Beyond Individual Self Care: Al Jeffery's Mission to Sustain Australian Changemakers
Al Jeffery, co-founder of Turning Ground, is transforming how social entrepreneurs and leaders sustain their impact.
By shifting the focus from individual self-care to collective, relational wellbeing, he is equipping changemakers with the deep connections needed to prevent burnout and drive systemic change.
Discover how Al Jeffery is tackling the burnout epidemic in the social impact sector by cultivating relational ecosystems that nourish leaders, proving that our capacity to heal the world is deeply tied to how we connect with one another.
Observing the Burnout Epidemic
The journey into this work began with a deep observation of the burnout epidemic prevalent in the social enterprise and nonprofit spaces.
Changemakers frequently pour their entire being into solving complex global issues but often neglect their own internal landscapes in the process.
Al Jeffery noticed that traditional "self care" models were highly individualised and failing to address the root causes of this profound exhaustion. He observed that leaders were becoming increasingly isolated, and the constant pressure to perform and deliver impact was creating a culture of severe depletion.
Al realised that true resilience could not be found in isolation. He understood that when people are trying to heal systemic wounds, they cannot do it while separated from their community. This concern sparked a profound shift in his approach to facilitation and leadership. Instead of just offering tools for personal stress management, he began exploring how the spaces between us hold the key to sustained energy.
This journey led to the foundation of his work, focusing on how we relate to ourselves, our peers, and the broader systems we exist within.
Healing Through Relational Infrastructure
Turning Ground operates on the powerful premise that healing and resilience extend far beyond the individual.
Al's methodology centres on relational wellbeing, an approach that recognises our deep interconnectedness.
As he recently shared on the Impact Boom podcast, "Meaningful relationships define the wellbeing of changemakers." Through dedicated facilitation, retreats, and leadership development, Turning Ground creates safe containers for leaders to drop their masks and connect authentically.
The model blends somatic awareness with community building, allowing participants to process the heavy emotional toll of impact work together rather than alone. It is not simply about networking; it is about building a robust relational infrastructure. By nurturing these deep ties, Al empowers leaders to move from a state of merely surviving to actively thriving.
When changemakers feel held by their community, their capacity to navigate complex challenges expands exponentially.
This shared resilience becomes a powerful antidote to the isolation that so often plagues the sector, ensuring that the people working to heal the world are also actively healing together.
Overcoming the Cult of Productivity
Shifting the narrative from individual productivity to relational health is not without its hurdles. In a corporate and social culture that heavily praises individual heroics and endless output, convincing organisations to invest time and resources into slow, deep connection can be difficult.
Al has had to navigate the pervasive mindset that views wellbeing as a secondary concern or a weekend luxury rather than a core strategic imperative.
Funding structures in the nonprofit and social enterprise sectors often prioritise measurable, immediate external impact over the internal health of the teams doing the work. To overcome this, Al relies on patient advocacy and lived experience. He consistently demonstrates that depleted leaders simply cannot build regenerative systems.
By creating spaces where the tangible benefits of relational leadership are deeply felt and experienced firsthand, he slowly chips away at the dominant paradigm.
His persistence is proving that investing in the human fabric of an organisation is the most effective way to ensure long term, sustainable impact in an often chaotic world.
Fortifying the Social Impact Ecosystem
The ripple effect of Al's work extends far beyond the immediate participants in his programs.
When a leader learns to operate from a place of grounded, relational awareness, it transforms their entire organisation.
Teams become more empathetic, communication flows more naturally, and the toxic cultures that frequently breed staff turnover are dismantled.
Turning Ground serves as a vital node in the broader ecosystem of Australian changemakers, cultivating a community where vulnerability is seen as a profound strength. As these leaders return to their respective fields, ranging from environmental advocacy to social justice, they bring this renewed relational capacity with them. They become active architects of healthier, more supportive cultures.
This shift creates a profoundly resilient network of organisations capable of weathering the inevitable storms of social impact work.
By fostering these deep connections, Al is essentially fortifying the entire sector, ensuring that the collective movement for business as a force for good remains strong, adaptable, and deeply human.
Grounded and Authentic Leadership
Al's leadership style is deeply rooted in authenticity, somatic awareness, and a commitment to walking the talk. He understands that to facilitate transformative spaces, he must remain deeply grounded in his own relational practices. He does not position himself as a flawless guru with all the answers, but rather as a fellow traveller navigating the beautiful complexities of human connection.
He emphasises that our capacity to hold space for others is directly linked to our willingness to do our own inner work. For aspiring changemakers, his vision offers a crucial lesson: the quality of our external impact is a direct reflection of our internal and relational health.
He encourages new leaders to resist the urge to sacrifice themselves on the altar of their cause. Instead, he advocates for building a foundation of strong, reciprocal relationships from day one, proving that a kinder, more connected way of leading is not just possible, but absolutely essential for the future of the sector.
To learn more about Turning Ground and their work, visit turningground.com.au or connect with Al Jeffery on LinkedIn.
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