Social Flourishing Institute

A difficult announcement - it is with a heavy heart that I share that we are closing SFI.

Since 2017, we’ve been dedicated to creating communities where everyone can flourish. From rebuilding community in Melbourne during COVID-19, to teaching and consulting on strength-based community development in countries like Pakistan, Zambia, the Philippines, and Kenya, CBBC/SFI has worked to help individuals, organisations, and communities re-think their work—encouraging openness, inclusion, and recognition of the good that already exists.

It's with this legacy that I need to let you know the sad news that we are closing SFI. These past couple of years have been hard ones for the organisation and for me personally. We had hoped our rebranding earlier this year would signal a new beginning and for a while it did, creating an exciting buzz. However, behind the scenes a stretched, largely volunteer crew worked hard to attract new business and opportunities to teach and consult about flourishing. Unfortunately none of our efforts bore fruit and so here we are in September, tired and a little depleted, but hopeful as we remember our legacy and what has been achieved.

I take comfort in the Buddhist teaching that nothing is permanent. Things rise, and for a time they are steady—but attachment can cause suffering. With this in mind, and due to personal life changes and fatigue, I have stepped away from the organisation, and the board has accepted the recommendation to close.

While SFI may be closing, the concept of flourishing lives on. The question now is: how can each of us make flourishing a reality within our own circles of influence? Even small, positive steps can ripple outward, creating change beyond what we can imagine

I’m not disappearing. My focus is shifting to dreaming, writing, and sharing ideas about flourishing in new ways—perhaps teaching, perhaps simply sharing insights as a friend on the journey.

If you’d like to stay in touch, reach out directly or follow me on socials.

Andre Van Eymeren

🌱 Join the Flourishing Hub on LinkedIn — Free!
Are you passionate about creating thriving communities—in schools, workplaces, health settings, online spaces, or society more broadly? This is the space for you!
Hosted by Dr. Andre Van Eymeren, the Flourishing Hub is a free place to:
💬 Share insights and ask questions
🤝 Connect with like-minded people across the globe
✨ Collaborate and explore what flourishing could look like in your context
Start by introducing yourself—tell us who you are, what brings you here, or what flourishing means to you!
👉 QR code or https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14726286/

Why community workers feel burnt out ?

Because rising demands, limited budgets, and rigid systems create constant pressure — making it hard to keep going without feeling exhausted.

Burnout is real, and you’re not alone. Understanding why it happens is the first step to reclaiming your energy and passion.

This September, we’ll explore these challenges and work together on a practical roadmap for wellbeing and lasting change. 🌿

👉 Join us for our upcoming two-part online workshop
series:
Part 1 – The Community Work Landscape (Sept 9, 1:30
–4:30 PM AEST)
Part 2 – Overcoming Sticky Issues (Sept 16, 1:30–4:30
PM AEST)

🔗 More details via the link:
https://cbbc.supporterhub.net.au/pages/sfiwkshp.

🌿It doesn’t have to be this way — let’s keep the conversation going and imagine something better together.
People are often seen as units of production, even in our ‘caring' industries. When we struggle, fall behind, get depressed, we are often subtly and not so subtly punished for our lack of productivity. This has wide ranging consequences even effecting the way we see the people we are meant to be ‘helping'.