Thomas and everyone -- I am new to this list, pulled in by Jeff A., Lisa H. , Peggy H. and others. Glad to be here. It sounds like a lively group. I do OD work focusing on whole systems approaches, including Open Space. You can check my website out at: http://horizonsofchange.com.
It is a sad story your are telling and so typical that the community is willing to sacrifice so much in order to buy into "free market conditions". What is happening to our world? I have a few thoughts. Why is this happening? Is it because of budget shortfalls? If this is the case, is the system still open to other options? If so, perhaps the event could focus on what else might happen that could meet budget needs (and other givens) and save the curriculum and jobs. Other options might be an open space giving people a chance to talk to each other about what is going on and how they are going to cope with it. Another possibility would be to hold the Open Space after the changes have been made and use it as a re-design under the new conditions. The real issue here, is that the group that needs to decide on what the focus should be is the system itself. Are you working with a planning team that reflects the larger system? A group like this is really the appropriate body to answer the question you have posed to this list. Good Luck, Kenoli
Hi list-friends. A client of mine has planned to hold a 2-day OST with all 170 staff, in june, the last days before they all go for summervacation. The theme was to concern the future of their school (working with "adult learning"). They are in the process of changing from public funding to "free market conditions". 5 public schools will be in a corporation owned by the municipality. Now it seems that they will loose a lot of the courses they have given before and face serious downsizing. The circumstances will be made clear the coming days. The headmaster believes that maybe 50 out of a total 170 persons on his school will have to leave. It is likely that there will be some reorganizations between the 5 schools serving different local areas. They probably all face lay offs. It seems pretty clear that a OST conference on the future of the school is not suitable as a lot of the people coming would not be inspired to plan for something they may not even be part of. But they do have a need to communicate and support each other though this. I think OST would still be suitable but I guess the theme should focus on the issue which is everybodys concern right now. I promised to make some research on experiences in similair situations. I would very much appreciate if you would like to share!! Greetings from sunny Sweden (summer is coming over here) Thomas Herrmann Phone +46 (0)709-98 97 81 Open Space Consulting Pensévägen 4 434 46 Kungsbacka, Sweden Email: [email protected] Medlem i BNI - nätverk för affärer (www.bni.nu) Jag kan tillhandahålla professionella affärskontakter: Revisor, Reklam, Tryckeri, Data/IT, Organisationskonsult, Resebyrå, Konferensarrangör, Marknadsföring, Försäkringsbolag, Utbildningsmäklare, Telekommunikation, Profilkläder, Fastighetsmäklare, Advokat, Naprapat, Rekrytering och personaluthyrning, Florist, Film & Videoproduktion, Bokföring, Hemservice. * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected], Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
-- Kenoli Oleari, Horizons of Change, http://www.horizonsofchange.com 1801 Fairview Street, Berkeley, CA 94703 Voice Phone: 510-601-8217, Fax: 510-595-8369, Email: [email protected] (or click on: mailto://[email protected]) * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected], Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
