Online Learning Lab
Beautiful Economies
Re-Imagining Economics as a Force for Good
Feeling exhausted by an economy that demands endless growth while communities struggle and the planet burns? You're not alone.Join changemakers from around the world in a transformative 6-week journey that moves beyond sustainability buzzwords to discover economic stories and practices that actually nourish communities, heal the Earth, and inspire genuine hope.
What Participants Are Saying
"This lab has facilitated such a beautiful reimagining of economics in a way that leaves me time and time again, feeling full of appreciation. I'm grateful to experience, in an embodied way, an economic model that feels hopeful, compassionate, and sustainable."“It wasn't just about concepts; it was about connection - with others in the group, with my personal and professional network, and with the fundamental values that drive real societal change.”“The way you lead us into enormous ideas through embodiment makes so much sense, not just to my brain, but to my whole being.”
Why Beautiful Economies?
When we think of economies we rarely think of beauty. In our current system the emphasis is on consumption, production and the growth of GDP.In this Learning Lab, we take a different view. Here, economics is the many different ways we organise our energy and resources (both material and non material) to meet our fundamental needs in harmony with our surroundings. This opens up the possibility of building systems that do not harm ourselves, others and the Earth upon which we depend, and even actively restore and heal us.
Beautiful Economies might look like:
Worker cooperatives where decisions are made collectively
Local currencies that keep wealth circulating in communities
Businesses that measure success by ecosystem health alongside profit
Communities where care work is valued as highly as paid work
This isn't wishful thinking. These models exist and thrive around the world. We just need new stories to help us see them.
Beyond the greenwash, there is a place where real change begins...Let's meet there.
Join our Mailing List
about you
Who This Is For
Community Activists & Policy Makers: You are ready to move beyond treating symptoms to addressing root causes. You need frameworks that honor both justice and healing.Entrepreneurs & Business Leaders: You are tired of "sustainable business" approaches that still operate within extractive paradigms. You want to build enterprises that actively regenerate communities.Educators, Consultants & Changemakers: You are struggling to help others see beyond profit maximization. You need coherent alternatives to the growth-obsessed economic story.Concerned Citizens & Parents: You have a niggling feeling something vital is missing from conversations about climate change and social breakdown. You are looking for solutions that address our challenges holistically.
You're ready for this if you:
Enjoy seeing what emerges when passionate people bring hearts and minds together for a kinder world
Are open to the complexities of living in volatile, uncertain times
Are curious about practices that heal both inner and outer systems
Want to think and feel deeply, not just analyse from a distance
Next Lab Dates
Six weekly sessions, 2 hours each • Gentle integration prompts between sessions • Access to shared learning spacePlease note that there will be NO RECORDINGS of the Lab. This is an interactive embodied process which requires your presence as part of the group. Please check that you can make all dates proposed before signing up.
Wednesdays Feb 4 - Mar 11, 2026
11.00 - 13.00 UK time
Welcome to The Beautiful Economies Learning Lab, a transformative 6-week online exploration designed to reframe the concept of economic value, moving away from mainstream transactional, and growth-oriented models toward a more holistic, sustainable, and life-affirming vision.Rooted in a deep recognition of the interconnectedness of all of Life, this Lab is for anyone who believes that a new economic story is possible - and necessary.
Your Transformation Journey
Week 1-2: Reframing Economics
How does our current economic story shape how we see the world and others? We'll unpack the hidden narratives that make destructive systems feel inevitable, exploring how we've been conditioned to see ourselves as homo economicus (purely self-interested) rather than homo reciprocans (naturally cooperative beings).Then dive into the Human Scale Development framework and learn how a new language of economics can reshape our notions of value beyond growth, focusing instead on sustainable ways to meet human needs in harmony with life.
Week 3-4: Love, Care & Changing the Exchange
We foreground the invisible economy of care, nurture, and connection, exploring how love and cooperation are integral to thriving societies. Then investigate alternative economic models and currencies inspired by Bernard Lietaer, Margrit Kennedy, and David Graeber, discovering how we can change our exchange systems to regenerate communities rather than extract from them.
Week 5-6: Building Resilience & Taking Action
Learn how the Regenerative Triad framework (Restore, Connect, Heal) can help cultivate community resilience through interconnected practices that create virtuous cycles of regeneration. Finally, reflect on your journey and articulate your personal vision for contributing to a beautiful economy, developing actionable next steps for integration into your life and work.
Our Unique Approach
This isn't another online course you'll half-finish. We've created this learning lab specifically to deepen understanding on both cognitive and somatic levels - working with minds and hearts, brains and bodies.
Limited to 8 participants to create psychological safety where you feel free to explore, take risks, and form meaningful connections.
Blending the best of online facilitation with neuroscience of connection and somatic practice to create truly embodied experiences.
Drawing from multiple disciplines: Development economics, social psychology, moral philosophy, systems thinking, neuroscience, and biology - most notably the work of Chilean economist Manfred Max-Neef.
Interactive and participatory: Through presentations, individual and group discussions, games and exercises, we explore how to break out of Westernized economic thinking.
No recordings: This is an interactive, embodied process that requires your presence as part of the group. Space for both personal reflection and group exploration.
Expect thought-provoking off-screen activities, personal and group reflection and small achievable weekly tasks that engage with the world beyond your zoom window. This is a space to share and learn with a small group of humans willing to leave their job titles in the waiting room - because real transformation happens in relationship.
Learning Lab Fee
Community Rate: £180 (students, nonprofits, low income)
Standard Rate: £240 (covers full cost of design and delivery)
Supporter Rate: £360+ (helps others attend and supports this work)
Can't afford the community rate? Contact us about scholarship places.
Want to support this work further? We welcome additional contributions.Contact: [email protected]Small groups fill quickly - Reserve your place today.
Upcoming Lab Dates
Wednesdays Feb 4 - Mar 11, 2026
11.00 - 13.00 UK time
Six weekly sessions, 2 hours each • Gentle integration prompts between sessions • Access to shared learning spacePlease note that there will be NO RECORDINGS of the Lab. This is an interactive embodied process which requires your presence as part of the group. Please check that you can make all dates proposed before signing up.
Book your place here:
Inez Aponte
I'm an educator, storyteller, and consultant in Human Scale Development (Barefoot Economics). This framework uses fundamental human needs to assess economic health and helps us change the narrative around what success really means.Drawing on my background in performance storytelling and improvisation, I focus on the interplay between language, narrative, and behavior change, helping people cultivate their "radical collective imagination" as the foundation for addressing our shared challenges.I work with diverse international audiences, from refugees and community organizers to entrepreneurs and academics, always seeking to upend conventional notions of economic value and open new possibilities for living that meet human needs in harmony with all life.Recent collaborators include: Schumacher College, Centre for Alternative Technology, Bath University, and The Montfort Social Institute in India.Fellow of the Schumacher Institute and co-founder of Crazy Beautiful World, connecting young people with adults who care about their future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an economics background?
Not at all. We draw from multiple disciplines and explain everything in accessible terms. We actually find that conventional economics training can sometimes be a barrier to this deeper exploration.
What if I can't attend one session?
While we encourage full participation for the group dynamic, we understand life happens. We'll work with you to integrate what you missed, though the real magic happens in the live interactions.
How is this different from other sustainability courses?
Most courses focus on solutions within the current economic paradigm. We question the fundamental stories and systems that create the problems in the first place. We're not interested in making capitalism greener. We're ready to seed what comes after.
Will this be too "woo-woo" or too academic?
We blend rigorous frameworks from respected economists with embodied, somatic practices. You'll engage with serious scholarship while also honoring the wisdom of your whole being.
What support is available after the lab?
You'll join our alumni network, receive ongoing resources, and have access to our community space. Many participants continue collaborating and supporting each other's work long after the lab ends.
I'm dealing with climate anxiety/overwhelm. Is this right for me?
This work is specifically designed to move from despair to empowerment. By understanding the root causes and viable alternatives, participants often report feeling more hopeful and clear about their role in change.
What if I'm already doing alternative economics work?
Even experienced practitioners find new insights in the human needs framework and regenerative triad. The peer learning with other changemakers is often as valuable as the content itself.