Rachel Tuckett is a CAT graduate who manages CAT’s Innovation Lab. She first visited as a child, and this seed of inspiration has blossomed from studying an MSc in Sustainability and Behaviour Change at CAT to now working here to enable groups to create new responses to the climate and nature crisis.

For Rachel, working simultaneously with scientific evidence, creative methodologies, systems approaches, and diverse groups of people is hugely stimulating and rewarding. Here she is to tell us more…

“In many ways, the path that brought me here began with a visit to CAT when I was about 7. More recently, my studies at CAT allowed me to explore how social and systemic change happens and deepened my conviction in the importance of participation and co-creation to bring about lasting change. I realised how rewarding I find facilitation, so started building up my skills in this area, including by volunteering with CAT’s Innovation Lab. I had no idea at the time that a few years later I would be leading it!   

I love facilitating groups of people to think differently about complex challenges. So often our approaches get stuck in habitual patterns, and our thought processes get constrained by dominant mental models. I explore and design processes to help shake us out of those – and it’s a lot of fun! How can we unleash the power of our imaginations? What happens when we listen deeply to new perspectives and engage in curious dialogue? What insights can we glean from connecting with nature? What if we listen to our bodies and intuition as well as using our brains? 

My background is in policy and strategy – although before studying at CAT I was very much a ‘generalist’. I was Head of Food Security and Resilience at Defra during Brexit and Covid, which involved a lot of scenario planning and emergency response work. Prior to that I held a number of policy, strategy and operational roles, at Defra, Ministry of Justice and HMRC. Before that, I worked with underprivileged 7–18-year-olds, at an educational charity.   

I wanted to develop an area of specialism in responding to the climate and ecological emergencies and was considering further study. Then I discovered CAT offered MSc courses, and specifically that they had a course focused on the ‘people’ side of the challenge – the MSc in Sustainability and Behaviour Change. I’d always felt there was something a little bit magical about CAT ever since I visited aged 7, and I wanted to study somewhere that prioritised real-world practical change. Once I read about this course, I knew I had to do it.” 

At a professional level, studying at CAT enabled me to move into environmental policy. I worked on Defra’s environmental behaviour change strategy and led government’s programme to green its estate and operations. Ultimately, as I progressed through my masters, it gave me the confidence to leave the civil service to pursue work in facilitating a more participatory approach to driving change. 
 
At a personal level, studying at CAT has enabled me to reflect on how I want to show up in the world, and take intentional steps towards living in alignment with myself. It’s also given me deep connections to an incredible network of other changemakers, visionaries, and do-ers, that help motivate, inspire and support each other to do our difficult but vital work; a completely invaluable and amazingly powerful source of support. 
 
My different modules also prompted new interests that have shaped how Ii engage with my community and where I live. I explored the impact of corporate advertising in public spaces – and am now part of a local and national campaign against it! I became fascinated by our economic system and the stories it is based on – and am now part of a movement to rebuild the commons. I have also made changes at an individual level – and crucially, know the importance of telling people about these changes and why I’ve made them. 

Learning about systems thinking has completely shifted how I see and engage with the world – and I use this every day in both professional and voluntary contexts. Volunteering with CAT’s Innovation Lab helped me build my facilitation skills and gave me the conviction to pursue that line of work more fully.

Studying at CAT and the (un)learning journey it has prompted has been a completely transformative experience for me. We are lucky enough to be alive at a time when we have the opportunity to shape the future of life on this planet. CAT has given me insights, skills and personal capacities to face this reality head on with active hope, curiosity and compassion. Thank you CAT! Keep innovating, keep inspiring, keep going!

STUDY AT CAT 

Inspired by Rachel’s story? Find out more about our Masters in Sustainability and Behaviour Change or other postgraduate courses by signing up to view a recording of one of our recent Virtual Open Days, or get in touch with our Admissions Team.