SV: GOOD WORK FOR 2,000 COLOMBIAN STREET KIDS (long)

Eva P Svensson eva at epshumaninvest.se
Tue Nov 9 10:54:41 PST 2004


Peggy,
WOW, you are a brave woman! Thank you for the wonderful story – and you did
a good job telling it, so lively that I can “see” the surroundings and the
event happening. And I recognized so much (the teachers behaviour) from when
I had an OST with kids. And I must say that I wish that you had had this
meeting before me because I learned so much from your story.
Thank you
Eva

P.S Funny thing but the original message didn’t come through; I got it by
all the answers to the list
?

Bästa hälsningar


Eva P Svensson
...................................................................

EPS Human Invest AB
"Verksamhetsutveckling genom människor skapar
långsiktigt välmående företag och organisationer!"
Anåsbergsvägen 22
439 34  ONSALA
Tfn: 0300-615 05
Mobil:0706-89 85 50
eva at epshumaninvest.se
www.epshumaninvest.se

-----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
Från: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]För Marleny Munoz
Skickat: den 9 november 2004 10:48
Till: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Ämne: Re: GOOD WORK FOR 2,000 COLOMBIAN STREET KIDS (long)

Daer Peggy:
I appreciate the excellent job you have done in Colombia. As a Colombian
person to know more about your work there.
Regards,
Marleny Munoz
Ph: 403 284 5322
----- Original Message -----
From: Peggy S. Holman <mailto:peggy at opencirclecompany.com>
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU <mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 5:13 PM
Subject: GOOD WORK FOR 2,000 COLOMBIAN STREET KIDS (long)

GOOD WORK FOR 2,000 COLOMBIAN STREET KIDS

Where to begin to tell this story?  I hope to channel two of my favorite
story tellers, Harrison Owen and Chris Corrigan, who always seem to capture
the vibrant aliveness of the event itself.

THE SET-UP
I was already on my way to Bogota, Colombia, to teach a class at Los Andes
University on Whole Systems Change.  About five weeks before leaving, I
received an e-mail from Andrés Agudelo , aagudelo at tandemadr.com
<mailto:aagudelo at tandemadr.com> , one of my contacts in Bogota:

> Hi Peggy,
>
> Just a quick note to let you know some good news. I had a meeting with an
> italian priest, Javier de Nicolo who has worked in the
> streets of Bogota helping kids who are abandoned by their families, and
get
> into drugs and prostitution (or the guerrilla) to survive. What he has
been
> doing is training them in different skills, and he gets them jobs, or
makes
> team of youngsters to pave the streets of the city, financed by the mayors
> office and some private funds. He agreed to make an OST in order to
motivate
> the kids: they start working with energy, and then fade out.
> What do you think? Would it be interesting for you when you come next
> october?
>
> Best regards,
> Andrés Agudelo

Of course I said yes.  The next message, two weeks before the event, added
one interesting and challenging wrinkle – this Open Space would be for 2,000
people:

> Hi Peggy,
>
> The priest would like to do an OS for two thousand of the
kids/adolescents,
> including three hundred of the people who work with them, if possible oct
> 31st and Nov. 1st. Would this be fine for you?
>
> When would be a good time to talk by phone?
>
> Ciao,
> Andrés



I remember thinking, “2,000 people?  Is that for real?  I’m sure when we dig
into the details, it will be a more ‘normal’ size.  And if not, it will be
fine (I hope).”

We talked the next day.  And sure enough, they wanted 2,000 people present.
The context and questions all sounded straightforward enough.  I trusted
Andrés’ judgment and made the leap.  It was a go.

A few days later, 12 days before the event was scheduled was my first
conversation with the sponsor; actually the sponsor’s right hand—Helena.  As
I later learned, Helena is a remarkable dynamo with an extraordinarily
competent staff that is used to dealing with very large numbers of kids.

I should mention a couple interesting twists to this story.  Since we were
in Bogota, the OS would be in Spanish, a language in which I can count to
ten and name a few colors.  While I had met Andrés during my first trip to
Colombia during the summer, this would be our first work together.

During our conference call, I learned that Helena’s exposure to OS consisted
of what she had learned through Andrés and one 50-person self-conducted
experiment with some of the adults who work with this jobs program.  They
loved the experience and the results and they were completely committed.

I called both Harrison Owen and Michael Pannwitz to gather any information
from their 2,108 person OS that might be useful.  They both said essentially
the same things:

The dynamics are the same as any other OS
.be prepared to be surprised
and
have fun.

I arranged to fly in a day early to see the site.  Andrés was going to be
out of town, so I was on my own in sorting through the logistics.  I was
still a bit in denial that there might be anything special that I needed to
consider for an OS this size.

THE SITE
My first impression was of the sheer beauty of the place.  I learned that
Fr. Javier de Nicolo was 75 and has been working with street kids for 40
years, helping tens of thousands find a better life.  Through the years, he
has attracted the resources to build about 8 facilities around the city to
house and educate the young people.  The site of the OS was primarily for
young girls, ages 8-12, many of whom had experienced physical and/or sexual
abuse.  The plan was to take them off campus when the OS participants, ages
16-22, mostly male, arrived.

My next impression gave me great reason to question my sanity in saying yes.
I saw the room planned for the OS.  Unlike the US, in Bogota, there’s no
handy sign posted with the room capacity.  I did a bit of walking and
counting and my best estimate was the main floor would hold 750 people
sitting on the floor with a tiny circle in the center.  The stage could
accommodate perhaps another couple hundred and the balcony, with no inside
access for posting sessions might hold another couple hundred.  Helena
seemed completely unfazed by the seeming impossibility of putting 2,000
people in a space that, by her own admission, had never held more than
1,000.  That’s when I took the leap and thought to myself, “I’m working with
a religious organization.  We’re in god’s hands.”

The courtyard leading to the room was big, square and could easily
accommodate 2,000.  We agreed to prepare both the room and the courtyard and
would be outside if the weather made that possible.

Ah, the weather.  We were in the rainy season.  Bogota is a lush, green
place, much like my home town, Seattle.  That meant I knew and appreciated
the price paid to live in such a beautiful, green place.  It rains a lot.  I
had looked at weather.com and saw nothing but rain in the future.

We talked about tape on the floor to mark aisle ways.  We made one
accommodation for the limited space inside and windiness outside.  Rather
than putting the paper and markers on the ground in the center of the
circle, lots of volunteers would pass out paper and markers to everyone who
wanted them.  Conveners would come to the center to announce their issues.
That enabled us to keep the center circle small, maximizing sitting space.

They had 40 computers on site and volunteer teachers to support the kids
with entering their reports.  Plus, they had plans to prepare 2,000
breakfasts and lunches for the two days.

We talked about the theme.  The priest had just gotten some devastating
news: the jobs they had from public and private sources for the work program
were in jeopardy because kids were showing up stoned and were stealing.  The
theme took on a new urgency and a decidedly fear-based twist: from the best
possible job opportunities now and in the future, it became saving the jobs
they had.  I did my best to open the theme to be more affirmative, future
focused.  In the end, saving jobs won.  The theme:
"Como puedo colaborar YO para que los empleadores nos sigan dando trabajo
ahora y en el futuro?"

Loosely translated (I think): How can I contribute to employers not
canceling work for us now and in the future?



The oddest part to me is that I never panicked.  Rain seemed inevitable and
in no way could I picture 2,000 people fitting in the room.  The theme was
the most fear-based I’d ever work with.  And I was calm.  Some part of me
thought that was very odd.  Most of me just knew it would work.  Perhaps it
was because I was VERY clearly working with people who had handled huge
crowds before.  While they needed my expertise on the OS logistics, it was
clear the kids and I were all in good hands in every other way.

 I didn’t actually see Andrés until the day before the event.  I had just
finished an intense three-day course and he was returning from running an
equally consuming multiple day workshop in Ecuador.  He saw our OS site for
the first time that afternoon.  He thought it could hold 1,500, still not
the 2,000 we expected.  We were both pretty tired.  We reviewed a few
logistical items that evening but didn’t actually agree to how we would work
until the next morning as we drove to the site.  And still I was calm.  So
was Andrés.

For the opening, we took our cue from Harrison and Michael.  I’d speak in
English, Andrés in Spanish.  He wouldn’t do exact translation, rather he’d
speak the OS rituals in his own way.  We took it a step further—since the
number of English speakers was tiny, I would speak one line and he’d add all
of the specifics in Spanish.  (I actually suggested not appearing at all.
Ultimately, we agreed that while they wouldn’t understand my words, there
was something important about the presence of this stranger coming from
another country to work with them.)

DAY ONE
After gloomy, grey skies and constant rain since I’d arrived, the day,
October 31st, dawned with blues skies and sun shine.  As far as I was
concerned, it was a minor miracle.

We convened in the courtyard, with huge letters put together on the sides of
the buildings spelling out the law of two feet, the four principles, the
conference theme.  It was spectacular.  The priest spoke (at length) then
turned the microphone over to us.  We began.

In recent years, I’ve begun asking for a brief silence anytime the whole
group gathers.  At a minimum, it is a chance for people to collect their
thoughts.  More subtlely, there is something very powerful about groups,
particularly very large groups sitting together in silence.  We were curious
how these young people, with their drug-addicted backgrounds and reputation
for violence would respond.  It was AWESOME!  Two thousand young people so
quiet you could hear a pin drop.

We took them through the opening and then it was time to post sessions.  And
I got my only big surprise.  EVERYONE stood up and started milling around.
I wasn’t sure what was happening or whether anyone would post anything.  And
then it began.  Andrés was suddenly surrounded by kids with topics on their
papers.  For the next forty minutes, he stood, rock solid, holding the
microphone as one by one, 300+ sessions were announced and posted.  So much
for our neatly taped aisle ways!  The kids entered the hall to look at the
agenda wall.  And they were on their way.

One theme was named over and over: taking responsibility for their actions.
The sessions themselves were filled with remarkable conversations:
*        Is it time to end the “code of silence” and speak out when someone
shows up to work stoned?
*        How do we handle people who don’t obey the rules of the program?
Should they be kicked out?  Helped back into drug rehab?

The kids were deeply engaged.  And our challenge was the teachers!  They
were so used to keeping the kids under control, fearful of violence if they
didn’t, that some were taking over moderating groups!  Wherever we could, we
coached the teachers in real time to participate but not take over.  We
expressed our distress to Helena and ultimately agreed that we would meet
with the teachers in the morning before we opened the space on day 2.

Our concern reached its peak when we heard Helena’s voice over the
loud-speaker system that reached the entire campus announcing that it was
time to change sessions.  And then she kept talking.  Andrés went to take
the mike from her and returned empty handed.  I went out, found her talking
to a young man, just holding the mike, and I said, “I’ll take that,” removed
it and left.  A few minutes later, she joined Andrés and me.  We talked to
her about how important it was for the young people to experience taking
responsibility.  She thanked us for the reminder that she was doing exactly
what she often told the teachers not to do!

