A Culture of Connection

At 4theRegion, we’re often asked what it is we actually do. And to be honest, it’s not always easy to explain.

We’ve never wanted to build a traditional organisation. We’re trying to model a different way of working – one that values people, relationships, and shared purpose above all else.

We’re not here to run services or deliver projects for the sake of it. What we do is bring people together, hold space for conversation, and support collaboration – because we believe that’s where real, long-term change begins.

Positivity is a Strategy

One of our guiding principles is that positivity matters. In a world full of bad news and competing demands, it’s easy to feel disheartened. But when people hear what’s already happening – the good work, the local projects, the individuals making a difference – it shifts something.

It creates energy. It encourages hope. And it helps people see that change is not only possible, but already underway.

A big part of what we do is amplify that – sharing stories, celebrating local initiatives, helping people feel connected to something bigger. That positive sense of identity – of belonging to a place that’s full of potential – is not superficial. It’s empowering. It helps people act.

Helping the System See Itself

We’re inspired by systems thinkers like Donella Meadows, who wrote that “a sustainable system must be able to see itself.”

In fragmented systems, people don’t know what others are doing. They can’t see the patterns or possibilities. Everyone’s working hard, but often in isolation.

We try to shine a light on the system – not by analysing it from above, but by building shared awareness from within. Through conversations, events, newsletters and meetups, we help people see that they’re not alone – that their work is connected to a much wider movement for change.

That’s what we mean by “joining the dots”.

The Five Ways of Working

We align closely with the five ways of working in the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act:

• Long-term – Thinking beyond the next funding cycle or political term

• Prevention – Tackling root causes, not just symptoms

• Integration – Seeing how things connect, not working in silos

• Collaboration – Building trust, relationships, and shared ownership

• Involvement – Including people’s voices, especially those often left out

These aren’t just policy terms – they’re ways of being. And we try to live them, every day, in how we work with people across South West Wales.

Co-Creation, Not Consultation

In 2025, we’re focusing more intentionally on five mission-led steering groups – each one bringing people together around a key regional theme:

• Local Supply Chains
• Community Changemakers
• Youth Empowerment
• Positive Regional Identity
• The Green Economy

These groups are not advisory boards or working groups in the traditional sense. They’re spaces for co-creation – where people can bring their own projects, shape shared ideas, and collaborate to make things happen.

We’re not waiting for funding to drop from above. We’re identifying what’s needed now, and then working together to find the energy, resources, or support to move forward.

How We Work

• We hold space for conversation and connection

• We listen deeply and without agenda

• We grow awareness of what’s already happening

• We help people see opportunities for collaboration

• We value trust, consistency, and relationships

• We support co-creation, not competition

This isn’t always easy – and it’s certainly not fast. But it’s how we believe change happens: when people see the system more clearly, feel proud of what’s possible, and choose to work together, rather than alone.