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Be the change the world needs. Be GSA.

Get to know Guerreiros Sem Armas (GSA), a course that trains 60 leaders from around the globe every year to take action in a positive and sustainable way as a response to the complexity of social and economic challenges.
GSA is based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and trains people to lead through dialogue and collaboration.

BE A MOBILIZING LEADER

Develop skills for exercising inventive and innovative leadership, capable of mobilizing talents and resources and welcoming a diversity of opinions for stimulating collective intelligence through empathetic dialogue.

Live a journey of self-DISCOVERY

GSA proposes a true and revelatory experience in a safe environment so that you can free yourself from limiting beliefs, developing trust in your talents and embracing your potential for transformation.

LEAVE A CHANGEMAKING LEGACY

During the program you will learn how to generate positive impact and social transformation through Elos’ own practical methodology, which has been proven successful in countless cases all over the world.

BE PART OF A DIVERSE GLOBAL NETWORK

Be part of a diverse, international community with more than 600 leaders who are engaged and passionate about developing collaborative transformation initiatives across the corporate, government, and civil society sectors).

Run by Elos Institute since 1999, GSA is for those who seek:

Community development
A career transition

Environment and social governance projects and solutions

A network/networking
Social entrepreneurship
Business leadership
Public administration

What will you learn?

  • The application of strategies for promoting cooperation in groups with divergences or conflicts
  • Development of a systemic vision and perception in groups with the use of active listening
  • Planning and materialization of ideas using the Elos Methodology
  • Development of a sense of being part of a team and a reduction in social tensions
  • Development of sensorial, intuitive, and affectionate perception
  • Learning about the self and ongoing practices of self-development.
  • Self-observation for recognizing your individual points of potential and expansion of your limits.

     

  • Proactivity for acting fast using the Elos Methodology.
  • Design of collaborative projects.
  • Development of a sense of belonging in groups using the Elos Methodology.
  • Building trust in oneself and in others.
  • Use of collective intelligence to deal with challenging perceptions and sensations.
  • Environmental care practices.
  • Expansion of vision and positive futures.
  • Mobilization of people and financial resources in service of shared causes.
  • Real social transformation, with the materialization of community dreams in the Elos Methodology.

What are the expected results?

Me with myself

Greater clarity of your goals and understanding about how to use your talents and connections for expanding the potential for transformation in your life, around you, or even in the world.

Me with others

A strengthened sense of belonging in relation to the groups you are part of, effectively dialoguing with the many different socioeconomic and cultural differences, differences of ideas and opinions that are present.

Me with the world

Understanding and developing your role as a protagonist agent of transformative actions, especially when guided by causes that go beyond the notion of individuality.

GSA Community

GSAs

Countries

Editions

Impacted Areas

What is the Elos Methodology and where to apply it?

The Elos Methodology is made up of 7 steps:

The Elos methodology has been used for over two decades in 57 countries in the following contexts:

What is the Elos Methodology and where to apply it?

The Elos Methodology is made up of 7 steps:

we train the GAZE to see abundance where others see scarcity, develop AFFECTION instead of judgment, value the DREAM as an impulse for change, practice collaborative CARE in the development of a project, make a MIRACLE happen when practicing hands-on transformation, CELEBRATE the collective accomplishment, and build a RE-EVOLUTION that propels the building of the best possible world.

The Elos methodology has been used for over two decades in 57 countries in the following contexts:

Governments

Implementation of projects and public policies that are based on dialogue and community participation.

Businesses

Development of territories and surrounding communities that are based on dialogue and community mobilization.

CSOs

Community mobilization and actions of transformation or building of community spaces in a collaborative way.

Territories

Support in mobilization and dialogue, building of development plans and projects in the territory.

How does the program work?

GSA is an experience that happens over the course of up to 12 months, with 4 modules that total more than 500 hours of practice: 3 being online in our platform and 1 being an Immersion  for practice in Santos, São Paulo (Brazil).

Read here about the modules or click to download the PDF with details about the selection process and modules.

Yes Path

21 hours ONLINE (between Oct-April)

Personal development process, and participant selection for the Immersion. Participants receive access to an exclusive game platform, where they will be supported by materials and tools to develop themselves on three levels of relationships: I with myself, I with others, I with the world. Each process is closely monitored by an experienced team, who study your performance in the game and the tasks completed, and provide personalized feedback.

Abundance Game

27 hours ONLINE (deadline June)

Development of network mapping and resource mobilization skills by learning individual and collective strategies. During this process, the skills of mobilizing resources and networks to materialize a project are improved, the practical result being the mobilization of the necessary resources to make your participation in the program viable. An experienced team supports the journey, analyzing the projects, providing individual mentoring, and contributing to the fundraising roadmaps.

