FACILITATOR AS PARTICIPANT

Pannwitz, Michael M mmpanne at snafu.de
Wed Dec 31 04:38:03 PST 2003


Dear Marks,
I had the privilege to be a coach for a couple of  fellows who had
the role of facilitators for an os-t "retreat" for the  staff of 20
of their own organisation ( a 1,5 days just plain old os with the
half day at the end being the "third day").
Here are some of the things that seemed to make it possible (it
actually worked very well)
1. In the meeting of the planning group it was reaffirmed that the
sponsor for this event was the whole group
2. A person other than the fellows who facilitated was chosen to be
in the role of the sponsor to open the space (thats that little part
in the beginning that lasts just 4 minutes)
3. It was decided to have 2 facilitators in the sense that they would
not facilitate simultaneously but take turns in facilitating
(actually, one of them did the whole intro, another the piece where
the bulletin board is created to organize issues and the
marketplace.... they took turns in facilitating morning and evening
news and managing the "third day") so that they could both contribute
to holding space and time.
4. It was decided to have an experienced, paid os-assitant (someone
who had been in this role several times not in any way associated
with the organisation)
5. The two members of the group that did the facilitation would be
regular participants while not facilitating
6. The coach (lucky me) would be present for the entire event and
everyone knew clearly why he was there.

>From my observation (and this is in fact no different from any
regular os) these were the key factors for making it possible:
a) have the roles clear (sponsor, facilitator, assistant,
participants, etc.)
b) have an experienced assistant who intuitively knows what to do to
relieve the facilitator(s) from doing any of the "chores" that might
distract him from the "holding time and space" work

What also helped was:
c) one of the two facilitators had been participant in several
os-events, been trained as os-facilitator (in the standard 5-day
training offered in these realms) and had facilitated several
os-events himself
d) the other facilitator had been participant and had the benefit of
training, too
e) the staff of the organisation had used os for their work several
times with external facilitators (both for themselves and in projects
that they run)

A short word on my role:
I think I managed brilliantly to do absolutely nothing during the
event.
Perhaps that contributed a little to the peace of mind of the
facilitators and their work holding space and time.

So, now to the advice you asked for:
-have someone other than you be designated to speak for the sponsor
of the event (open the space)
-get yourself a co-facilitator
-get yourself an external assistant
and
ask Chris Corrigan to sit in as coach.

Greetings from Berlin and a Happy New Year
mmp








--Original Message Text---
From: Marks & Margaret McAvity
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2003 19:31:27 -0800

Message Hi folks;

And Happy New Year.

I would appreciate a little advice. I am part of a well knit
"Christian" community of 13 persons that steward the life of a
wonderful little Retreat Centre called Rivendell on Bowen Island near
Vancouver (just down the road from Chris Corrigan). We have been
developing the centre's philosophy, offering spiritual hospitality
and companionship as well as being available as facilitators to the
wide variety of groups that come here. In a way we are the centre's
staff, though it is a non-stipendiary service. As a community we have
a community retreat ourselves three times a year ( normally there are
only 2 or 3 here hosting the centre at any one time).

Our next retreat is early next week. And we have just decided that
for the "content" of this retreat that we would like to explore
developing a covenant for ourselves to both deepen our commitment to
each other, and to state clearly who we are and what we are
endeavouring to do.

Now here is the "rub" and the challenge. I have volunteered to
facilitate an Open Space for this exploration- something I have done
about half a dozen times over the past 3 years, with much
satisfaction and seeming success. However, in this case, I want to be
able to "open" and "hold" space, AND to be a full participant. Has
anyone had any experience of doing this? In our case, it seems
necessary to do this exploration totally "in house", but it ought to
include us all.

Any advice you might have for me as I prepare for this venture would
be much appreciated- short of telling me I shouldn't do it as I am
now committed.

Cheers and thanks in advance.

Marks
of
Margaret & Marks McAvity
S50, C16
Galiano, BC
Canada V0N 1P0
mcavity at primus.ca


604-616-7260(cell-Marks),250-539-2881(Galiano)
604-328-4406(cell-Marg), 604-947-0077(Bowen-us)



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Michael M Pannwitz, boscop
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
FON: +49 - 30-772 8000   FAX: +49 - 30-773 92 464
www.michaelMpannwitz.de
www.openspace-landschaft.de


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