How to Be a Changemaker (Hint: It’s Not How You Think!)

Nov 20, 2025

A changemaker is someone who not only cares deeply about the state of the world but channels that care into intentional, values-aligned action. This action can take countless forms: from transforming personal habits to initiating systemic interventions.

Before we move on, let’s get on the same page about the term “changemaker”. In many corners of social impact, the term “changemaker” risks becoming hollow branding. After 16 years of “changemaking”, I strongly dislike the term “changemaker” and instead prefer “changeworker”.

My challenge with it was this: do we really ‘make’ change? Do we ‘make’ things happen? It seems to suggest a level of control, ownership, and personal attribution that I have rarely seen in my many years of practice.

Most often, it takes decades, if not generations, to truly enact social change. It’s not any one person’s responsibility or realistic expectation to be the sole person “making” change. Rather, it’s the collective momentum and power over years that actually leads to sustainable, meaningful change.

A changeworker doesn't wait to be chosen or credentialed; they begin where they are, with what they have. They recognise that inner transformation and systemic change are deeply intertwined. Some reduce their environmental footprint, others amplify underrepresented voices - while many work behind the scenes to shift institutional systems. Others might reduce their meat consumption, advocate for climate policy, volunteer at a local mutual aid group, or initiate a multi-stakeholder collaboration to reimagine the future of education.

Changework is the spectrum between individual intention and collective transformation. The work spans personal, collective, and institutional levels. To me, a changeworker is someone who cares, and who then takes action based on that care.

Importantly, changeworkers exist across all sectors. A teacher nurturing critical thinking and equity in her classroom is just as much a changeworker as a community organiser or policy innovator. What unites them is not their job title, but their orientation to the world.

A changeworker’s commitment is not seasonal or performative. It's a reflection of deep alignment. Their care is not momentary outrage but an enduring drive to contribute meaningfully to a just and regenerative future.

What Are the Characteristics of a Changeworker?

While there is no universal checklist, most changeworkers embody a blend of the following:

Empathy and emotional intelligence: They feel the world deeply and allow that feeling to inform their actions. Changeworkers are attuned to suffering and injustice, and they let this awareness stir compassion.
A systems change perspective: They look beyond symptoms to the root causes of social and ecological issues. They ask not just "what is happening?" but "why is this happening again and again, and who benefits from it?"
A bias toward action: They don't just theorise - they experiment, prototype, and mobilise. Even amidst complexity, they take action.
Inner resilience: They build practices to sustain themselves for the long run, knowing that burnout helps no one. They rest, reflect, nurture, and return to their inner world.
Integrity and alignment: Their values are not just spoken but lived. Even when no one is watching, they make choices rooted in care.
Community orientation: They seek out others, knowing this work can’t be done alone. They collaborate, support, and amplify.

Changeworkers aren’t perfect. In fact, many are self-critical and constantly learning. But what sets them apart is their commitment to learning out loud, iterating in public, and taking responsibility even when the way forward is uncertain.

Being a changeworker is not something you take on or off... You never stop trying to make a difference.

They embrace paradox - hope alongside grief, action with rest, clarity within uncertainty. And they understand that the work is never fully done, but part of a long continuum of social evolution. This energizes and excites them.

What Makes Someone a Changeworker?

Becoming a changeworker isn’t about a job title or a certification. It's a shift in perspective and orientation. It often begins with a moment of heartbreak, of awakening - followed by a decision to not look away.

For me, that moment came at age 15, after learning about the Rwandan genocide, the Amazon’s deforestation, and industrial slaughterhouses. The scale of harm was staggering. My heartbreak planted a seed - the beginning of a purpose that continues to evolve.

From there, I entered the realm of youth empowerment, co-founded collaboratio helvetica to catalyse systems change in Switzerland, and after experiencing burnout, created Parayma as a regenerative support hub for fellow changeworkers.

Purpose is cyclical. A seed becomes a plant, bears fruit, returns to the earth, and grows again. Changework is no different. It’s not a static identity - it’s a living commitment.

What makes someone a changeworker is not a single act of change. It’s a continuous practice of care in motion.

It is:

Changing your own habits while also joining others to change systems
Listening deeply to those affected and being willing to unlearn
Holding a vision of a more just and regenerative world, and doing your part to bring it closer

The changeworker is driven by a sense of urgency, but not panic or stress. They know the world is out of balance, and instead of resigning themselves to despair, they act with care, conviction, and determination.

Lastly, I don’t think there is any formal training or specific credentials that are needed, because changeworkers exist in every single sector and context. A truly engaged teacher who does all they can in their classroom and also campaigns for improvement in the education system is as much a changeworker as a social entrepreneur or an activist.

Steps to Becoming a Changeworker

If you're wondering how to be a changeworker, here are some foundational steps to guide your journey:

1. Start With Yourself

Examine your habits: what are you consuming, funding, and ignoring?
Reflect on your privileges, biases, and complicities.
Reduce harm where you can, but more importantly, commit to learning and evolving.
Align your choices with your values. For example, shifting to sustainable products, reducing waste, or not shopping at companies whose values don’t align with yours.

Even small, personal changes, like switching to a plant-based diet, buying second-hand, or using public transport, can set a powerful precedent.

2. Join Others

Change thrives in community.
Find local activist spaces, mutual aid groups, or regenerative projects.
Participate in citizen assemblies, cooperative projects, or advocacy campaigns.
Meet people, connect, or join activist spaces and networks - no need to do this on your own or reinvent the wheel.

Being in community helps you stay accountable, inspired, and informed. You’ll discover that there are already thousands of people doing beautiful, quiet, and consistent work - and they will happily and gladly welcome you in.

3. Deepen Your Knowledge

Read widely. Explore systems thinking (start with this free online training!), climate justice, feminist theory, and decolonial perspectives.
Listen to diverse perspectives, especially from marginalised communities.
Ask: What am I not seeing? Whose voices are missing from my worldview?

Changework involves both unlearning and learning. Many of the paradigms we've grown up with about productivity, success, or worth are rooted in systems of exploitation. Learning to recognise and untangle these beliefs is part of the inner work, and is something every successful changeworker must experience.

4. Envision the Future

Connect not just to the problem, but to the possibility of change.
Dream beyond the limits of the current system.
What does a just, regenerative future look like to you?
How can you contribute to that vision?

Holding a positive and hopeful vision fuels sustainable action. It reminds us why we’re doing the work and helps us bring others along.

5. Take Care of Yourself

Changework isn’t a sprint. It’s a lifelong path, meaning taking care of your needs is essential. Ignoring self-care is a one-way ticket to no longer being a changeworker.

Prioritise rest, creativity, and your mental health.
Set boundaries. Log off from screens when needed.
Schedule regular time in your week to connect to joy.

The most effective changeworkers are those who understand the importance of nourishment - mental, emotional, and spiritual. Burnout serves no one, and harms you the most.

Feeling unsure where to begin? Start with our online guided program Changework Compass, designed to help you get clarity on your purpose and life direction.

6. Let Go of Perfection

You won’t get it all right. And that’s okay! Give yourself some grace. No one’s perfect, even the most successful changeworkers you see in the spotlight. They get it wrong sometimes, too.

What matters is your willingness to try, to learn, and to be in integrity with your values. Don’t forget that progress is messy. You’ll make mistakes and that’s an inevitable part of the work.

When we let go of the idea that we must be flawless before we begin, we make space for real, meaningful growth. Changework is not a performance. If you’re here, I know the last thing you want to be is a performative activist.

If someone flaunts their “changework exploits” and then turns around and creates a startup that is inherently destructive for people or the environment (as we have seen happen recently), then that person was never truly a changeworker. They just occupied our spaces for clout and showed their true colours the moment something else served their bottom line more.

7. Follow What Moves You

Is it food sovereignty? Restorative justice? Education reform? Women’s rights?

Follow the threads that ignite your curiosity and care. Every individual’s changework is more sustainable when it aligns with their unique gifts and passions. It becomes easier to keep going through the challenges when you care deeply about the work.

Ask yourself: What breaks your heart? What brings you joy? Often, our most powerful contributions come from the space between the two.

How to Avoid Becoming a Performative Changeworker

In a world of social media, influencers, and personal branding, it’s easy to confuse visibility with impact. Performative changework happens when actions are more about appearing virtuous than creating genuine change.

Here’s how to stay grounded:

Change yourself, too: Advocacy without inner work lacks authenticity. Practice what you post.
Stay humble: No one has all the answers. Stay teachable. Be willing to be wrong and be accountable.
Amplify others: Especially those from marginalised communities. Don’t centre yourself in every story.
Take risks: Real changework often costs something. Comfort and change don’t usually co-exist.
Seek feedback: Join collaborative spaces where you can be called in. Growth comes from discomfort.

If you only start advocating for change but don’t change anything yourself, that is just not authentic and likely a vanity pursuit without real substance.

Performative changework is extractive. Real changework is relational, iterative, and accountable. Don’t worry about being perfect - worry about being real.

And when life changes, when you’re caregiving, grieving, or simply too exhausted, you’re still a changeworker. Seasons of pause are not signs of failure or that you’re no longer a changeworker.

As changeworkers, we’re a team, and it’s okay to let someone else lead or take your spot on the field for a bit.

3 Examples of Inspiring Changeworkers

1. Christine Zawedde

As the founder of Christine Girl Project Uganda and an advocate for girls and young mothers, Christine is creating space for both practical support and deep social change.

Her vision is to see a Uganda and Africa at large where every girl has equal access to education, dignity, and opportunity, free from the barriers of period poverty. She hopes to create a society where empowering girls is seen as empowering the entire community.

2. Wasseem Emam

As the founder of Ethical Seafood Research and an advocate for fish welfare, Wasseem is working to ensure aquatic animals are no longer the invisible victims of industrial food systems.

This journey began when he was asked to assess farmed fish welfare in Egypt during his PhD. As someone with a background in aquatic ecology and conservation, he hadn’t thought deeply about fish suffering in farming systems.

But once he saw what was happening and how invisible fish remained in conversations about food, sustainability, and ethics, he knew he couldn’t look away. Since then, he has committed to elevating fish welfare as a legitimate and necessary part of sustainable and just food systems.

3. Ramya Tulasi Dega

As the founder of Healing Circle USA, Ramya is on a mission to shift how we approach mental health from isolation and shame to connection and collective care.

This work began from a place of deep personal loss. In 2019, Ramya lost a close friend to suicide, a moment that completely shifted her world and her understanding of mental health. The pain, PTSD, grief and confusion that followed revealed how much we, as a society, still struggle to talk about emotional well-being with openness and compassion.

When she moved to the United States for graduate school, she carried that experience with her. Healing Circle was born out of late-night chai conversations with her roommate and co-founder, Swetha, at Texas A&M University. Together, they realized that healing is not just individual, it’s collective. Every workshop, every story shared, and every participant who leaves with a lighter heart keeps her grounded and inspired to continue.

We’re in a time of unraveling, socially, ecologically, and politically. But also a time of great potential. Of reimagining. The changeworkers of today are planting the seeds of tomorrow.

If you feel overwhelmed, you’re not alone. But you are needed. Not some day, but now.

Begin with your care. Let it lead you to reflection, then to action. Let that action build community, challenge systems, and reweave futures.

And remember: you don’t have to do it alone.