Education through transformation

1. Tash Willcocks
Making positive change for people & education

2. Everything we transform,
transforms us back
We live in an age of rapid change and
transformation. With these short interviews I would
like to introduce you to inspirational people who
initiate, cultivate and experience positive
transformation on different levels and in different
areas. Rich insights and lessons learned that you
might take forward into your own journey.
6 Questions to
Tash Willcocks

3. 1. Can you paint me a picture of how you bring change in the world? What do you personally see as your biggest
contribution?
I am a tiny drop in a big pool.... ocean. I feel my contribution is not so much me bringing change, but activating,
enabling, challenging others to disrupt themselves in a positive way and enabling/giving them the confidence
and tools to create change... hopefully this impacts others and it ripples out hitting many people along the way.
Biggest contribution - I dont think theres been one BIG contribution, I think it’s lots of small incremental
contributions that hopefully keep going. Small and steady, rather than a big bang and nothing…
One project that I have been proud of is #aceatanyage , highlighting talented women making a difference over
50, women over 50 have high suicide rates, feel invisible, I want to activate them & others, "you cannot be what
you cannot see" as Marian Wright Edelman says…
I hope through working in education for 20+ years I have contributed to a few peoples lives in a positive way…
Hyper Island, it’s one thing I am really proud of, it is again that ripple effect, but I see this as the
students/industry rather than me as an individual. The resilience and force of want for change is overwhelming.

4. 2. Many change pioneers and activists speak of external and internal transformation. When or how have you
noticed transformation within yourself, triggered by your work and actions?
Ha - Ummmm - I think I have always been quite driven, but I really reflect those around me, I have landed
in some amazing spaces and moved to others, working with students has always triggered transformation
in me, it’s impossible to stay static, I grow, change, adapt each year. I am like a snake shedding a skin
hahah, each year brings new personalities, challenges, learnings, meeting on average 1-200 new people
a year ready to embrace a new way of thinking and working is impossible to be around without be
effected.
My biggest changes in last 5 years at Hyper Island, I take more control of what is effecting me, if its not
working change it! I speak from the I not the we, I don't presume others are feeling what I feel. It’s not my
job to make people happy... I am allllmost comfortable with silence... there's a million things I have learnt
from the crews, co-workers, there’s a million more this I am still to learn.

5. 3. Which experiences or people have shaped your personal transformation (Who inspired or even mentored you)?
What would you share with others to help them shape their journey?
I've never had an official mentor! I keep thinking that - I may get one... Jan Oldenberg, he was the
owner of the bar/venue I used to run. He was a crazy Dutchman, drank and smoked a lot, shouted
a lot, but it was my baptism of fire in business. It was 25 years ago and he taught me people come
first (in his own way) its OK to have fun at work, as a leader never ask someone to do what you
would not or have not, I learnt that while elbow deep cleaning poop out of the mens toilet while he
rodded the sewers.

6. 4. What changes do you find particularly moving at this moment?
Hmmmm what keeps me up at night, in a positive excited way or negative doom cloud way, lets see. OK to many
things… I am a bad sleeper! Positive changes, the movement towards sustainability, the earth, that kids are on
their feet and making people listen. That it’s now more on some peoples radar and a movement is gathering. I
think some younger people have always felt like this, but now there’s more of a platform to be heard and seen. I
like that it’s the 60s reinvented with more focus! It has quietened with COVID, but actually nature is busy
evidencing the fact that the world can heal, be cleaner if we calm down the consumption.
On the flip side, I fear the isolation will be unlocked and people will bounce back to normal behaviours and we will
see pollution rise again. I fear we put our fears and responsibilities on others shoulders creating fake Idols, Eg
Greta & Captain Tom, I think they are both incredible humans, but the weight of climate change loaded on a
teenagers shoulders is ridiculous, the abuse aimed at her on twitter/in articles is shameful, these are mainly adults
who should sit and think more about what they are saying and why.
I fear we (I!) suffer from cognitive dissonance from these situations, we want what we want… our brain finds a way
to say “thats OK because” and that blindness will lead back to negative consumption. BUTTTTT Back to the
positives, at Hyper Island and in the students I interact with at talks aged 18 to 60s I am seeing a shift, they do not
seem to idolise brands as much, the drive to work with a company is different, purpose, sustainability, circular
economy, culture are mentioned and drivers. There’s a drive to do good, we need to keep pushing this, keep
slipping off the blindfolds, untie the lies we may tell ourselves as individuals, teams or companies to really drive
these ideas forward to heal the wounds rather than simply sticking on jazzy looking plasters.

7. 5. How can you or one of your projects be supported?
I'd love to have a bigger platform for #aceatanyage , but I need time to curate etc.
I do not have atm…

8. 6. Who would you recommend that could offer transformational experiences and inspirational thoughts?
Ha, this is a BIG question, I feel every person I meet, watch speak, read their book/article has a
little ripple effect on me, negatively or positively, so Id love to name them all.
"You can't be what you can't see," Marie Wilson, founder of The White House Project, explained
in this, the statement originally for young women, but it is bigger than that, its for those that feel
they have no potential, are held back, may not have advantages others do. Its to inspire role
models, to inspire them to be role models in turn, its to give confidence for people to stand up
and represent themselves for other, to show other people like those who may not now see
themselves in roles that seem unachievable to them. For people who need to see themselves in
that success, feel that inspiration, leadership, carve the path to follow. LET THEM see what they
can be….
Something I constantly go on about is Liminal thinking by Dave Gray, it talks about limiting
beliefs, the book introduced to me by your crew! (Mattia) really enabled me to shake my own
foundations, my belief systems, if we do something at Hyper Island, why? Is it a legacy… is it still
needed/relevant or a hangover from past ways of working. In personal life why do I do things,
what do I believe is my reality and why… then shake it up and watch that snow globe go!
I feel only you can transform yourself and Liminal Thinking is a good starter to pop the cap on
your brain and think about why you work/behave in certain ways, enable you to make those
changes if you desire.

9. So I am not a massive fan of celebrity culture, but I am a huge fan of Jameela Jamil, she is
so positive in her activism, through projects like iWeigh and in my opinion reaches an
audience that may not usually listen, she uses instagram stories like magic, only this
morning I scrolled through and before I knew it I was knee deep in a conversation/reflection
about the portrayal of women in tabloids and the way these nudges affect your perception
of women an ethnic minorities. She’s having these conversations openly, triggering
thoughts daily. Challenging my dormant thoughts through a different medium. I had
changed my viewpoint on Anne Hathaway before I got up and had a word with myself on
how I was allowing the media to control me! (Is Jameela controlling me through social
media!! Haha… who knows)
Jonathan Briggs, founder of Hyper Island is another person, every conversation I have with
him I leave thinking AHHHHH! Or ARGHHHH! He’s a “trouble maker” by his own volition, I
respect that he likes to shake your foundations, leave you thinking rather than giving
answer, provoke action. It’s not about agreeing or disagreeing its about disrupting the
status quo (quote from Mark Shayler another great change maker)
#iWeigh

10. Here you find more resources about Tash
@tashwillcocks
Twitter & Insta
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tashwillcocks/
Some public presentations:
Make friends, not contacts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AufziFxCaCM
Healthy Habits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMp4hzpN7C4
Ethics in Design: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QzAYwbDtYQ