, and learn together.
The program brought together network leaders from all over the world, people who are shaping change in fields as varied as education, climate action, community health, and/or child protection. We came with different accents, geographies, and areas of expertise, but we shared the same drive: to strengthen the networks we work with, and to embrace collective action as an antidote to isolation.
“The program was a powerful reminder of the need to remain flexible: continually learning, unlearning, and relearning as the world around us changes.”
As someone who has spent more than six years working in child protection and coordinating networks of professionals from very different cultural and professional backgrounds, I approached the series both as an experienced network manager and as an eager learner. The program was a powerful reminder of the need to remain flexible: continually learning, unlearning, and relearning as the world around us changes.
Circle Generation struck a thoughtful balance between theory and practice, giving space to both without letting one overshadow the other. The three facilitators: Carri Munn, Elsa Henderson, and Nono Sekhoto, deserve a special mention. They showed what network leadership looks like in action: caring, knowledgeable, and each bringing their own style in a way that worked perfectly together. Every session felt like weaving pieces into a whole, with their different voices and methods coming together smoothly. With patience, clarity, and even with some playfulness, they set a rhythm that made it easy for us to learn, share, and take part fully.
Learnings and Way Forward
Throughout the series, we shared our stories and listened to one another with genuine curiosity. Those exchanges sparked ideas that I have already begun applying in my own network. Simple facilitation techniques I observed are now part of my meetings. New approaches to mapping relationships and encouraging participation are shaping the way I design projects. Beyond that, the program inspired me to start drafting a resource that captures these learnings for peers in the child protection sector, helping the impact of this experience continue to ripple outward.
One of the most powerful takeaways for me was the realization that there is a global community of people who care about networks as living systems, who see in them a tool for resilience and impact. The series helped me reexamine my own practice, refreshed and inspired, and reminded me that networks are not abstract structures. They are composed of people, energy, and trust.
“...there is a global community of people who care about networks as living systems, who see in them a tool for resilience and impact.”
Closing Reflections
Looking back, my only wish is that the program had lasted longer. Fortunately, Circle Generation offers many ways to stay engaged, to keep watering the seed they have planted in each of us.
In these uncertain times, the hunger for collective action is not just alive, it’s urgent and unstoppable. Networks pulse with energy, becoming more essential than ever: vibrant, resilient, and full of untapped potential. We face a choice: to fixate on what divides us or to embrace the bridges that unite us. Circle Generation showed me that the power lies in the lens through which we choose to see the world, and through that choice, we hold the key to shaping a future grounded in connection and shared purpose.
Jesús M. Valverde is a professional with over six years of experience working with international network organizations dedicated to child protection. He currently serves as Network Community Manager at INHOPE, where he coordinates a global network of 52 hotlines through membership engagement, resource coordination, and program implementation to enhance the collective response against online child sexual abuse. Prior to this, he worked at ECPAT International and UNDP. Jesús holds a Master’s degree in Human Rights and Democracy from Mahidol University in Thailand and a degree in Communication from the University of Seville in Spain.