Eleder-- Yes, you can do that! It sounds like a wonderful idea, and what Gerard writes, I second.
I have done several such--The Doers Conference, Immigration Conversations, What Good Can We Make of 9-11? and others. I suspect I wrote reports on each one of these on the oslist, so searching the archives can give you more than I will likely remember. Also search for "hot chocolate," my current favorite way to invite co-inviters and participants. Or ask a few more questions here, and invite some more responses, Eleder! Eric I think did one in a public park (in Vienna?) with homeless people. So yes, you can do it. :- Doug. On Sun, 2009-10-11 at 18:40 +0200, Gerard Muller wrote: > In my experience there is a difference between an organisation who > wants to have an Open Space (typically when the conversation starts > this is for a more or less well defined group of participants) > and a system (around a river with some serious kind of illness). > > > In the first case it is often easier to get those who you'd like to > come to come, in the second case you really have to make an effort to > achieve this. > > > In reality I find in many cases there is in reality not too much > difference between the two situations, as many issues an organisation > would like to discuss in > an Open Space turn out to be issues where much of the relevant > knowledge is not within the organisation itself, but with clients, > suppliers, competitors and so on. > > > The situation in which you want to organise an Open Space and take the > initiative yourself, I have found the following useful. > > > 1. Define the issue > 2. Ask yourself what would be the stakeholders you would most like > to be present > 3. Decide which of these stakeholders (or another > person/organisation) would be the ideal one(s) to (co)invite together > with you > 4. Consider what would be compelling reasons for them to do so > 5. Talk to them (and possibly to others who you consider key to the > success of the event) > 6. Have a meeting with the most important stakeholders to get their > input and obtain their - active - support. > > > In other cases, simply organising an Open Space with a small group can > turn out to be the springboard to a larger event. > > > > > Greetings from Denmark > > > > > > > > > Gerard Muller > Open Space Institute Denmark > > > > > > > On Oct 11, 2009, at 5:10 PM, ELEDER AURTENETXE PILDAIN wrote: > > > Hello, > > > > as far as I have read, OS is called by a community, company, > > association or group that regularly works together, let's say. > > > > My question is: would OS work also if an individual invited openly > > people for an Open Space about a topic that may get the interest of > > a general group of people? For example, do you think we - a > > facilitator or facilitating team - (on our own through our social > > net, or, supported, maybe, by an organisation that usually holds > > summer university courses, by a local administration or so...) could > > call for OS events on this topic: > > > > "the river in our city is painfully ill. Due to it, all of people > > here are losing a great opportunity to enjoy a more local and > > healthy lifestyle. Imagine you could daily walk or bike to the > > river, dive into and swim in it, and get back home,... wouldn't it > > be great for all of us? Can we do something to enhance the recovery > > of the river? Can we dream about swimming in it in, let's say, 10-15 > > years? Do you feel like acting on? Join us in OS and let's start > > acting on it..." > > > > > > > > This may be a good way for facilitators to open space and spread OS > > practice and let their dreams start coming true... it may also give > > birth to new groups to deal with such topics from this OS meeting > > on... > > > > > > What do you think about it? > > > > Have you ever open such kind of space "proactively", let's say? > > > > Do you know about similar experiences? > > > > Kindest regards, > > > > Eleder Aurtenetxe Pildain > > BM31_BILBAO > > > > Mind mapping - Open Space Technology - Creativity > > > > > > www.in-fluyendo.blogspot.com > > > > www.burumapak.blogspot.com > > > > > > > > > > > > * * ========================================================== > > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To > > subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of > > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about > > OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > > > * * ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To > subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about > OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist