[OSList] Quite a few questions about Sponsors, empathy and a safe open space for all it’s participants

[Michael M Pannwitz]

Dear Sagit,

you are lucky to be Tova's student!

To your questions:

1. "Sponsor" in my understanding is the person who actually opens the 
space by greeting those who are present, speaks briefly to the heading 
under which the event takes place, talks shortly of his expectations and 
hopes for the event and passes the mike to the facilitator... to get 
down to business.
In case a school holds an open space, the principat might take on the 
role of sponsor but it could also be someone selected by the planning 
group such as a student or a parent...
In case a business holds an open space, the CEO might take on this role
In case of a formal Community Organisation it might also be the CEO or 
someone from the Board of Directors
In case of a political party it might be the General Secretary of the Party
In the case you mention, the head or chief or whatever one might call it 
of the association can take on this role... in other words the head or 
appointed person of the internal body of the association

Yes, I think the sponsor has a vital role... as facilitator I had 
contact with the sponsor long before the event took place, the sponsor 
organizes and is part of the planning group, the sponsor is active in 
what happens after the open space, the sponsor is present at the next 
meetings after the open space event...

2. From my point of your empathy will be present or develope during the 
unfolding of the process before, during and after the open space event. 
I dont pay any attention to it.
However, I encourage the sponsor and the planning group and myself with 
the open space facilitation team to pay a great deal of attention to the 
space in which it takes place and arrange everything so that the force 
of selforganisation can unfold... this is a huge topic by itself that 
can be influenced by everyone involved... readable signs and posters, 
fresh and delicious food from the beginning to the end, fresh air and 
windows to the environment of the place... and many other things that 
can actually be influenced. Doing this well will provide a setting in 
which the participants, including the sponsor, will feel welcome, move 
with ease, navigate without too much barriers, have everything to be 
productively active (it does take a lot of energy)...

3. Some aspects were discussed above... a safe and comfortable space can 
be created. From my experience I know that the other stuff you are 
talking about will be taken care of by the folks that gathered for the 
event. Anything you do that the group itself might be able to do is 
simply closing down the space for selforganisation. This is one of the 
toughest task for just about everybody, just to stand there and do 
nothing in the knowledge that the group will take care of it.
Of course, if you know that folks are so fired up that they might come 
to the events with weapons (Harrison described one such an event) its a 
good and sensible and needed intervention to provide for a process for 
folks to leave their guns at the entrance.
If the open space addresses some really wicked stuff and spirits are 
high, there is no way to get much progress in a three hour event... it 
is more likely to work when you have the full 16 hours spread over three 
days, sleeping twice.
Mentioning at the introduction that the bulletin board will be open all 
the time and that there will be opportunities in addition to the opening 
sessins during evening news and morning announcements... will show you 
that participants will post stuff not only in the beginning (for 
whatever reasons that you need not worry about) but throughout the event.

Wishing you a great time in your plunges

Greetings from Berlin and join Tova on your way to Berlin for this years 
Worldwide Open Space on Open Space in Berlin, see here
> https://wosonos2020.berlin/

mmp


Am 05.01.2020 um 11:50 schrieb שגית רוסו יצחקי via OSList:
> Hi everyone,
> 
> I’m Sagit,  another one of Tova’s students :)
> 
> I'm interested in learning more about three different topics so thank 
> you so much for sharing your experience and opinions in one or all!
> 
> 
> Sponsors -how vital are they for opening a space?
> 
> For example, in the case of an association that is dealing with a 
> significant conflict. Since there is no external body that runs the 
> association, the question arises as to whether open space can be held 
> without sponsors? Can a community have an open space without a sponsor?
> 
> 
> Some questions about empathy and open space -
> 
> The first one will be - Is empathy important for a successful open space?
> 
> And if empathy is important -
> 
> How can empathic space be created and maintained for all its partners 
> and voices that want to be heard?
> 
> What techniques and tools do you use to bring empathy to the open space 
> and how do you invite other participants to hold empathy together?
> 
> Do you have any signs or metrics for measuring the levels of empathy in 
> an open space?
> 
>   Did you come across occasions where it was difficult or impossible to 
> create an empathic space?
> 
> 
> Creating an open space that allows all participants a safe and 
> comfortable space for expressing themselves -
> 
> In Open Space participants are invited to stand up and offer their 
> topics for conversation in the marktplace . I’m wondering whether people 
> who are not accustomed to make their voices heard or such who are at 
> some disadvantage (social, age, gender, origin etc.) Feel safe and 
> comfortable initiating conversations in such a space?
> 
> What are the ways you know for making the space truly safe and inviting 
> for all its participants?
> 
> How much does advance preparation contribute to their participation and 
> what should it include, in your opinion?
> 
> Thanks again for sharing,
> 
> Best wishes,
> 
> Sagit
> 
> 
> 
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-- 
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49 - 30-772 8000
mmpannwitz at gmail.com


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