On a tangent raised by Michael Pannwitz: I too have done an OS for kids (10-12) in part to prepare them for participation in a larger OS with their teachers and parents. I agree that the children take to the process so quickly that it seems they need no preparation...but I think the kids' OS in advance helped them. They noticed that OS was introduced in the same way to adults as to themselves, which, I believe, helped them feel comfortable in the big one.
Thanks, Michael, and good luck, Andrew! -Chris ---------- >From: Michael M Pannwitz <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Subject: Re: The particaption of youth in Open Space >Date: Tue, May 23, 2000, 1:48 PM > > Dear Andrew, > I think I would encourage the sponsor to address his concern in his > opening remarks rather than making sure myself as the facilitator > "that the voice of the young are heard". (As if a facilitator could > actually do that). > It is perhaps a little late to ask the sponsor what he has done to > invite more than just 2 or 3 young people. On the other hand my > experience is that the number in itself does not really matter. A > couple of years ago we had an open space with 260 people in Berlin > (cooperation among everyone involved with school), lots of > administrators, school principals, teachers, psychologists a few > parents and 2 young people (12 and 16 years old). Those two posted an > issue each and the 12 year old convened a group. > Nobody had paid particular attention to them in the introduction. > I also recall the wisdom that a sure fire way to blow open space is > to attempt to control it. > So go with your intention to open the space as you always do and wait > to be surprised. > With younger youths (elementary school age) I have done an open space > just with them a few weeks before the space they were invited to > where teachers, parents etc. attended. That was a lot of fun but > afterwards I asked myself whether that really had to be. The grade > school kids delved into open space as if this is what they always had > operated in. > Good luck > michael > > On Tue, 23 May 2000 17:28:10 +1000, Andrew Donovan wrote: > >>Dear Friends >> >>I have a one day open space this Friday in Canberra (Australia's capital) >>for our leading adult literacy organisation. The 50 or so people attending >>are policy makers from various fields. The focus is on literacy and young >>people. Several young people will be attending (say 2-3). >> >>A member of the leadership team hosting the open space is very concerned >>that the process/the facilitator ensure that the voice of the young people >>is heard. While perhaps making some welcoming comments in my introduction, >>I don't intent to single them out or really do anything further than I >>would normally in opening the space. But, I am open to the wisdom of the >>list. I think it's a relevant concern that a group of 40 powerful adults >>could intimidate 3 young people (their small numbers are a problem in >>itself), even though that is not their intention. >> >>How would other people respond to these concerns, have you done anything >>differently to include young people in a largely adult group? Many thanks >> >>warm wishes >> >>andrew >> >> >> >>Andrew Donovan >>tel +61 3 9416 3021 >>fax +61 3 9416 2935 >>PO Box 1705 >>Collingwood VIC 3066 >>Australia > > > > > > Michael M Pannwitz > Draisweg 1 > 12209 Berlin, Germany > FON +49 - 30-772 8000 FAX +49 - 30-773 92 464 > www.michaelMpannwitz.de > > To subscribe to the oslist, send the following message (and nothing but the > message): > "SUBSCRIBE OSLIST" to [email protected] > SUBJECT field should be left BLANK
