Who we are

The dots: connections for change is a social agency from Ellie Hutchinson.

Ellie is part of the collective, an intersectional feminist research and facilitation group based in the UK.

She is committed to hope as active resistance and enjoys dancing, reading, eating, being in or on the water, holidays and being with her friends and family.

Ellie has been working on issues relating to social change for twenty years, in domestic abuse, in housing, and in the children and youth work space. She is a researcher, faciliator and social entrepreneur.

The dots is led by Ellie, working in collaboration with a pool of associates working for social change.

What we believe

Our vision:

Individuals, organisations, communities, and societies feel better.

Our mission:

We created the dots: connections for change as we know that change doesn’t happen in silos.

Our ethical framework

At the dots: making the connections for change, all ethical considerations must flow from the following principle;  work must support the social transformation towards holistic, individual, social, ecological, economic and cultural flourishing. 

  • All systems, processes, methods and engagements must enhance dignity, including that of research/facilitation teams. This includes informed and ongoing consent, remuneration, undertaking anti-racist practice, use of multiple methods, centering care and compassion. 

  • All work must be shame sensitive and trauma informed and work with the principle of safe enough spaces, holding accountability, care and compassion with nuance. We recognise that lived/learnt experience is not a binary identity.

  • Joy is centred as a tool to resist urgency culture and compassion fatigue. Research is non-extractive and meaningful for all involved. 

  • Hope is a method and a tool of resistance. We imagine new futures

  • We value different forms of knowledge creation equally. We centre feminist epistemologies, understanding that positionality shapes how knowledge is created and what voices count as evidence. As such we understand that rigour comes in many forms. We de-colonise knowledge creation on purpose. 

  • All work undertaken via the dots must support, build and strengthen communities, alliances and networks

For the next three years, we’ll be focusing on Wellbeing, Challenging Radicalisation and Building Connections. Download our strategic plan to find out more. Our strategic plan