<div dir="ltr">Hi Jamie,<div><br></div><div>This sounds like an exciting project. I have used OST a number of times in school settings with students, and it is always invigorating. I am also excited about your goal, to assist students to establish a way for the student council to have a stronger voice in school governance, in connection with the various existing bodies in the school.</div>
<div><br></div><div>You describe that you see value in having a conversation with school leaders about the organizational role of the student council in the past. I think that this is an important conversation to have prior to an OST event with students and other leaders. I agree with Harrison that it is important to have this conversation well in advance of the OST event.</div>
<div><br></div><div>If I were in your shoes, I would facilitate a meeting with school leaders (teachers, school leadership team, governors) and I would include student council leaders. I would describe to them the purpose and theme of the OST event, and I would ask the group if there are any "givens" for the event, that would form the boundaries for the work that the participants will do. I would gather the possible givens, and then carefully consider each one to make sure that it is actually a given. The fact that you have a year-long contract for this project suggests to me that the school leadership is open to something new. It may be that the organizational role that the student council has had in the past is open to change, which would be good. I imagine, however, that the roles and responsibilities of the existing school governing bodies are probably givens that it is important for the students to understand. This open and honest conversation about school governance in advance of the event can be very important in establishing good lines of communication and trust in all directions in the school.</div>
<div><br></div><div>When you have reduced the number of givens to the smallest number that the group can, while honoring existing structures, then you have an important piece of information. But I agree with Harrison and Lisa that you would not want to open your OST event with a lengthy presentation about these boundaries. Instead, I would share them very briefly at the start of the event. I often have a simple diagram that shows a circle. The circle represents the freedom that the OST participants have in which to do their work. The givens can be listed around the outside of the circle.</div>
<div><br></div><div>To share these givens does not prevent participants in the OST from considering the possible need to change these givens in some way, but if this happens it helps everyone involved to be cognizant of existing processes for considering such proposals and decisions. And the space <i>inside</i> the circle will provide the participants with a wonderful open space in which to develop new ideas and innovations.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Best of luck with this project! I hope that you let us know how it unfolds. I do not know of <i>any </i>school in which a stronger, more empowered student voice and leadership process would not be beneficial to everyone involved. Your work could provide a useful case story for others to follow.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Cheers,</div><div>Chris</div><div><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Sep 24, 2013 at 2:18 AM, Lisa Heft <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:lisaheft@openingspace.net" target="_blank">lisaheft@openingspace.net</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">Good job, Carms!<div><br></div><div>And Artur, I am very sad. Because I love it so much when you disagree with me… ;o)</div>
<div><br></div><div>Abrazos, </div><div>Lisa</div><div><div>
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<br><div><div>On Sep 23, 2013, at 5:20 PM, Carmela Ariza <<a href="mailto:carmela_ariza@yahoo.com" target="_blank">carmela_ariza@yahoo.com</a>> wrote:</div><br><blockquote type="cite"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0">
<tbody><tr><td valign="top">Yes Lisa I remember saying in the opening circle that it is time to think outside the box. Then I continued to say: who says there is a box anyway? I got some participants chuckling at this. It was a good open space which participants truly found very different from what they are used to. Carms <br>
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<hr size="1"><span style="font-family:verdana,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">Hi Jamie:</span>
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</b></div></div></div></div></blockquote><div class="im"><blockquote type="cite"><div style="font-family:verdana,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><br></div><div style="font-family:verdana,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">
I am completelly in agreeement with Lisa (this time ;-)</div><div style="font-family:verdana,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px"><br></div><div style="font-family:verdana,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px">Artur</div></blockquote>
<br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div><div><div style="font-size:0.9em"><b><span style="font-weight:bold">From:</span>
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Lisa Heft <<a href="mailto:lisaheft@openingspace.net" target="_blank">lisaheft@openingspace.net</a>>; <br>
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<span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span>
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World wide Open Space Technology email list <<a href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org" target="_blank">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>>; <br>
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<span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span>
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Re: [OSList] Open Space in schools <br>
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Mon, Sep 23, 2013 5:12:41 PM <br>
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<td valign="top">Jamie - in my experience, any speeches (longer than 'thanks for coming, we're so excited, here's your facilitator let's get to work') <div><br clear="none">
</div><div>In saying this - I know there are also cultural and regional traditions. However, having people speak too much at the start… <br clear="none"><div><br clear="none"></div><div>- starts putting the body to rest - when actually in Open Space we want active, breathing, energy-to-jump-into-the-center-with-topics</div>
<div>- sets in some people's heads a pre-determined thought, thus reducing the possibility for different, emergent, outlier, diverse thinking as inspired by the theme question</div><div>- speeches are oh-so-often only listened to by the person giving that speech ;o) - other people are in their heads going 'what's this circle?' 'what shall I propose as a topic?'
