Shaping change together
When we say you are not alone in caring about these questions, we mean it. Over the past fifteen years a wide ecosystem of initiatives has taken shape, reaching millions of people.
It began with gatherings on the small island of Ekskäret in the Stockholm archipelago, where conversations about leadership, human growth, and societal change first started in 2013. From there, the work expanded. Together with partners, we created 29k Foundation; home of Aware, a nonprofit platform offering free tools for inner development to people around the world. Later, the Inner Development Goals emerged, a global movement that has put the inner dimension of change on the agenda in organizations, governments, and communities worldwide.
These are only some of the initiatives connected to Lodsten. Each has its own focus, its own community, and its own story. What they share is the conviction that deep inner development is essential if we are to meet the challenges of our time, and that none of us can do this alone.
On this page, you can learn more about some of the the organizations and initiatives that have grown out of, and alongside, this work. Together, they represent a living network of people and projects dedicated to shaping a more meaningful, resilient, and regenerative future.
The Inner Development Goals
The Inner Development Goals (IDGs) were created out of a simple but profound realization: we will not reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) without developing the inner capacities needed to make them possible.
Initiated by Ekskäret Foundation together with partners such as 29k Foundation and The New Division, the IDG framework identifies the skills and qualities we need to grow as human beings in order to meet the global goals. It is not a replacement for the SDGs, but a complement—pointing to the inner shift that makes outer change possible. Today, thousands of organizations, educators, and leaders around the world are using the framework to guide their work.
The IDGs offer a clear and research-based framework of 23 skills and qualities—grouped into five dimensions: being, thinking, relating, collaborating, and acting. These are the inner skills we all need to navigate today’s challenges, whether as individuals, teams, or entire societies.
The initiative is open and collaborative. Anyone can use the framework freely, and the growing global community invites contributions in many forms: research, case studies, training programs, and local hubs that spread and adapt the work. The annual IDG Summit gathers people from around the world to learn, connect, and co-create the future of this movement.
If you want to join or contribute to The Inner Development Goals, you can:
Explore the framework and use it in your own organization or community
Join or create a local IDG hub
Take part in the IDG Summit or other events
Share your own research, tools, or stories that help deepen and spread the work
The IDGs are an evolving movement. And like all meaningful change, they grow stronger the more people choose to be part of them.
29k Foundation and Aware
29k Foundation was created with a clear intention: to make inner development and meaningful human connection available to everyone, everywhere. We know that real growth happens in relationship—with ourselves and with others—and that the practices we cultivate together shape the way we live, work, and collaborate.
At the center is the Aware platform, offering free, science-based training programs co-created with researchers and psychologists. The programs are designed to be practiced in small groups, where people meet—online or in person—to share experiences, listen deeply, and learn from one another. This combination of inner training and genuine human encounter is what makes the work unique.
29k is fully open and non-profit. All programs are free and open source, which means they can be used by individuals looking for personal growth as well as by schools, communities, and companies seeking to strengthen psychological safety, collaboration, and resilience. What begins as a conversation among four people can grow into change across entire organizations and societies.
Today, people all over the world are using Aware to build both inner capacities and human connection. And the community keeps growing—through research, new programs, local initiatives, and partnerships that bring the training into new contexts.
If you want to take part in or contribute to 29k Foundation / Aware, you can:
Join a training group on the Aware platform and explore the practices yourself
Use the free programs in your school, workplace, or community
Share your experiences, research, or stories to help deepen the work
Partner with 29k to bring tailored training into organizations and teams
The vision is simple: when people come together to grow on the inside, we also strengthen the bonds and capacities that allow us to face today’s challenges—together.
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Ekskäret Foundation was founded on the belief that the challenges of our time call for both inner and outer transformation. Since its start in 2008, the foundation has worked to create spaces where people can explore what it means to live, lead, and collaborate in a rapidly changing world.
At the heart of Ekskäret is the island outside Stockholm that gave the foundation its name. The island serves as a meeting place for leaders, researchers, changemakers, and young people—a place to pause, connect, and experiment with new ways of thinking and being. The name “Ekskäret” means “where the oak grows,” symbolizing strength, rootedness, and renewal.
Over the years, the foundation has initiated and supported a wide range of projects and organizations focused on inner development, dialogue, and societal change. Among these are the Inner Development Goals, 29k Foundation, Youth Dialogue, and other initiatives that connect personal growth with collective impact.
Ekskäret is not only a physical place but also a hub for collaboration. Its activities bring together people across generations and sectors who share the desire to cultivate deeper awareness and more sustainable ways of living.
Through gatherings, research, and partnerships, the foundation continues to nurture the conditions for both personal and systemic transformation. By strengthening the link between inner capacities and outer change, Ekskäret aims to contribute to a more conscious and regenerative society.