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PARTICIPATE IN THE OPEN SPACE PROCESS

Description: Open Space is a group process that encourages individuals to to engage in an open group discussion.

Purpose: To raise issues that affect our work together that members feel passionately about. These issues may or may not be part of the current agenda.

Time: May be ongoing throughout a day with 10 minutes at end to sign up and organize meetings or take a half hour to process a days work.

Four Guiding Principles:
- Whoever participates are the right people
- Whatever happens is the only thing that could happen
- Whenever it starts is the right time
- When it is over it is over

Law of Two Feet: If, during the course of the gathering any person finds himself in a situation where he is neither learning nor contributing, he can use any means of mobility and go to a more productive place.

Getting Started:
- Identify your issue(s)
- Know your passion(s)
- Give a short title to the topic you have a passion for
- Write your topic on a sheet of paper
- Post your issue paper on the wall for all to consider
- All participants are invited to state their issue(s)

All participants are invited to read all the issues and sign their names to the issue papers where they also have a passion. Those issue/papers with no signatures drop out of the process.

The signatures on the issue/paper take responsibility for time/place to meet before the next meeting. This may be in person, on the phone or via e-mail.

Some Observations of the Process:

  1. The process is self-managed by the group
  2. The process allows the unspeakable to be spoken
  3. The process is extremely powerful when no one person has the answer
  4. The process does not work when a leader/convener tries to control it
  5. The process is one that builds community
  6. The process is most effective in situations where a diverse group of people confront complex and potentially conflicting material in innovative andproductive ways.
  7. The process is most effective when there is time at the next meeting to discuss the results of the previous meeting.

Center Priorities (.pdf)

Bulletin Inserts
Child Support (.pdf)
Environment (.pdf)
Housing Trust (.pdf)
Indigent Defense (.pdf)
Payday Lending (.pdf)
Minimum Wage (.pdf)

Advocacy Resources
Advocacy Guide (.doc)
Advocacy Portal (link)
Lending Info. (.ppt)
Richmond Map (.pdf)

For Small Groups
Eco-Stewardship (link)
Prayers for Creation (link)
Poverty Diet (link)

    Policy Briefs
    EITC (.doc)
    TANF Child Support (.doc)
    Payday Loans (.doc)
    Healing Creation (.doc)
    Child Ombudsman (.doc)
    Affordable Housing (.doc)
    Indigent Defense (.doc)
    Minimum Wage (.doc)
    Wage & EITC (.doc)
    VA Tribes (.link)

    Actions
    Lending Petition (link)
    Title Petition (link)
    Wage Petition (link)

    Reports
    Budget Analysis (.pdf)
    Food Stamps (.doc)
    Lottery Study (link)

    FAQ's (link)

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