What Does Not (WDN), a multipotential events and creative agency with a community at its core, is rolling out its ‘for us by us’ programme of change making events.
Set against a wider backdrop of the Great Resignation, where people are leaving their jobs in droves.
And young people questioning established routes to employment, the race to attract talent looking for purpose, meaning, and livelihood is on. WDN is the answer and outlet for the gifted, the disillusioned and marginalised to make a dent on global culture. Seeking to eradicate loneliness – the theme of this year’s mental health awareness month – and to tackle some of the greatest challenges of our time, finding purpose, meaning and opportunity will never be the same again.
Dissatisfaction with the status quo of emptiness and disconnection is running rife. 4.5 million people in the UK quit their jobs by the end of November 2021. University enrolment levels continue to drop post COVID-19, with the biggest decline in half a century. While in the UK there’s an ongoing conversation around the value degrees really provide. As a community of unconventional thinkers and doers, WDN supports unconventional thinking and unorthodox paths, exploding the narrow boxes which are fast becoming irrelevant.
Named after the famous aphorism by Nietzsche, ‘What does not kill us, makes us stronger’ (a mindset proven by science to be essential for success in life and business) WDN is kneading together the most brilliant and marginalised minds to create a starter culture of badasses and hustlers who can kickstart the social fermentation process needed for real change.
Just a month from its launch, WDN already has three events under their belt – and now a residency at a global members club. The all female, multi-cultural team at WDN is now set to roll out its programme of immersive storytelling events tackling hard hitting and sensitive topics. Their approach? Pairing challenging subjects with things like food, art, music from emerging creators. These events tear down preconceived notions that prevent true connection and opportunity – and bring the cool, the edge, and belonging needed for navigating this age of uncertainty and change. With 85% of future jobs yet to be invented (according to the Institute for the Future and Dell Technologies), this kind of social mixology is critical in fostering new and interesting approaches to the challenges we face.
The first storytelling event, What Does Not RAW, brought together people from all walks of society and celebrated the power of resilience, with a wide array of creatives expressing their stories through their craft. The team are set to continue the now recurring What Does Not RAW events with 2 confirmed dates for July and August – with more to come this year.
WDN is the brainchild of divergent thinker and story collector, Christine Charitonos – a creative industries veteran and professional swiss army knife who knows all too well the resilience and belonging needed to exist with mental health challenges. “Neurodiversity is the norm, not the exception. Talk to enough people like I do, and you realise there are as many perspectives on the world as there are humans. Each one with the lessons and seeds of brilliance needed for real change – if only we would drop the preconceived ideas of each other that stop us from truly connecting. That’s a world I’d be a lot more interested in living in.”
