We chose Open Space because it works in a truly democratic way. There is no agenda, no keynote speech, and each member of the group is equally important. Topics for discussion come from the floor and people can choose which group they want to join or leave. At the end of the day people come together to vote on the points they want to turn into actions.
The Open Space process began with Harrison Owen, an American consultant who has specialised in mediation work with large and diverse groups. His work in Africa taught him that people communicate most freely when they sit in a circle where everyone has an equal chance to talk and listen. His work with big corporations taught him that the most productive part of any seminar or conference tends to be during the lunchbreak. Open Space events are now held across the world.
Leith Open Space Group is grateful to Kerry Napuk, co-founder of Open Futures in Edinburgh who guided us through the first stages of the Open Space process. We are also indebted to his colleague, Maggie Havergal, who freely gives her skill and time to facilitate Leith Open Space events.
I’ve just discovered the Leith Open Space site, it’s great! I’m really interested in linking Shakti with the site so we can link more to other groups and let folk know about our forthcoming events.
for example, I am currently working on a proposed project with NHS Lothian on Young people’s attitudes and opinions about violence; this project will be specifically for young people about school age from BME communities in Leith and North Edinburgh. I would be keen to forward any future information about this to your site members.
Yours sincerely,
Lisa Paton
Information & Education worker (CYP)
Shakti Women’s Aid
Really pleased you have found us Lisa. It would be great to hear more about the work of Shakti and your new project.
best wishes
Fay
[...] Like Open Space discussions the News Group begins and ends with a circular discussion and yesterday as the three panellists answered questions from their semi-circular audience Mark Thomas commented on the seating arrangement in the debating chamber, deliberately less confrontational than Westminster’s layout. “It doesn’t feel like a parliament at all” he said and I don’t think it was meant to be an insult. Just imagine if politicians, seated in a circule, were liberated from the whip ( Martin Bell claimed we would not have invaded Iraq if politicians had been allowed to vote as they really believed). [...]