A simple story to add to September conversations regarding elementary school children and their participation (or not) in Open Space...may also relate (tangentially) to participation of the very young, i.e. students at 6th and 7th grade level in an Open Space which included adults as well...in my case, this was a community event and speaks to OS and the break down of traditional assumed age barriers....
I spend some of my time volunteering as an organizational consultant to the Board of a small, local multi-service agency in rural, small town in Ontario...Serving a rural community with few big city amenities (mind you, I prefer it this way!!!) , there are always complaints about young people hanging around and causing trouble. As a result, the agency decided to do something about this and has, after one abortive attempt several years ago, been investigating the needs of youth(a very small group of young people (2-3) have been involved with this from the outset). After a survey of high school students last year strongly supported the notion, the decision was made (by adults and the few participating young people) to try to get a youth run, adult-mentored, youth organization off the ground...so they decided on an organizing meeting... In determining how to move, the Board of the agency struggled with a meeting agenda which would involve and engage young people...I suggested Open Space and the power/ importance of that which has heart and meaning and after a brief explanation, they (with some caution) agreed to give it a try... To launch it, invitations were sent to young people in the schools and adults who had over time expressed an interest...free barbecue to start off...with a meeting with no agenda (a.k.a. Open Space) to follow (only 3 hours in OS) focused on the opportunities and challenges for building a community-wide youth organization run by youth supported by adults.. We had about 35 people show up...about 20 of these were 16 or under, and a good 10 of them were about 12 years old. The appearance of many pre-teens led, as one might expect, to some concerns (from adults) about whether people so young could contribute...even some pre-opening talk among adults about them deliberately interspersing themselves across small groups posted in the marketplace to help the kids along...I suggested they instead go where they really wanted to go and to further counteract the tendency towards should go to this group rather than want to go to this group, I spent a good deal of time talking about engaging in what is really important to you in the opening ...adults ended up taking the risk of following their hearts...as a result, at least three of the posted discussion groups were composed entirely of the very young... Two observations...First, the energy in the space was wonderful...so high and so palpable...despite wonderful experiences both being in and opening space, I have never felt the space vibrate in this way before...the young people who were present were so at home in the space...posted sessions more quickly than the adults, exercised the law of mobility more comfortably and bumble-beed and butterflied all over the place. It paid off big time, with commitments to the young people from local politicians who were present to do follow up on some particular issues...Second, but related, adults learned from the young people...they very quickly stopped being experts and listened actively and creatively...some even started to bumble-bee themselves...This was all later transformed into support for young leadership, a planning group composed of young people and adults alike with the young people already having determined first steps and adults falling into a facilitator/support role...the real test of this small sample of empowerment will come later as things roll out... In closing, high marks for Open Space and the need to do most meetings in this format...for the young people, not-surprising observations peppered with comments such as I really had a chance to say what I wanted to say and for the first time, people really listened to me... An observation (not particularly original) from this: the initial contrast between young people and adults as the space was opened suggests that at some point in our growth we bury our (or others) capacity for high play and creativity (not kill, just bury, for we do seem able to find it momentarily again when the conditions are right). Then, some questions: what are the reasonable (?) limits from an age perspective for meaningful participation in Open Space (and who defines meaningful in any event)? what can we learn from children about the flow of energy and sense of time and space which can enrich our capacity to open and hold space? what are the implications for the way I nurture my own children? In sum...it was a wonderful experience...other than the clear need for all to be involved with an issue which has heart and meaning for them, I would enjoy hearing about the questions which have arisen or the learning others have experienced from children/young people who are participants in Open Space events... Jody
