facilitation questions

[Sue Scott]

Hi Everyone,

I seek your wisdom and experience. I am a volunteer in an international
volunteer organization that is beginning to experiment with open space. In
my local area, we are planning a conference that will being together our
volunteers, professionals, other volunteers, and the people we serve. We
generally have a pretty traditional conference, i.e., presentations,
lectures, continuing education credits, registration for time slots in
advance. I had hoped and asked for completely open space for this conference
and it appears that we are not ready for that yet. However, the interest to
learn more is there.  Now some of us have the idea that we could offer open
space at the same time as the rest of the conference. The conference
organizers are fine with this idea. It would be in the same building. We
would like to give people the option to attend the whole regular conference
as is, move in and out of the conference, or spend all the time in open
space. We would have a convening question, marketplace, space to post the
sessions and space to hold sessions, etc.

My questions: Have any of you been part of this sort of thing? If so, any
advice on how to explain to people on the reg form? How would we open space?
To the whole conference? Just to those who showed up in the OS room for
opening? How does it work if some people do not attend opening and then
attend the posted OS sessions? I know I have more questions inside but just
am too inexperienced to know how to ask.

Also, if I am part of this organization, I guess you call it a stakeholder,
is it wise for *me* to be the facilitator? I am fine with not participating
in any sessions that might ensue, if that is what is needed.

Many thanks for your assistance,

Sue Scott in Oregon USA

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist