Open Collaboration

Raffi Aftandelian raffi at BK.RU
Tue Aug 26 15:08:40 PDT 2008


Dear all,

Alpha Lo, who was at the WOSonOS, has just shared with the world a new book:

"Open Collaboration."

He writes:
"There's a new (and ancient) paradigm that's altering the world we know.
The paradigm is that of open collaboration.

Do we have a map of this paradigm?

A new book "Open Collaboration" collects many of the amazing examples
out there, gathers the concepts that are growing to explain this new
revolution - from open source software to burningman to rainbow
gatherings to wikipedia to tool libraries  to cohousing to farmers
markets to peer-to-peer networks to open space technology to bottom-up
processes to skillshares to drum circles to unconferences to creative
commons to collaborative blogging to ecovillages to the global
consciousness project to workers cooperatives to remix culture - and
brings them together into an encyclopedia. It itself taps into the
openly collaboratively written Wikipedia for many of its articles.

available at lulu.com
www.lulu.com/content/3664657
(theres a free download of the book at the website)

"Open collaboration" : an encyclopedia on the power of participation
and self-organization. Compiled and edited by Alpha Lo.

This is a book you can browse for inspiration, search for ideas of how
to make your project more openly collaborative. This is a book you can
use to make sense of the multidimensional aspects of this new open
collaboration paradigm that may be birthing a whole new era of human
history that is globally cooperative.

"This book has the potential to generate a culture" - Patrick Troup


warmly,
raffi

*
*
==========================================================
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

>From  Tue Aug 26 15:20:09 2008
Message-Id: <TUE.26.AUG.2008.152009.0700.>
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:20:09 -0700
Reply-To: lisaheft at openingspace.net
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Lisa Heft <lisaheft at openingspace.net>
Subject: Re: WOSonOS -and- future years and locations [long]
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
 boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0070_01C9078F.3DB0E250"

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0070_01C9078F.3DB0E250
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

It sounds like there are 4 areas of discussion here:

 

*         Feelings of inclusion / helpfulness of the every-few-months call
that currently has a few representatives from many different countries on it

*         The idea of having one in-person 'main' WOSonOS per year - whether
or not there are also other OSonOSs or WOSonOSs any other times and
locations

*         Decision-making process for deciding on WOSonOS future years'
sites

*         Need / value / usefulness of knowing WOSonOS site 2 years in
advance

 

You may see some other threads here.

 

I am one of those people who thrives in international mixed group gatherings
(in my home country or elsewhere) as they stretch me far outside my known
areas and enhance my learning - showing me what I do not know and what I
still need to learn, as I interact with diverse people and cultures that are
not like my own.  I also find it is so nutritious for me to get together in
person with my 'tribe' - my fellow Open Space facilitators from around the
world.  So I really look forward to the times when I can come to one of
these once a year in-person WOSonOSs.  I find it recharges my learning, and
strengthens my sense of community.  And: I am very grateful for knowing 2
years ahead of time when the WOSonOS will be - as it helps me put something
on my calendar in advance, so I can arrange my complicated life around it
and see if I can afford to come (jobs, elder care, finances, savings)

 

But for this message, I would like to focus on the thread of conversation
about how much preparation / time is needed. Let me add some thought from
perspective of one member of one Host Team.

 

I totally support that there are all different ways to host an OSonOS or a
WOSonOS and all different styles of doing so.

I have been to great OSonOSs where (for example as you did, Harrison) a host
said 'I found a room, here is the time and place, this is what it costs,
here is how many people our site will hold so first come first serve, and I
look forward to seeing you there'.  And it was fabulous. Folks found their
own ways, went out to get their own food, found their own lodging, and had a
wonderful time and rich learning.

 

I do not wish to imply that any of you who generously create a nutritious
space for people to come and do fabulous work together are in any way not
working hard to create a welcoming space.