A few minutes later, our blood pressure was raised again.  We heard the
priest, midday, lecturing over the loud-speaker, telling everyone they
should go to work.  So much for butterflies!  I knew it was my
responsibility to keep the space open for the kids.  Andrés, as my
translator, and I, as someone from completely outside the system, took off
to find the priest.  I took (respectfully) the microphone out of his hands
as he was about to launch into yet another lecture over the loud speaker
system.  I told him that he was talking to them about responsibility but not
giving them the chance to practice it.  The process we were using supports
people in taking responsibility for what they love, helping them learn to
embrace responsibility from within themselves rather than it being imposed
by others outside themselves.  He told me he wanted what was best for the
kids.  I said we wanted the same thing.  It was a defining moment.  He not
only took what I said very graciously but the next day, he came with a
completely different attitude and no longer a need to lecture at length!  I
thanked him for his support at lunch on day 2.  He said, "Day 1 was the
apocalypse.  Day 2, we are in heaven."  It is my favorite line from the
whole event.



DAY TWO
The clear weather held.  We began the day meeting in a circle with the
teachers.  We asked them how they saw things going.  Some were quite
distressed, feeling the young people needed better guidance.  Others were
thrilled with the thoughtfulness and initiative.  In the end, we encouraged
them to listen as much as possible; to assume that even if what they saw
wasn’t the way they’d approach the work, that it was just fine; and if they
couldn’t resist intervening, that they do it with a question.

Another 140 sessions went up in the morning and 40 in the afternoon's action
planning OS.  The dynamics were much the same as the day before.  No orderly
queuing in aisles, just a mob, respectfully waiting their turn to announce
their sessions.

The kids were quite amazing.  I felt a bit like Mother Therese.  Whenever I
walked through the square, they surrounded me.  Mostly, they wanted to try
their 3 or 4 words of English and ask me questions.  On the second day, I
joined the film crew (yes, we had a professional videographer with us) and
started asking the kids questions.  They told me that they definitely want
to do more OS.  When I asked why, one of these hard-core young men (no doubt
carrying a knife or a gun somewhere in all that baggy clothing) said it gave
him a feeling of family.



One young man approached me right after the space opened to tell me that he
had left early on day one but was committed to staying all day today.  I
wondered if he’d just told me indirectly that he wouldn’t leave to get
stoned today.

The man who ran the program was thrilled.  He told us that he had learned so
much from this.  The kids had told him that the program was far too easy on
offenders, the rules should be much tougher!  His solution: he would ask the
kids to define the rules and the consequences.  What an incredible shift!

A teacher found me to say that she had gone into a room where the kids were
playing cards.  Her first impulse was to tell them to get to work. Instead,
she remembered the suggestion of asking a question.  “Did they need
anything?”  “No,” they replied, “we’re just fine.  We’re taking a break and
will get the work done just fine.”  The teacher left, a bit bemused, but
satisfied that she’d done the right thing.




As you can imagine, there was incredible support from many, many people to
pull this off.  The kitchen baked 8,000 loaves of bread for day 1.  I
understand that 2,300 lunches were served that day, making the official
count of 1,800 low.  (We may have a new OS record!  They're re-counting the
number registered.)  The team working the computers posted reports as they
came in.  The last I saw of the report, it was at least 600 pages.  None of
it would have been possible without my extraordinary colleague in this
adventure, Andrés Agudelo.  While relatively new to OS, he has many years as
a Gestalt therapist and exudes calm even when deluged by several hundred
kids surrounding him with sessions to announce.




AFTERWARDS
I left for home the next morning, the weather gray and drizzly, leaving a
request for Andrés to let me know what happens.  We were quite sure that
Pandora’s box was wide open and nothing would be the same.

Four days after the event, Andrés sent this message:

>Hi Peggy,
>
>I will try to call yoou this weekend. A lot of things have happened, but I’
d rather talk to you.
>
>Ciao,
>
>Andrés Agudelo

And so it stands
.


Peggy Holman
November 7, 2004

P.S.  Pictures and a video coming soon
.

___________________________________
Peggy Holman
The Open Circle Company
15347 SE 49th Place
Bellevue, WA  98006
425-746-6274
www.opencirclecompany.com <http://www.opencirclecompany.com>
peggy at opencirclecompany.com <mailto:peggy at opencirclecompany.com>
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