What are the Intended Results for the 10/17 Gathering?
Let’s use this discussion to define the desired outcomes for the gathering.
Background
So, why is this is gathering happening at all? CAN’s vision is a compassionate world. We are working to develop the conditions in which this world can emerge and we are doing this by “awakening compassion in ourselves, our children, and the world.”
The gathering is part of an effort to define CAN’s Programs and Services (see the attached paper on this topic). CAN will produce two seasonal face to face gatherings each year, an October Harvest and an April Renewal. The October 17th gathering “Connecting for Compassionate Action” is this year’s October harvest gathering.
CAN will grow its’ online social network of members who represent groups, organizations, and networks focused on compassionate action. We want people to sign up and participate on the site. Participation in the social network includes inviting others, joining and contributing to groups, adding and attending events, sharing content from and with other network members. It is against this background we can spell out what our desired results are. We have distinguished three domains: for the gathering, for the participants, for CAN and the conveners.
For The Gathering
We want the participants to love the gathering, to leave renewed, inspired and strengthened in their work for compassion. It will be successful if we honor our purpose and principles in the way we produce the gathering. We want the people that are invited and attend to experience being treated with respect, appreciation and compassion. We want everybody heard, seen, and loved (HSL)!
We can measure the number of attendees and assess the quality and diversity of the people that attend the gathering. By quality we are referring to their stature i.e. those with a high level of respect gained by impressive achievements in this work of compassion. We also want to reach out far and wide and be inclusive in who we invite. I want the room filled with the people who are doing the work that if amplified and supported will move us closer to the conditions we are seeking to create.
For The Participants
We want the participants to advance their own agendas i.e. finding new contributors and resource that can help participants produce and promote their work more effectively.
For CAN and the People Convening the Gathering
We want the gathering to help grow the social network. We can measure the number of people that sign up for the site, the groups they join, and their level of activity. We want conveners to get more out of it than they put into it and experience the satisfaction that comes from advancing the work of compassion in the world.
What do you think? Please share with us your thoughts about this.
Background
So, why is this is gathering happening at all? CAN’s vision is a compassionate world. We are working to develop the conditions in which this world can emerge and we are doing this by “awakening compassion in ourselves, our children, and the world.”
The gathering is part of an effort to define CAN’s Programs and Services (see the attached paper on this topic). CAN will produce two seasonal face to face gatherings each year, an October Harvest and an April Renewal. The October 17th gathering “Connecting for Compassionate Action” is this year’s October harvest gathering.
CAN will grow its’ online social network of members who represent groups, organizations, and networks focused on compassionate action. We want people to sign up and participate on the site. Participation in the social network includes inviting others, joining and contributing to groups, adding and attending events, sharing content from and with other network members. It is against this background we can spell out what our desired results are. We have distinguished three domains: for the gathering, for the participants, for CAN and the conveners.
For The Gathering
We want the participants to love the gathering, to leave renewed, inspired and strengthened in their work for compassion. It will be successful if we honor our purpose and principles in the way we produce the gathering. We want the people that are invited and attend to experience being treated with respect, appreciation and compassion. We want everybody heard, seen, and loved (HSL)!
We can measure the number of attendees and assess the quality and diversity of the people that attend the gathering. By quality we are referring to their stature i.e. those with a high level of respect gained by impressive achievements in this work of compassion. We also want to reach out far and wide and be inclusive in who we invite. I want the room filled with the people who are doing the work that if amplified and supported will move us closer to the conditions we are seeking to create.
For The Participants
We want the participants to advance their own agendas i.e. finding new contributors and resource that can help participants produce and promote their work more effectively.
For CAN and the People Convening the Gathering
We want the gathering to help grow the social network. We can measure the number of people that sign up for the site, the groups they join, and their level of activity. We want conveners to get more out of it than they put into it and experience the satisfaction that comes from advancing the work of compassion in the world.
What do you think? Please share with us your thoughts about this.
Views: 1
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CAN Resources 09-09-09.pdf, 59 KB
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Replies are closed for this discussion.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by anne morgan stadler on -
I agree. Thanks for the eloquent summary of what I believe were spoken and unspoken aspirations. Anne
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Permalink Reply by Viki Sonntag on -
Everything is so interconnected!
Am I free to add a new question on how means relate to ends (results)? I started to delve into this question in my response on the who-is-the audience conversation.
I want to try and understand better how we think the event is going to produce the above results for participants. If the need is finding resources (which seems to me to be introduced here for the first time -- I don't remember anything in the invitation about finding resources, for example), then perhaps we should spend some time on answering how we think the event will meet this need. -
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Permalink Reply by anne morgan stadler on
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Thanks Viki!! Here's my take on this:
CAN supports a "linking up" process and is a focal point for help: e.g. As people post sessions and work together in the Open Space, needs and linkages re. resources emerge. Convenors notice this the next AM as they reflect on what has been posted in the session reports. The CAN network itself will be redesigned to have a section for matching "needs and resources". It will be a place where people can ask and offer, link up, and find help getting the resources they need.