'how do I feel?' 'what is this going to be like?'</div><div>- even if the speaker is charismatic, is not behind a podium, is physical and walking that circle - people listening are still shifting into receiving thought rather than creating / inviting / experiencing it.</div>
<div>- takes time away from actually getting to the work at hand. The more time for dialogue and interchange, the richer, the deeper the thoughts and conversations, and the more time given to participants to start noticing common threads and linkages across the day.</div>
<div><br clear="none"></div><div>The other thing is that for any kind of facilitation, I would not name boundaries or constraints. It sets peoples' minds in the framework of boundaries and constraints - rather than opportunities and possibilities.</div>
<div>Like 'think outside the box' - you are still thinking…of the box! when / because someone says that. </div><div><br clear="none"></div><div>If there is anything that is 'off the table' such as 'we are all here to think of things that do not cost money' simply say that in your beautifully constructed theme question. The theme is the task, and the thing that invites topics. So if the theme included '…with zero money but with other amazing shared resources…' If you have to. Often you do not have to say anything is 'off the plate' - you just open by making sure the participants know whether they are advisory or decisionary in this meeting. Ideas where someone originally assumed there was money (let's say that is one of the boundaries) can always be revisited for 'what other kinds of existing resources do we have to help this amazing breakthrough idea happen?' in another part of the meeting, after the meeting, however the meeting is designed.</div>
<div><br clear="none"></div><div>So I also encourage - if
anything more than a moment must be said - to do it the evening before, perhaps. Separate it from the Open Space. Say less. Invite more. Let them jump into that space!</div><div><br clear="none"></div><div>Lisa</div><div>
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<br clear="none"><div><div><div>On Sep 23, 2013, at 4:03 AM, Jamie Colston <<a rel="nofollow" shape="rect">jamiecolston@googlemail.com</a>> wrote:</div><br clear="none"><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div><div>
<div><div><div>Dear All,<br clear="none"><br clear="none"></div>I have been working with a Secondary school in the UK to support students to develop their school council into something which gives them a real voice in their school and supports them to make things happen. As part of this process, in the last academic year I ran some world cafe sessions with Students, Teachers and the School Leadership Team and Governors to find out more about their views of the student council and what they would like to see in the future. <br clear="none">
<br clear="none"></div>This work has led to a year long contract to help build on this and I am bringing together all of the Art of Hosting work to support the students to build something emergent and powerful that inculdes the full school system. In the next few weeks the school will be having their very first open space meeting with members of as many of the various parts of the system there as possible. <br clear="none">
<br clear="none"></div>For the opening of the open space I was planning to do a context setting piece for everyone and invite the headteacher, leader of the governors and the school council leadership team to just say a few words about the boundaries that are there in terms of the academic and governance structures so that everyone can be clear about what is possible and what isn't within the constraints of the current system. I would them set up the open space and ensure that the talking ends on a creative and upbeat note.<br clear="none">
<br clear="none"></div>I would love any advice, thoughts and feedback. In my mind i think that to keep it as open as possible is important and what has constantly been a theme in all the pre work is working within the context of the political/technical/academic landscape (they would not phrase it like this but this sums it up).<br clear="none">
<br clear="none"></div><div>If this year works, it is likely that I will be able to work for further years bringing open space, world cafe, graphic facilitation and AOH into the school as a key methodology for empowering change in the system so it is very exciting and hence why advice and wisdom is most welcome. <br clear="none">
</div><div><br clear="none"></div>Thanks and look forward to hearing any inspiration<br clear="none"><br clear="none">Jamie <br clear="all"><div><br clear="none">-- <br clear="none"><div dir="ltr"><b><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial">Jamie Colston</span></font></b></b><p>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Helvetica">Enabling
young people to design inspiring events and host conversations that matter to
them, empowering them to find their voice and take practical action towards
creating a sustainable, peaceful and equitable world.</span></p><p><b><b><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"><br clear="none"></span></font></b></b></p><p><b><b><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial">M: </span></font></b></b><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial">07909 442006 <b><b><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial">E: </span></font></b></b></span></font><font><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><a rel="nofollow" shape="rect"><font face="Arial">jamiecolston@gmail.com</font></a></span></font><b><b><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial"> </span></font></b></b></p>
<p><b><b><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial">FB/Linked In/Skype:</span></font></b></b><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial"> Jamie Colston <b><b><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial">Twitter</span></font></b></b>: spearthwarrior
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<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"></span></font><b><b><font color="green" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:green">Green Vision
Movement </span></font><font color="green"><span style="color:green"><a rel="nofollow" shape="rect" href="http://www.greenvisionmovement.org/" target="_blank"><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial">www.greenvisionmovement.org</span></font></a></span></font></b></b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"></span><span></span></p>
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