GSA Immersion

2 to 29/07/2024 IN-PERSON in Santos/SP, Brazil

The central moment of the program is a hands-on experience where theory and practice come together. We will use social technologies such as World Café, Open Space, Cooperative Games, NVC and practice Brazilian indigenous pedagogy out in nature. Participants will learn the Elos Methodology and receive training to apply the Oasis Game, while working with real territories, on the dreams of real people.

Expansion Path

108 hours ONLINE (Aug-Dec)

Moment to deepen the knowledge acquired and strengthen their actions in building the best world we can dream of. Videos, articles, and online meetings with experts from different areas will be made available. At this moment, participants also gain access to a network of mentors and members of other editions, where the exchange and sharing of experiences for global transformation with the power of the network is encouraged.

See all that is included in the program

Online pedagogical platform
  • Access to the exclusive platform with the games developed by the Elos Institute, where there you will receive videos, articles, publications, activities, case studies, and tools to develop your skills.
  • There are 220 hours of online training, including study guides; communities of practices, and collective challenges.
  • Follow-up of all online activities by qualified professionals, mentoring during the process, and feedback on your deliverables.
  • You will become part of a global learning community, present in more than 50 countries.
  • All content will be provided in English.
On-site Pedagogical
  • Immersion period in the territories, led by a team of qualified professionals to deliver the on-site training.
  • It includes all the didactic material and the necessary professionals, speakers, facilitators, and other guests to present the program’s theoretical and practical content.
  • During this period, there are several daily learning and practice expeditions in up to 3 different territories, with facilitation by a large team of qualified professionals.
  • It also includes all the necessary structures for explorations and learning with the practice of ancestral knowledge, with the indigenous leader Kaká Werá.
  • It includes some special classes with guest speakers, as well as events prepared for the participants and territories, and a few more surprises!
  • All content is bilingual (Portuguese and English, and there will be people to help translate when needed).
  • Follow-up and mentorship of the participants, the territories and their projects for up to 6 months after the Immersion.
Structure and logistics
  • Accommodation for the participants and the whole team of professionals involved in the program and the GSA for one month, in a collective living space with structure to accommodate all activities.
  • All meals during the immersion days (three meals a day, coffee breaks, etc), primarily ovolactovegetarian.
  • All land transportation to perform the activities during the Immersion period.
  • All the audiovisual structure for the classes, lectures and events.
  • Production, execution and logistics of some large meetings/events during the Immersion period, including transportation and meals for the entire team and cohort.
  • Professionals and transportation needed to conduct the entire process of selection and preparation of the territories to receive the GSA cohort, prior to the beginning of the Immersion.
  • First aid team during some expeditions, for the safety and tranquility of the whole team.
*Not Included
  • Airplane tickets.
  • Visa and/or passports.
  • Transfer from the airport or bus station to the accommodation and back, during the Immersion phase.

Check out the testimonials

Renata Castro (GSA 2022)

Though I did not follow Instituto Elos’ work too closely, I had a very positive impression of their work.  I was seeking tools that could contribute to my professional development as I redirected my career towards the field of sustainability and environmental responsibility, in addition to the structuring of a personal project in the same field.  I saw in the program a platform that delivers much more than this:  a way of developing oneself, specialized tools and methodologies, guided practices, and the mentorship of professionals with expertise in the field.

Tina Onah Udofia

I would gladly recommend this program to whoever is interested in Leadership, social innovation and community development.
The methodologies utilized are innovative social techniques which will help impact all dimensions of your life: personally, professionally, socially and psychologically. The benefits will last for a life time.With immense joy in my heart I reiterate that the one month I spent in Santos was immensely transformative and memorable.

Investment and Scholarships

Cost per participant:

From 12 parcels of R$1,750

To 12 parcels of R$1,237*

*Around USD 240. A discount is made possible thanks to the generous contributions of people and organizations that invest in the education of a new generation of global leaders.

Read below about our scholarship and discount policies, which seek to guarantee social and cultural diversity.

Get to know our scholarship policy

Social justice and diversity are fundamental values for us, and GSA was conceived to include the greatest possible amount of diversity in terms of people and experiences united around a common purpose. We work hard so that all of the people who identify with the course and show potential for leadership and have a commitment to social issues can participate, independent of their socioeconomic context.  Read the details in the course guide.

Scholarships are given to people who are highly engaged with the purpose of GSA, and decisions are made following social justice criteria and prioritizing people from historically marginalized territories and cultures, and of historically marginalized races and ethnicities.

Unsure about whether you fit the profile for a scholarship?

One of the modules of GSA is called the “Abundance Game.”  This experience is frequently reported as one of the most important for people who participate in GSA, because after all, it allows you, a person who wants to change the world, to get to work right away by facing one of the biggest challenges that can come up along your journey:  mobilizing people and resources so that the transformation can happen. 