However, to me - in my style of doing things - invitation - and by that I
mean invitation welcoming diversity - is an extensive set of tasks and
design, which takes a lot of lovely and creative work.  This joyful burden
takes place from the moment of first message out up to and throughout the
event itself.  Or that is how I do it.  

 

To me, this kind of invitation broadens the richness of 'Whoever Comes' -
because it identifies and works on issues of access - more like... 'Whoever
is just as able to come as the others who can come'.  By 'access' I mean all
kinds of elements - funding, language, mobility, connection to greater
community, age, location, sophistication at seeking resources, experience
traveling, special foods, physical or emotional needs, connection to
internet, access to a visa, years' experience, ability to have pocket money
for books or dinners, and so on.

 

Invitation like this is to me an interesting, creative and gratifying job.
Our Host Team worked really hard, to do whatever it took - to ensure that
people with all different levels of access and ability were able to join us.
And I believe that it showed in the mix of people who were at our WOSonOS.
I will give you some statistics - this is also to share a bit with the
Taiwan and the Berlin Host Teams, who have been interested in hearing about
some of our tasks and our lessons learned.

 

I do not say the following to 'blow our horn' (for you
non-English-as-a-first-language speakers: to brag about how fabulous we are)
- but instead to give you a sense for why I am glad we had the knowledge we
would be hosting a little over a year in advance and had a year to work on
it, and how I see the tasks that may be unpleasant for some were delightful
to me.

 

123 attendees (from 13 countries) came to the 2008 WOSonOS, I'm happy to
say.

 

Out of those 123 people, 76 people paid the most they could -and- because
that was less than our per-person costs, Access Queen and her partners made
up the difference for 76 people.

Could those 76 people have joined us if this were not the case?  I am
guessing many could not have - and then we would not have been enriched by
their presence.

In order to include everyone who had the desire and passion to join us, it
took quite a bit of advance work - to identify resources, research options,
and design survey of needs and resources into our registration process, for
example.

 

Access Queen is a project, not a fund, although there is a little funding
each year due to contributions. This is a resource-sharing project I do for
each year's WOSonOS where I invite those who need to ask for support and
those who have to share their resources.

So.  Our registration fee was a 'pay the most that you can' amount.
Everybody did. 

Registration also had built into it a 'donate some more if you can' and many
people did. These are some of the Access Queen partners.

We also asked whoever was able and interested to donate some additional
funds towards operating expenses. More fabulous partners.

We also invited some organizations and individuals to act as sponsors. More
partners.

 

37 attendees had special diets or other special needs.

 

We provided attendees with 8 meals, including custom-designed meals and
snacks for those with special dietary needs and also for several attendees
whose family members joined us for evening events.  

 

Several attendees requested and received translation.  

 

Many months in advance, a lovely team went to visit every single
accommodation site on our accommodations list - to ensure that we would only
put on our list those sites that were clean and safe.

We made reservations at hostels or hotels for 11 people - as most of those
were unable to access internet, or have a credit card, or make an
international phone call.

We found homestays or room shares for 5 people.  More partners - thank you
gracious home stay hosts.

 

Our Visa Team interacted with 22 people about receiving visa invitation
letters and created 20 custom-designed letters (to make a strong 'case' for
each asker).

 

Our Registrar interacted on an ongoing basis individually with all 123
registrants - ensuring that any questions or needs were answered, sending
out 'things to know' information, and offering a warm personal connection,
whether the attendee was a many-years-connected-to-this-community person or
someone totally new to this work and this community.

 

An anonymous donor donated $20,000 worth of 'seed' (advance) money so that
we could afford to reserve (as required, in advance, before we would have
funding from registration) our conference sites, which included costs for
rental, liability insurance, alcohol permits, staff overtime, audio visual,
wireless access and more.  This money also covered materials and supplies,
and catering.