CAN will provide such an opportunity for people to link and help for people to find resources. It will not necessarily provide the resources itself.
That is my understanding of the system that the CAN Board is developing.
I do not believe CAN's commitment to fostering this process has to be explicitly stated in the invitation, Viki. But it will be in the opening of the OCt. 17th Open Space event.
Viki Sonntag said:Everything is so interconnected!
Am I free to add a new question on how means relate to ends (results)? I started to delve into this question in my response on the who-is-the audience conversation.
I want to try and understand better how we think the event is going to produce the above results for participants. If the need is finding resources (which seems to me to be introduced here for the first time -- I don't remember anything in the invitation about finding resources, for example), then perhaps we should spend some time on answering how we think the event will meet this need. -
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Permalink Reply by Viki Sonntag on
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Anne,
So if the intent is for participants to find resources, they will not get this need filled immediately at the event?
I'm also not clear if this is what we want to happen (help folks connect to new resources) why we wouldn't put it in the invitation.
thanks, Viki -
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Permalink Reply by Jon Ramer on -
Here is my take on how the gathering will realize what is offered in the invitation. Now remember the invitation has been revised so take a look to get the most up to date. I've attached it to the bottom of the first communication in this discussion. I've also attached a document that started another conversation about defining CAN Resources. Although this isn't the latest it is a good start in thinking through what we have to offer.
The people we are looking to attend are people who might be open to accessing resources that will help with what they are producing themselves and how they are promoting what they are producing. So for example, Viki is producing a web resource that focuses on understanding and using community indicators. She might find people at the event that are looking for indicators to help ground the value of their work. She might find people that are creating data that might enrich the framework of indicators that Be Sustainable offers.
The words in the invite that speak to this are:
"...building a network in support of those serving the region..."
"...convene and attend sessions in the spirit of community discovery, exploration, and collaboration"
"...engage with other leaders that share common goals"
"...discover and promote actions..."
"...share community engagement strategies"
"...strengthen and develop a local, regional, and global network"
"...our goal for the day is to emerge refreshed, strengthened, and clearer about our own projects and how we can work together."
"...connecting for compassionate action."
I also started a discussion about the Calling Question and I how I came to adopt it and love it. Please take a look there. - Attachments:
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Permalink Reply by Saralee Kane on -
I have a very strong resonance with the issues being raised by Viki. And issues raised during the meeting about reaching out to our diverse communities.
Part of my current confusion is born from Lack of connection between the means and ends, which includes the invitation. I don't understand how people in the community will understand from the invitation how attending this gathering will benefit them, especially people who are already overloaded. Only two days ago did it emerge that there was a focus on having the audience composed of leaders of social action activities in the community.
When I reread the invitation, I held a space to feel and my gut feeling was that this is something being superimposed by others, albeit well meaning others to join THEIR organization and network. It isn't clear, as I pointed out earlier, where this is going, besides a network, and how this is going to be accomplished during the gathering. Without including that in the invitation, we will have to count on all our members to communicate a diverse understanding of this process, which is clearly in the process of emerging. .
Jon, clarifying this in a note here is great but then transforming that in both the invitation and our communications is essential. I still appreciate all that has been done BUT sent out an invitation on Tuesday to 300 people, most of whom are not in the category of your stated target audience.
anne morgan stadler said:Thanks Viki!! Here's my take on this:
CAN supports a "linking up" process and is a focal point for help: e.g. As people post sessions and work together in the Open Space, needs and linkages re. resources emerge. Convenors notice this the next AM as they reflect on what has been posted in the session reports. The CAN network itself will be redesigned to have a section for matching "needs and resources". It will be a place where people can ask and offer, link up, and find help getting the resources they need.
CAN will provide such an opportunity for people to link and help for people to find resources. It will not necessarily provide the resources itself.
That is my understanding of the system that the CAN Board is developing.
I do not believe CAN's commitment to fostering this process has to be explicitly stated in the invitation, Viki. But it will be in the opening of the OCt. 17th Open Space event.
Viki Sonntag said:Everything is so interconnected!
Am I free to add a new question on how means relate to ends (results)? I started to delve into this question in my response on the who-is-the audience conversation.
I want to try and understand better how we think the event is going to produce the above results for participants. If the need is finding resources (which seems to me to be introduced here for the first time -- I don't remember anything in the invitation about finding resources, for example), then perhaps we should spend some time on answering how we think the event will meet this need. -
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Permalink Reply by Jon Ramer on
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Hi Viki -- Of course you are free to start a new discussion if that is what you mean by "Am I free to add a new question...." I have also attempted to answer questions about what the invitation says and how the results might be produced at the gathering. Thanks for your thoughtful words.
Jon
Viki Sonntag said:Everything is so interconnected!
Am I free to add a new question on how means relate to ends (results)? I started to delve into this question in my response on the who-is-the audience conversation.
I want to try and understand better how we think the event is going to produce the above results for participants. If the need is finding resources (which seems to me to be introduced here for the first time -- I don't remember anything in the invitation about finding resources, for example), then perhaps we should spend some time on answering how we think the event will meet this need. -
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