Hello, Doug -- You wrote: I am talking with a senior independent living community about doing something on health and healthcare for seniors. The person I am talking with is suggesting we have a 4-part evening meeting, each one a month apart. Part 1 would be doctors, nurses, staff at the community and perhaps some residents. At part 1 the agenda/topics would be set for the later 3 meetings. Those meetings would be with the residents, primarily.
At first I was balking at the idea of someone setting the agenda for others, but your listing of sessions has me wondering.... - - - ...And you asked how I chose the themes for each day: I chose the theme for Day 1 before the workshop, selecting/crafting something that I felt would offer stimulating and diverse thought all around the topic of peace. The themes for Day 2 and 3 I left open until I experienced Day 1. Turns out some issues arose on Day 1 where it seemed as if there was some underlying stuff within the group that came from Los Angeles (burnout, frustration about their work in the community, puzzles they needed help on, replenishment) that I learned from the few of them who arrived Day 1. So with the help of fabulous BJ Peters we reflected on Day 1 and created the Day 2 theme to make it more direct and personal. When I did a strategic planning session for an organization with two weekends two months apart, I left the theme open until I experienced the first session. Again, big things came up and I was able to open the theme up a bit to include those things. The thing I feel about your folks' setting the agenda/topics for the later three meetings that are not really attended by them (but mostly by residents) -- there's the question for me. I'd love to know more information about the reason they're doing an Open Space. And the reason they're setting themes for something they won't be in -- are they in essence the sponsors? How does that work? Heck, if the themes are carefully crafted and the passion is there, the participants come willingly and the sponsors have worked like crazy to bring a diverse community / whole picture of the community/issue into the room, I see great success following... I look forward to hearing more, Lisa 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 lisah...@pacbell.net www.openspaceworld.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