Jo and Kerry -- I just returned from Indonesia where two others and I trained 40 Indonesian facilitators in Future Search methodology with the intention of leaving them with the skill to carry on the work in 41 districts in Indonesia. This work was done on behalf of UNICEF.
Two of the questions that came up for us: 1. We got similar results as you, Jo, as far as commitment to action. We are wondering how to best support this without a continued relationship to the sponsor and, in particular, without assurances that (in our case) UNICEF will overcome its tendency for top down decisionmaking and ignore or abandon the action teams. Do you have any agreements with the Red Cross? Did you present the participants with any "givens" as far as expectations about continued support. I know that there has been much discussion in the OS community about whether or not to put forth a list of "givens" (limitations on the influence of the group that can be realistically expected) to the participants so they will not have illusions about where their efforts stand. We were concerned, because FS (as OS) is a model with the intent of empowering the participants to self-initiated action. The relationship to the sponsor is critical in that if the participants are abandoned or ignored, it can be a very disillusioning and disempowering experience (of which most people have already had too many). On another listserv, someone mentioned that he thought these kind of self-empowering methodologies should not be used in communities unless it is clear that the people there have the resources and support to really accomplish the goals they set out to accomplish. It's important not to disempower people by assuming they won't be able to "muddle through" (as Harrison puts it) but it is also important not to set people up with unrealistic expectations. 2. How will you handle followup from a distance? Will you stay in touch with these trainees? How? We know, for instance, that our facilitators will have to work with groups that don't all speak the same language or don't read or write any language. In these cases they will have to adapt the process to meet these needs. The advantage you have with Open space, is that it is a simpler methodology to facilitate than Future Search and wouldn't need as much adaptation in the cases I mentioned. Even so, there are certain fundamental principles that need to stay intact for it to be most effective. Like the issue of givens, for instance. It is fascinating to see these process models move into different social and cultural contexts. Kenoli
Dear Jo Toepfer You may have a first there but check with Elwin just to be sure. I am opening space in Yerevan, Armenia on 25 and 26 September, hopefully leaving 10 people with enough training to be self-sustaining. Keep up the pioneering work! Best regards Kerry Napuk Open Futures Edinburgh Scotland www.openfutures.com * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
-- Kenoli Oleari, Horizons of Change, http://www.horizonsofchange.com 1801 Fairview Street, Berkeley, CA 94703 Voice Phone: 510-601-8217, Fax: 510-595-8369, Email: ken...@igc.org (or click on: mailto://ken...@igc.org) * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
