Deafened People thriving in OS

Fri Apr 22 04:54:56 PDT 2005

Possibilities with Open Space are almost limitless.

Here is how I adapted the process to meet the challenges at hand for this
Open Space meeting for deafened people - people who once heard and spoke but
have now lost their hearing completely or in good part and have not
necessarily learned sign language or lip reading.

The invitation from a volunteer organization went to the community at large.
Over twenty people met for half a day. The theme was focussed on service and
access needs of deafened people. Communication was assisted by interpreters,
sound enhancing ear plugs and simultaneous captioning services enabling
participants to read spoken words on a large screen.

We were able to preserve the formation of the full circle of chairs by
having some of the hearing participants (partner accompanying a deafened
participant, sponsor of the organization, sign language interpreter and
facilitator) sit at one end of the circle, their backs to the screen which
other participants needed to see.

As the facilitator, I could not walk in the circle while speaking because it
would have interfered with the view of the screen but I did walk around the
circle once without speaking. I had told the group I would do so and that at
the same time, they were invited to let their eyes go around the circle,
acknowledging the richness of the people present. I made eye contact with
everyone, we all smiled and nodded to welcome each other and they did the
same with other participants. The circle was bound.

Harisson Owen’s “less is more” never was so true. To explain the process, I
had to speak slowly, using few words, choosing key important ones so that
the captioning note takers and interpreters would represent the ideas as
clearly and as completely as possible. Otherwise, they will cut on what was
said or put it in words that may not reflect as well what you wanted to say.
Beth Martin a OS trainee who assisted in the Open Space was asked by the
sponsor to take the role of reading the screen and signalling to me when I
had to slow down. If a message had been really distorted, she would have
caught it and let me know.

Participants wrote their topics and only when all had finished did they take
turns to announce them from their seat. This way, everyone could look at the
screen or interpreter. Otherwise, they would have missed the topic
announcements because they would be looking at their sheet while writing
their own topic. Participants with topics then picked up a Post-it with time
and place and put up their topics on the wall. After this first round, some
came up with more ideas for topics and we proceeded in the same way again.

Once all the topics were on the wall, further instructions were given and
off they went to sign up. If they needed to negotiate combinations or time
changes, they could communicate with each other by writing on the paper pad
they were given or calling upon an interpreter. Each meeting site had a
large screen computer and a note taker and participants sat around to read
on the screen what was being said. Interpreters went where they were needed.
There was a talking piece at every meeting site to help see who was
speaking. A real break was scheduled between the two discussion rounds to
give everyone a rest from reading.

Discussion reports were completed after the event, given it was only a half
day meeting. For reporting to the entire group at the end of the event, two
flip charts were placed near the circle in the plenary room and initiators
had been invited to write two or three lines that captured the key idea or
action coming out of their discussion. This encouraged them to organize
their thoughts and it condensed the reporting period. Initiators read their
two line reports that were captured by the interpreters and the larger
screen. Participants exchanged comments, reactions and more stories.

For the closing, the talking piece worked like it always does and words came
from the heart to bring meaningful closure to this event.

They were energised by this kind of exchange that brought them out of their
isolation. They would have wanted to keep on. They talked about having
another meeting. This kind of experience was a first of its kind for these
participants and for this community of people with hearing challenges. A few
months later, they formed a self-help group that is now meeting regularly.

The quickness of participants to take charge of the process, the level of
participation, the energy and the enthusiasm about the results and about
this way of meeting were the same as for all the other open space groups I
have facilitated. Open Space does work with any group as long as there is
passion for the reason that brings people together.

Diane Gibeault

Diane Gibeault CPF / FPA

Diane Gibeault & Assoc.

www.dianegibeault.com

diane.gibeault at rogers .com   Ottawa Canada   (613) 744-2638

Facilitation and Training in Support of Transformation
Facilitation et formation en appui à la transformation

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