At the Academy of Life Planning, we’ve always believed that real wealth is not measured in money alone, but in human capital — our skills, passions, networks, creativity, and purpose. Yet too often, financial systems and even “planning” conversations strip people of agency, leaving them dependent, isolated, or defined by what they lack.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Inspired by Peter Block’s Community: The Structure of Belonging and built on our own GAME Plan for Sovereign Living, we are launching a new initiative:
🌍 The Empowerment Cohort
A guided peer-learning journey where belonging, agency, and gifts come alive.
Why The Empowerment Cohort?
Block argues that the unit of transformation is the small group — not top-down systems, but people gathering in circles of trust to reimagine their future. Transformation happens not through “fixing problems,” but through six simple yet radical conversations:
- Invitation – Joining by choice, not obligation
- Possibility – Imagining futures that don’t yet exist
- Ownership – Taking responsibility for one’s own story
- Dissent – Making space for authentic disagreement
- Commitment – Pledging actions that build trust
- Gifts – Recognising abundance over scarcity
These conversations are woven into every session of The Empowerment Cohort, turning theory into lived practice.
What to Expect in a Cohort
- Small, safe groups (8–12 people) where your voice matters
- Structured 90-minute sessions guided by our facilitators
- Human capital mapping to surface skills and gifts often ignored in traditional planning
- Weekly commitments to move your story forward in practical steps
- Community support that goes beyond advice — peers who listen, challenge, and encourage
The result? A shift from dependency to empowerment, from being planned-for to planning life on your own terms.
Why This Matters Now
We live in times of rapid change, financial uncertainty, and systemic mistrust. Traditional institutions often focus on extraction, not empowerment. The Empowerment Cohort offers an alternative: a grassroots, human-centred approach to planning life, rooted in belonging and abundance.
It’s not just about better planning. It’s about creating communities where people reclaim agency, honour each other’s gifts, and step into futures shaped by possibility rather than fear.
Join the Pilot Sessions
We’re preparing to launch our first pilot Empowerment Cohorts. If you’d like to be part of this journey — experiencing these six conversations first-hand and shaping the future of our community model — I’d love to hear from you.
📩 Contact me directly if you’re interested in joining a pilot session.
Together, let’s build circles of empowerment that ripple out into lives, families, and communities worldwide.
—
Steve Conley
Founder, Academy of Life Planning
steve.conley@aolp.co.uk
Academy of Life Planning 