<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2627" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=234264211-22042005>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA><SPAN
class=234264211-22042005>Possibilities with Open Space are almost limitless.
</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA><SPAN
class=234264211-22042005></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA><SPAN
class=234264211-22042005>Here is how I adapted the process to meet the
challenges at hand for this </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-CA>Open Space
meeting for deafened people<SPAN class=234264211-22042005> - </SPAN>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.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3><SPAN
lang=EN-CA></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA>The invitation from a
volunteer organization went to the community at
large. </SPAN></FONT></FONT><SPAN lang=EN-CA><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>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. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><?xml:namespace
prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>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. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN><SPAN
lang=EN-CA><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>As the facilitator<SPAN
class=234264211-22042005>,</SPAN> 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.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>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.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>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.
</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>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. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>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.
</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>For the closing, the talking piece worked like it
always does and words came from the heart to bring meaningful closure to this
event. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3><SPAN lang=EN-CA>They were energised by this
kind of exchange that brought them out of their isolation<SPAN
class=234264211-22042005>. </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-CA>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.<SPAN class=234264211-22042005> A few months later, they
formed a self-help group that is now meeting
regularly.</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>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.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-CA><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal align=left><FONT size=4><FONT face="Brush Script MT">Diane
Gibeault </FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal align=left><FONT size=1><SPAN lang=FR-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR-CA"><FONT
color=#000080><FONT size=2><STRONG>Diane Gibeault</STRONG> </FONT>CPF /
FPA</FONT></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal align=left><SPAN lang=FR-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR-CA"><SPAN><SPAN
class=SpellE><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><SPAN lang=FR-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR-CA"><SPAN><STRONG><FONT
size=3><FONT color=#000080><SPAN class=SpellE>Diane Gibeault</SPAN> & <SPAN
class=SpellE>Assoc.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></STRONG></SPAN></SPAN></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=FR-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR-CA"><SPAN><FONT
size=4><FONT size=3><SPAN class=SpellE><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><SPAN lang=FR-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR-CA"><SPAN><FONT
color=#000080><STRONG><FONT size=3><SPAN class=SpellE><SPAN lang=FR-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR-CA"><SPAN><SPAN
class=SpellE><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><A
href="http://www.dianegibeault.com/"><STRONG><FONT
color=#0080c0>www.dianegibeault.com</FONT></STRONG></A><FONT color=#000000
size=3><STRONG> </STRONG></FONT></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></STRONG></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=FR-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR-CA"><SPAN><FONT
size=4><FONT size=3><SPAN class=SpellE><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><SPAN lang=FR-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR-CA"><SPAN><FONT
color=#000080><FONT size=3><SPAN
class=SpellE></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
lang=FR-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR-CA"><SPAN><SPAN
class=SpellE><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><A
href="http://www.dianegibeault.comgibeault@rogers%20.com/"><STRONG><FONT
color=#0080c0 size=1>diane.gibeault@rogers .com</FONT></STRONG></A><STRONG><FONT
color=#0080c0 size=1>
</FONT></STRONG></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><FONT
size=1><FONT color=#0080c0><STRONG>Ottawa Canada (613)
744-2638</STRONG> </FONT></FONT></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN lang=FR-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR-CA"><SPAN><FONT
color=#0080c0><BR></FONT></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN lang=FR-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR-CA"><SPAN
style="COLOR: blue"><FONT face="Eras Demi ITC"
color=#000080></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=FR-CA
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: FR-CA"><SPAN
style="COLOR: blue"><FONT face="Eras Demi ITC" color=#000080>Facilitation <SPAN
class=SpellE>and</SPAN> Training in Support of Transformation<BR>Facilitation et
formation en appui à la transformation<BR></FONT></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></P></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT
color=#0080c0> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist