Empowering people to make wise and compassionate choices

At FDCW we believe it is just as important to take care of your inner needs and development as it is to take care of your physical and material needs. 

We offer resources, courses and training that explore and develop qualities such as kindness, patience and courage - qualities which are essential for meeting the challenges of the world we all share.

The Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW) was established as a global charity based in London in 2005. Since then we have provided secular training, programmes and resources across many sectors of society – schools, universities, hospices, workplaces, healthcare, youth groups and community centres. 

Our courses have reached thousands of people across the world through our dedicated and growing network of facilitators in more than 20 countries.

What do we mean by ‘secular’?

We create programmes and courses that cultivate and explore universal values such as humility, kindness, courage, compassion, empathy. By seeing our experiences through the lens of these values, we learn to manage our negative emotions better and create the space for wiser choices. The content is inspired by ancient Buddhist wisdom and Western philosophy without religious elements. Courses are presented in a modern way using scientific evidence and current theories in psychology so that they are universally relevant in a modern world.  

What makes our courses a unique experience?

Our courses put the student at the centre of the learning process. Unlike traditional learning experiences in which the teacher may be perceived as ‘the sage on the stage’, our facilitators aspire to be ‘the guide on the side’ - walking the path of learning together with the students.

Whether a course is delivered in person or online, our trained facilitators create the conditions for the students’ growth and inner wisdom to unfold through creative exploration and heartfelt reflection and sharing in pair and group activities. By bringing qualities of mindfulness to the gradual process of unfolding understanding, learning becomes a whole-hearted experience not a process of simply receiving information. 

What is Universal Education?

Our training, courses and resources are all based on Universal Education.

Universal Education is rooted in Buddhist philosophy, psychology and science: a 2,500 year old tradition committed to rigorous empirical investigation and authentic practice. It is presented using contemporary language and methods suitable for people of all traditions and cultures, and encourages a non-dogmatic and experiential approach.

This unique and authentic system of inner learning can transform challenging emotions, build better relationships and bring a more stable happiness.

Our Inspiration

We take inspiration from our Patron, the Dalai Lama, who is one of the world’s leading advocates for the promotion of human values and universal ethics in education and society. 

In 1983 Lama Yeshe began formulating the idea of Universal Education. “The world needs a new system of education because the old one is too dated for the intelligent people of today and produces a great deal of conflict and dissatisfaction in the present generation. […] We have to get rid of people’s old concepts and give them a new imagination; a new, broad way of looking at themselves and the world. That’s what I mean by “universal.” Lama Zopa Rinpoche, FDCW’s Honorary President, continues to support Lama Yeshe’s vision.

FDCW follows in the footsteps of this inspiration by creating programmes built on universal values and training people in a modern, secular facilitation style.