In this step, we will guide you through a process of mapping out and mobilizing the abundance of resources that you can access to make your participation in the program viable.

We invite you to take a step with courage:  sign up and throw yourself into the process!  On the journey you might discover that the “impossible” doesn’t exist.  We will be by your side, committed to showing you this path and making your participation possible.

Frequently asked questions about GSA

Why do I need to pay to attend the course?
A whole team of professionals works for 12 months so that you receive training of excellence during the GSA. The payment covers the remuneration of this team plus all the production of teaching materials, online platform, external speakers, accommodation, local transport and food, as well as many other items that can be found above in the section “see all that is included in the program”.
However, not all program costs will be paid by the participants! When you are one of the people approved in the selection process for GSA, it means that Elos Institute has also decided to invest in you, and we believe that your coming to GSA will benefit you and many more people, including the program’s partner communities. For this reason, we mobilize financial resources throughout the year, through the work of our team and also through donations from organizations, so that every participant can pay a subsidized amount, lower than the cost of the program – and also have scholarship options (see the “investments and scholarships” section)! In addition, we have a fundraising module (Abundance Game), which means that our expert fundraising team will provide you with knowledge and mentoring, and be with you looking for ways to make your participation viable.
What are the payments I need to make to attend the course?
During the second module (Abundance Game), participants will receive the Payment Plan and each participant can propose changes to this Payment Plan if necessary. Read more about the program fees under the above heading “investments and scholarships”.
Is GSA a volunteer program?
No, GSA is an international training in mobilizing leadership, a course with activities that unite theory and practice, composed of four modules. It has almost double the equivalent workload of a common Postgraduate degree, with the difference that here you learn mainly through practical experience. The activities carried out in the communities during the program are a strategy for learning immersed in a reality that will captivate and challenge you. And in this context, you will learn to apply the Elos Methodology, with the guidance of a team of experienced professionals.
Why is the course expensive?
We understand that the total cost may seem high and we know that it may be beyond your capabilities, which is why we offer a subsidy as well as some financial facilities (see the section on “investments and scholarships”).
However, taking into consideration all that is included in the program, compared to other courses on the market, we believe that the price is very fair. See everything included in the program in the list that can be found above under the heading “see all that is included in the program”.
As we know that the cost of the program may seem beyond your capabilities, we have a module of the course specifically focused on fundraising support (Abundance Game), where you will learn about how to mobilize resources, with mentoring from our expert fundraising team, who will be with you looking for ways to make your participation feasible.
How can I apply for a grant?
The first step is to read the criteria in the “investments and grants” section and understand if you meet the ones we have set as priorities. The second step is to actively participate in the Abundance Game, our module designed to help you fundraise for participation in the program – with mentoring from our expert fundraising team, who will be with you looking for ways to make your participation viable. We are often surprised at our ability to mobilize our network! In addition, during this stage you can also apply for our scholarship form.
Does this course have a religious content?
We do not have a religious content, nor are we bound to any specific religion. We welcome and celebrate a plurality of beliefs, expressions, and cultural and spiritual practices in an environment of respect.
Even so, it is worth clarifying that, as part of the pedagogical proposal, the Immersion phase presents ritual practices inspired by indigenous cultures, with traditional songs and dances, offered by an important indigenous leader, Kaká Werá, who is a main partner in the program. We will also practice circle dances of diverse origins as a way to begin our days and activities celebrating our community. We trust in circular dances as instruments to rethink and reposition forms of sociability and cultural practices. They present us with affective, subjective, and educational possibilities for the construction of a culture of peace, through the communion and fraternization of bodies that interact in a common, rhythmic, and harmonious movement.
I have my religious convictions, do I need to give them up to participate in the program?
No. You don’t need to give up your values and convictions, but you need to participate in the program’s activities, whether they are circular dances, indigenous games and rituals, or sharing around bonfires. If you believe that participating in any of these activities will make you uncomfortable, for religious or other reasons, GSA is not a program for you.
How does the selection process work?
The selection process takes place after the Yes Path, which is a personal development stage through which we also select the participants who can proceed to the Immersion phase, where there are openings for only 60 participants. Learn more about the Yes Path, Immersion and other modules of the program in the “how it works” section above.
Where does the program take place?
The Immersion is the only presential module, which takes place in Santos, SP – Brazil. All the other stages are online. Learn more about the modules in the “how it works” section above.
What are the dates for the in-person Immersion?
Find this and other details about the Immersion in the “how it works” section above.

Still have questions?

See the complete list of questions and answers so you can be sure about your investment in the program!

Pre-register now!

Our application process is annual and starts in October for the next year’s program. Fill out the form receive our emails and be notified of all the details and next dates.

If you are committed to your personal transformation and want to get into action to be part of the change for a better world, we want to meet you. What do you think?