Forming an Initiating Group

How does it start? Transition presentation Film screening Meet at my house Have a meal Meet at the pub World Cafe Open space event

First priorities Decide who’s in the group Get to know each other Set intent—vision, mission, aim Establish ground rules or guidelines: How will you make decisions? Who will do what? How long will you continue? How often will you meet? Then get the group working well

What is the purpose?

Stages of Group Formation mourning

Performing For each event or activity you do there is a cycle of: Don’t forget to celebrate!!!

Skills Needed   Organising—booking rooms, DVDs, speaker, projector and screen, refreshments, facilitator, etc. Facilitating meetings—agenda, inclusion, etc. Running talks Facilitating, dealing with process Publicity—press, website Managing information—email lists, website Public speaking Networking with existing organisations—contacts Connected with people in your community Leadership Relationship skills—group dynamics, managing conflict Passion and commitment

Empower themselves to take responsibility Ground themselves in their own personal ethic Convene authentic conversations Understand that creative tension holds potential for breakthrough thinking Experiment, reflect, learn, adjust and share Look for interrelationships Notice and attend to human dynamics of transformative change Understand that outcomes unfold www.sustainabilityleaders.org/leadership/principles

Next Steps Steep yourself in permaculture, peak oil, climate change, heart and soul, anything…so that you can read the field. As the initiating group, you have the job of having to put stuff out, read the field, see what comes back, and then work out your next steps.

Sustaining the group Keep your learning going arrange training for the group… share skills, books, articles, information… support each other in attending courses… put on events that you want to go to! Find activities which deepen you and the group Joanna Macy, Pachamama or other workshops… outdoor group activities… shared meals with no agenda!! Review your balance of giving and taking take steps to keep yourselves sustainable!! How do we sustain the group? Review balance of giving and receiving- sustainability- did it in totnes, realised group not sustainable, realised need a paid worker, Refer to document in resources called Structure & Details of 4 Transition Projects which gives examples of how some have done it If time at the end then do theatre activity Get people into groups around their own groups Get them to act out the dynamics in their group Might be a typical meeting Might be overall dynamic of the group Give them a few minutes prep and then a few minutes each to act them out/or do short presentation of how it has developed