All of that money was paid back - due to the generosity of everyone who
attended - registrations at any cost anyone could afford, sponsors'
donations, extra donations during registration, operating cost donations,
people buying Harrison's new book, funds for the Access Queen Project
generated through Global Village Marketplace, Silent Auction, and additional
donations - lots of creative ways to raise income to cover costs - all of
which took time, planning, processes, people to administrate and offer the
use of their checking accounts and credit card processing accounts, and
more.

 

Amazing Justin worked with me over many months (bless you Justin) to create
a website that could provide everyone with information for their
self-organized needs - from travel to accommodation lists to information on
the Author Evening.  This took months of development in addition to Justin's
ongoing adjustments and updates.

 

All of these things required a dedicated team of hard workers. All of these
things took time.

All were done so that - ideally - any attendee would find it would feel very
simply to come, join, and be.

 

Host Team members were part of the team for as long as they felt useful and
interested, took tasks they felt passion and responsibility for, took on
roles as Author Evening coordinators or Host Team project manager or sponsor
donation asker as they felt inspired to, and did not do what they did not
have interest or passion for.  A living, breathing Open Space organization.

 

I can only speak for myself: It was a huge amount of work, and joyous work -
it was a huge amount of fun, and totally gratifying.

 

You might do it a different way. And I would love to come to your event, and
I know I would feel welcome and delighted and honored to be there.

 

I am just saying that each of us does this in different ways. This is a way
that works for me, and (if I am understanding some of your viewpoints) it
doesn't feel like an institution, or a bureaurocracy, or the imposition of
structure, or a dampening of richness at the event, or a burden.  To me, it
feels like a joy, and a welcoming, and an amazing experience.   Just a
different point of view; a different person's experience.

 

I look forward to hearing the thoughts of others, including those of you who
have totally different experiences and viewpoints than mine,

 

Lisa

___________________________

L i s a   H e f t

Consultant, Facilitator, Educator

O p e n i n g  S p a c e

 <mailto:lisaheft at openingspace.net> lisaheft at openingspace.net

 <http://www.openingspace.net> www.openingspace.net

 


*
*
==========================================================
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

------=_NextPart_000_0070_01C9078F.3DB0E250
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<html>

<head>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii">


<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)">

<style>
<!--
 /* Font Definitions */
 @font-face
	{font-family:Wingdings;
	panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
	{font-family:Batang;
	panose-1:2 3 6 0 0 1 1 1 1 1;}
@font-face
	{font-family:"Trebuchet MS";
	panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
	{font-family:"\@Batang";
	panose-1:2 3 6 0 0 1 1 1 1 1;}
 /* Style Definitions */
 p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
	{margin:0in;
	margin-bottom:.0001pt;
	font-size:12.0pt;
	font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
	{color:blue;
	text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
	{color:purple;
	text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
	{font-family:"Trebuchet MS";
	color:windowtext;
	font-weight:normal;
	font-style:normal;
	text-decoration:none none;}
@page Section1
	{size:8.5in 11.0in;
	margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;}
div.Section1
	{page:Section1;}
 /* List Definitions */
 ol
	{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
	{margin-bottom:0in;}
-->
</style>

</head>

<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>

<div class=Section1>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>It sounds like there are 4 areas of
discussion here:</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:47.25pt;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face=Symbol><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>        
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Feelings of inclusion / helpfulness
of the every-few-months call that currently has a few representatives from many
different countries on it</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:47.25pt;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face=Symbol><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>        
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>The idea of having one
in-person ‘main’ WOSonOS per year – whether or not there are
also other OSonOSs or WOSonOSs any other times and locations</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:47.25pt;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face=Symbol><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>        
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Decision-making process for
deciding on WOSonOS future years’ sites</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:47.25pt;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face=Symbol><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>        
</span></font></span></font><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Need / value / usefulness
of knowing WOSonOS site 2 years in advance</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>You may see some other threads here.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in'><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I am one of those people
who thrives in international mixed group gatherings (in my home country or
elsewhere) as they stretch me far outside my known areas and enhance my
learning – showing me what I do not know and what I still need to learn,
as I interact with diverse people and cultures that are not like my own. 
I also find it is so nutritious for me to get together in person with my ‘tribe’
– my fellow Open Space facilitators from around the world.  So I
really look forward to the times when I can come to one of these once a year
in-person WOSonOSs.  I find it recharges my learning, and strengthens my
sense of community.  And: I am very grateful for knowing 2 years ahead of
time when the WOSonOS will be – as it helps me put something on my
calendar in advance, so I can arrange my complicated life around it and see if
I can afford to come (jobs, elder care, finances, savings)</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>But for this message, I would like to focus
on the thread of conversation about how much preparation / time is needed. Let
me add some thought from perspective of one member of one Host Team.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in'><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I totally support that
there are all different ways to host an OSonOS or a WOSonOS and all different
styles of doing so.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in'><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I have been to great OSonOSs
where (for example as you did, Harrison) a host said ‘I found a room,
here is the time and place, this is what it costs, here is how many people our
site will hold so first come first serve, and I look forward to seeing you
there’.  And it was fabulous. Folks found their own ways, went out
to get their own food, found their own lodging, and had a wonderful time and
rich learning.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I do not wish to imply that any of you who
generously create a nutritious space for people to come and do fabulous work
together are in any way not working hard to create a welcoming space.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>However, to me - in my style of doing things
- invitation – and by that I mean invitation welcoming diversity - is an
extensive set of tasks and design, which takes a lot of lovely and creative
work.  This joyful burden takes place from the moment of first message out
up to and throughout the event itself.  Or that is how I do it.  </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>To me, this kind of invitation broadens the
richness of ‘Whoever Comes’ – because it identifies and works
on issues of <u>access</u> – more like... ‘Whoever is just as able
to come as the others who can come’.  By ‘access’ I mean
all kinds of elements - funding, language, mobility, connection to greater
community, age, location, sophistication at seeking resources, experience
traveling, special foods, physical or emotional needs, connection to internet,
access to a visa, years’ experience, ability to have pocket money for
books or dinners, and so on.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Invitation like this is to me an
interesting, creative and gratifying job.  Our Host Team worked really
hard, to do whatever it took – to ensure that people with all different levels
of access and ability were able to join us.  And I believe that it showed
in the mix of people who were at our WOSonOS.  I will give you some
statistics – this is also to share a bit with the Taiwan and the Berlin
Host Teams, who have been interested in hearing about some of our tasks and our
lessons learned.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I do not say the following
to ‘blow our horn’ (for you non-English-as-a-first-language speakers:
to brag about how fabulous we are) – but instead to give you a sense for
why I am glad we had the knowledge we would be hosting a little over a year in
advance and had a year to work on it, and how I see the tasks that may be
unpleasant for some were delightful to me.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>123
attendees (from 13 countries) came to the 2008 WOSonOS, I’m happy to say.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Out
of those 123 people, 76 people paid the most they could –and- because
that was less than our per-person costs, Access Queen and her partners made up
the difference for 76 people.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Could
those 76 people have joined us if this were not the case?  I am guessing
many could not have – and then we would not have been enriched by their
presence.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>In
order to include everyone who had the desire and passion to join us, it took
quite a bit of advance work – to identify resources, research options, and
design survey of needs and resources into our registration process, for
example.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Access
Queen is a project, not a fund, although there is a little funding each year
due to contributions. This is a resource-sharing project I do for each year’s
WOSonOS where I invite those who need to ask for support and those who have to
share their resources.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>So. 
Our registration fee was a ‘pay the most that you can’
amount.  Everybody did. </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Registration
also had built into it a ‘donate some more if you can’ and many
people did. These are some of the Access Queen partners.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>We
also asked whoever was able and interested to donate some additional funds
towards operating expenses. More fabulous partners.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>We
also invited some organizations and individuals to act as sponsors. More
partners.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>37
attendees had special diets or other special needs.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>We
provided attendees with 8 meals, including custom-designed meals and snacks for
those with special dietary needs and also for several attendees whose family
members joined us for evening events.  </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Several
attendees requested and received translation.  </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Many
months in advance, a lovely team went to visit every single accommodation site
on our accommodations list – to ensure that we would only put on our list
those sites that were clean and safe.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>We
made reservations at hostels or hotels for 11 people – as most of those
were unable to access internet, or have a credit card, or make an international
phone call.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>We
found homestays or room shares for 5 people.  More partners – thank you
gracious home stay hosts.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Our
Visa Team interacted with 22 people about receiving visa invitation letters and
created 20 custom-designed letters (to make a strong ‘case’ for
each asker).</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Our
Registrar interacted on an ongoing basis individually with all 123 registrants -
ensuring that any questions or needs were answered, sending out ‘things
to know’ information, and offering a warm personal connection, whether
the attendee was a many-years-connected-to-this-community person or someone totally
new to this work and this community.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>An
anonymous donor donated $20,000 worth of ‘seed’ (advance) money so
that we could afford to reserve (as required, in advance, before we would have
funding from registration) our conference sites, which included costs for
rental, liability insurance, alcohol permits, staff overtime, audio visual,
wireless access and more.  This money also covered materials and supplies,
and catering.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>All
of that money was paid back – due to the generosity of everyone who
attended – registrations at any cost anyone could afford, sponsors’
donations, extra donations during registration, operating cost donations,
people buying Harrison’s new book, funds for the Access Queen Project
generated through Global Village Marketplace, Silent Auction, and additional
donations – lots of creative ways to raise income to cover costs –
all of which took time, planning, processes, people to administrate and offer
the use of their checking accounts and credit card processing accounts, and
more.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in'><font size=2
face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Amazing
Justin worked with me over many months (bless you Justin) to create a website
that could provide everyone with information for their self-organized needs –
from travel to accommodation lists to information on the Author Evening. 
This took months of development in addition to Justin’s ongoing
adjustments and updates.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>All of these things required a dedicated
team of hard workers. All of these things took time.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>All were done so that – ideally –
any attendee would find it would feel very simply to come, join, and be.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Host Team members were part of the team for
as long as they felt useful and interested, took tasks they felt passion and
responsibility for, took on roles as Author Evening coordinators or Host Team project
manager or sponsor donation asker as they felt inspired to, and did not do what
they did not have interest or passion for.  A living, breathing Open Space
organization.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I can only speak for myself: It was a huge
amount of work, and joyous work – it was a huge amount of fun, and
totally gratifying.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>You might do it a different way. And I would
love to come to your event, and I know I would feel welcome and delighted and
honored to be there.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I am just saying that each of us does this
in different ways. This is a way that works for me, and (if I am understanding
some of your viewpoints) it doesn’t feel like an institution, or a bureaurocracy,
or the imposition of structure, or a dampening of richness at the event, or a
burden.  To me, it feels like a joy, and a welcoming, and an amazing
experience.   Just a different point of view; a different person’s
experience.</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>I look forward to hearing the thoughts of
others, including those of you who have totally different experiences and
viewpoints than mine,</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Lisa</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'>___________________________</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue;font-weight:bold'>L
i s a   H e f t</span></font></b></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue'>Consultant,
Facilitator, Educator</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face="Trebuchet MS"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue'>O p e n i n
g  S p a c e</span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><a href="mailto:lisaheft at openingspace.net"><font
color=black><span style='color:black'>lisaheft at openingspace.net</span></font></a></span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trebuchet MS"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><a href="http://www.openingspace.net"><font
color=black><span style='color:black'>www.openingspace.net</span></font></a></span></font></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> </span></font></p>

</div>

</body>

</html>
*
*
==========================================================
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

------=_NextPart_000_0070_01C9078F.3DB0E250--



More information about the OSList mailing list