Hello, dear colleagues - There are at the time of this writing 8 people who would like your help as they leap into the unknown, let whatever happens happen, and believe that they will get to the Open Space on Open Space in Melbourne, the Australia with your support and sharing of resources.
Let's make their dreams come true! You'll be hearing from them shortly (stay tuned). Meanwhile, I've made an example of one way to ask organizations and individuals for funding to get to Melbourne. Perhaps you'd like to use it yourself, and feel free to use it, adapt it, excerpt it, plagiarize it - whatever fits your style and needs. For Melbourne or for anything else, for that matter. And whether you're going to Melbourne or not: here's one way you can help our 8 aforementioned folks: Take a look at the Request for Funding at the link below and start thinking about where *you* could bring it or send it to ask on *their* behalf for funding, to help them capture their dreams. Remember: the burden on the sponsor (that's us) is to get the right people (that's them) into the room (and for them, that's OSonOS in OZ). You can find the Request for Funding in pdf format and in Word at: http://www.openspaceworld.org/osonos.html .and thanks to Michael Herman for posting it there for all to use. If you're having success raising funds (or frequent flyer miles) for you or another person, even if it's just a little bit at a time, let me know, and I'll share the stories in future Access Queen messages, so we can learn from each other and hear how it's all going. And if you are reading this and thinking you'd like to jump into the unknown and add your requests to the 8, the topic is posted and we'll be meeting at 10:30 in area D (which means: let me know at [email protected]) and I'll help you with ideas and we'll all see what happens.) Lisa PS: Guess what? I'm not the one with the money. I have some funds donated to the Access Queen account from Chris and Laurel (profits from last year's OSonOS in Vancouver) and from Michael Pannwitz' and Florian Fischer's creative auctioning of original art covers for the Book of Proceedings at one of their Open Spaces. Florian also has asked that people who buy his writings donate the money instead to the Access Queen account (thanks, Ms. Birgitt!). But the sum total I can provide out of this account is just enough to provide pocket money to our intrepid dreamer-travelers to Melbourne (as they'll need some cash for little expenses like ground transport or food during their trip and that's expensive for them, too). I am not a grant-making fund, just pocket money. Think of all the other sources in your communities that might support international educational exchanges, country-to-country partnerships, community capacity building, and more - both corporate and NGO. Think of asking others in your networks and communities to donate to someone they haven't yet met but still believe in -- our Australian colleague Andrew Donovan has pledged $250 and has asked others what they will pledge (thanks, dear Andrew!). Think of the services or items people buy from you or the talents or connections you might have, that you might donate funds or airline tickets to some lucky dreamer. L i s a H e f t Consultant, facilitator, educator O p e n i n g S p a c e 2325 Oregon Berkeley, California 94705-1106 USA (+01) 510 548-8449 [email protected] www.openspaceworld.com
