FW: Open Space with seniors

Harrison Owen hhowen at verizon.net
Mon Nov 22 06:48:25 PST 2010


 

Catherine - couldn't resist this story. In the late 90's the  advisory
council of the AARP (American Association of Retired People - average age,
late 70's) wanted to consider their future. Two day Open Space - standard
model with people writing their own reports on Computers - which most of the
participants had never used before and some had never seen. I was a little
worried, but shouldn't have been. At the end of the first day I came upon a
lady, well into her 80's, working on her report. It happened that she had
identified THE issue, and she arrived at the computer with tons of news
print. There she sat squinting at the news print and entering her report
with one finger. Normally I wouldn't suggest it, but I did feel that I
should at least offer to help. Which I did. The lady listened to my offer
and then turned on me in an abrupt manner. She said, "No young man. I will
write my own report."

 

No worries.

 

Harrison 

 

Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Dr.

Potomac, MD 20854

USA

Phone 301-365-2093

www.openspaceworld.com

www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)

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From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Catherine
Pfaehler
Sent: Sunday, November 21, 2010 4:12 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Open Space with seniors

 

Dear friends

 

I have been asked by the Grey Panthers (a political organisation of seniors)
to briefly present OST to them on Tuesday, Nov. 30th. Most of them are 55
years old or older. They want to have a one-day-event dealing with their
future and their image. At the same time, my contact tells me that many of
them like to tell stories from their earlier lives when they were still
working, and most of them think that a whole day is too long for them. Some
have also become a bit fatalist, not caring too much about the future
anymore.

 

Please let me know what your experiences are when facilitating OST for
seniors, and how to deal with the above contradictions, i.e. how to give
enough time for storytelling when at the same time one entire day might be
too long for them to attend. 

 

I will be out of my office for a week now, but would be delighted to find
some of your answers in OSLIST by then. Thank you already!!!

 

With gratitude, Catherine

 

Catherine Pfaehler

lic.oec.HSG

Open Space Begleitung

Burckhardtstrasse 2

CH - 3008 Bern

Telefon +41-(0)31 - 536 05 31

Mobile  +41-(0)76 - 488 15 46

c.pfaehler at open-space-begleitung.ch

www.open-space-begleitung.ch <http://www.open-space-begleitung.ch/> 

 

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