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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Diane – thanks for this expansion of
our collective space. I might add to the good things you said that, in my
experience, Open Space for people with all sorts of disabilities (and we all
have some sort of disability) seems to be a particularly rich environment, and
any concern about “their” capacity to operate in Open Space should
simply be disregarded. Of course some special provisions need to be made, but
they are usually of a simple sort and no big deal. And the rewards for
including the often excluded folks more than justify the effort. Several
stories come to mind.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Several years ago a large program for the
Developmentally Challenged held an Open Space on the future of their
organization. To save some money, the event took place in one of the
program’s facilities – and surprise! – the clients came!!
Seeing chairs set in a circle, the “patients” took a seat, and
pitched right in, posting issues (with some help) and attending sessions.
Everything like usual – except that some time after the Open Space, when
the organization was doing its “end of the year numbers,” the
administration was pleasantly surprised to find that they were delivering
something like twice the services for the same dollars. Reason? It turned out
that approximately half of what they had previously offered, the clients
neither wanted not needed. But nobody had ever asked them. Another surprise:
about a year later when the clients were tested for their ability to cope in
the world, it turned out that the level of coping skills had increased
dramatically – to the point that the administrator of the program told me
that Open Space turned out to be the most powerful single treatment program
they had ever experienced. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Another tale – When doing a training
program it happened that one of our members was restricted to a wheel chair. He
was concerned that “walking the circle” could be a problem from the
chair. So the group quickly formed a large circle and we did the test. When he
had completed the circuit, the group sat in stunned silence. It turns out that
when you bound the circle from a wheel chair, you are at eye level with all
participants. The intimacy and the impact blew us all away.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Harrison</span></font><font color=red
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Harrison Owen</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>7808 River Falls Drive</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Potomac</span></font><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>, </span></font><font
size=2 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Maryland</span></font><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font><font
size=2 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>20845</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Phone 301-365-2093</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'></X-SIGSEP><font
size=3 color=red face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:red'><!--StartFragment --><X-SIGSEP>Open Space Training <a
href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/" eudora=autourl>www.openspaceworld.com</a>
</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
color=red face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:red'>Open
Space Institute <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org" eudora=autourl>www.openspaceworld.org</a></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
color=red face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:red'>Personal
website <a href="http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm"
eudora=autourl>http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm</a></span></font><font
color=blue><span style='color:blue'><br>
<a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a></span></font><font
color=red><span style='color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:center'><font
size=3 color=red face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:red'>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the
archives Visit: <a
href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html" eudora=autourl>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On
Behalf Of </span></b>Diane Gibeault<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> </span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>Friday, April
22, 2005</span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'> </span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>7:55 AM</span></font><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Deafened People thriving
in OS</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'>Possibilities with Open Space are almost
limitless. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'>Here is how I adapted the process to meet
the challenges at hand for this Open Space meeting for deafened people -
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></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'>The invitation from a volunteer
organization went to the community at large. 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. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'>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. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'>As the facilitator, 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.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'>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.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'>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. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'>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. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'>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. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'>For the closing, the talking piece worked
like it always does and words came from the heart to bring meaningful closure
to this event. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'>They were energised by this kind of
exchange that brought them out of their isolation. 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. A few months later, they formed a self-help group that
is now meeting regularly.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'>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.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
lang=EN-CA style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=4 face="Brush Script MT"><span
style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Brush Script MT"'>Diane Gibeault </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><strong><b><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span lang=FR-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>Diane Gibeault</span></font></b></strong><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span lang=FR-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'> </span></font><font size=1 color=navy face=Arial><span lang=FR-CA
style='font-size:7.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>CPF / FPA</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span class=spelle><b><font size=3
color=navy face=Arial><span lang=FR-CA style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial;color:navy;font-weight:bold'>Diane Gibeault</span></font></b></span><strong><b><font
color=navy face=Arial><span lang=FR-CA style='font-family:Arial;color:navy'>
& </span></font></b></strong><span class=spelle><b><font color=navy
face=Arial><span lang=FR-CA style='font-family:Arial;color:navy;font-weight:
bold'>Assoc.</span></font></b></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span class=spelle><b><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span lang=FR-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
Arial;color:navy;font-weight:bold'><a href="http://www.dianegibeault.com/"><strong><b><font
color="#0080c0" face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:#0080C0'>www.dianegibeault.com</span></font></b></strong></a></span></font></b></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span class=spelle><font size=2
face=Arial><span lang=FR-CA style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><a
href="http://www.dianegibeault.comgibeault@rogers%20.com/"><strong><b><font
size=1 color="#0080c0" face=Arial><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:
Arial;color:#0080C0'>diane.gibeault@rogers .com</span></font></b></strong></a></span></font></span><strong><b><font
size=1 color="#0080c0" face=Arial><span lang=FR-CA style='font-size:7.5pt;
font-family:Arial;color:#0080C0'> Ottawa Canada (613)
744-2638</span></font></b></strong><font size=1 color="#0080c0" face=Arial><span
lang=FR-CA style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:#0080C0'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face="Eras Demi ITC"><span lang=FR-CA
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Eras Demi ITC";color:navy'>Facilitation <span
class=spelle>and</span> Training in Support of Transformation<br>
Facilitation et formation en appui à la transformation</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color="#0080c0"
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#0080C0'> </span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
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