Transition Group Facilitators

Add a Comment

32 Comments

Comment by Rachel Emmer on October 6, 2009 at 1:25pm

This notice was just posted the LinkedIn Sustainable International Development groups - Sounds like a great opportunity for the Transition Town message:

LinkedIn Post

Call for Proposals: 2009 World Town Planning Day Online Conference:
(October 5, 2009) -- For the first time ever, eight planning organizations have come together to support a joint “virtual” conference for planners from around the globe in honor of the 2009 World Town Planning Day. (See the complete list of co-hosts below.) Activities at this first-time online event for planners will include live presentations and networking. Presentations also will be recorded for later viewing on the conference website.

Presentation proposals and speakers are sought on the conference theme, Resilience in a Changing Climate. Read on for more details.

Submit your proposal today! Proposals are due Friday, October 16, 2009 at noon (GMT)

Download the Call for Proposals form at www.PlanningTheWorld.net.

Theme: Resilience in a Changing Climate

Why my town or city – or the planning system I work in – will be resilient to climate change

Proposals are sought that explain why your town, city or planning system will be resilient to climate change. What is it about your community or system that makes its approach to mitigating or adapting to climate change particularly effective? Why is it effective? What ‘lessons learned’ can other planners take from your experience that will guide them in addressing this crucial issue in their own communities?

This conference will showcase case studies and presentations that provide key insights into how professional planners are thinking about – and practicing – planning around the globe in response to climate change.

Examples of Conference Topics
Conference proposals may include, but are not limited to, the following subject areas:
* Urban areas
* Coastal areas
* Urbanization and new developments
* Slums
* Vulnerable groups (elderly, children etc.)
* Green building practices, including housing
* Revitalization, renewal and regeneration
* Mobility and transit oriented developments
* Green infrastructure
* Urban ecology
* Energy systems

Note: This conference is conducted completely online as part of efforts to reduce the carbon footprint resulting from presenter/participant travel. Presenting at this conference requires high-speed internet. The visual component of the conference is seen via the internet on your computer screen. You'll access the audio component in one of two ways, either through a) a long-distance telephone call you make using a landline, cell/mobile phone, or internet voice service (such as Skype or Google Voice), or b) a computer headset that’s plugged into your computer.

If your proposal is selected, you’ll be assigned to a conference session by the Conference Planning Team. If you have any scheduling conflicts you’d like us to avoid in scheduling, please note this on your proposal form (be sure to indicate your time zone).

Presenter(s) will be notified the week of October 26, 2009.

Selected proposals will be grouped into panel presentations according to like topics. Presenters will have 20-30 minutes to present, depending on the number of panelists for each session.

Partner Organizations

* American Planning Association's International Division
* Commonwealth Association of Planners
* Canadian Institute of Planners
* European Council of Spatial Planners-Conseil européen des urbanistes
* International Federation for Housing and Planning
* New Zealand Planning Institute
* Planning Institute of Australia
* Royal Town Planning Institute

Comment by Coco Gordon on January 28, 2009 at 12:43pm

Hey you gals, thanks for the supporting comments!

I did use the one image of the cubic mile of oil to shake things up, had it on my computer ready to show to all right up front in their dais professionally configured seats, walking my computer among them to see it while reading the equivalents of how 4 Three Gorges dams had to be fired up each year for 50 years to come up with that one cubic mile of oil the USA is now using in one year, 104 coal-fired plants, 52 nuclear powered plants, 32,850 wind turbines, and 91,250,000 solar panels for the same time equivalents, WOW! that is a stunner to set in minds that do not believe in Peak oil and think we all have an un-ending supply of cheap abundant oil to tap.

Thank you to Michael Brownlee for putting this stunning orange zone missive into our Transition Training packet to take our reality check where it has to go!

Alice, yes, Frances Moore Lappe, a giant who put us into the Diet for a small planet direction back in 1971, then wrote Democracy’s Edge, World Hunger, Getting a Grip, hear her talk here http://www.smallplanet.org/worldhunger
watch the videos here on this site, intro to her new book, and a Video profile of Frances from the James Beard—Humanitarian of the Year Award Ceremony

and remember that the feeding of hungering people will be empowered more and more by teaching Permaculture food growing skills and making value added products, each person in the world reclaiming power to do for oneself what is being held back by obfuscating power-over declarations from controlling governments of all kinds, who either themselves do not know how to create one's own yields in person and community, or wish to keep control by spreading false tales about feeding the world's populations. So all of us, learn and promote PERMACULTURE systems building in all our communities now! Empower us all!

Cheers/
Coco

Comment by Dana Miller on January 28, 2009 at 11:51am

Coco----yippeee, girl!

Comment by Alice Kelsey on January 28, 2009 at 10:02am

How exciting Coco! We're all learning so much about people, community, change. I have found that it's sometimes scary for me when I find myself in uncharted territory and for comfort sake I wish everyone had a script to follow but then I'd miss the unimagined magic that happens when I check my ego at the door, put myself out there, attend to what others have to say and keep out of the way so I don't impede the process! It reminds me of the section of Frances Moore Lappe's book "Get A Grip" where she encourages us to think of the pounding of our heart (when we speak in public or do anything that causes us anxiety) as inner applause.

Comment by Coco Gordon on January 28, 2009 at 1:03am

I had another great experience in an acceleration of great experiences of speaking out for Transition and Permaculture. Last night I wasinvited to be on our planning council's agenda to introduce Transition and Permaculture for use in the current redesign of our Town Comprehensive Plan, using no big screen only telling what I know.

I'll put my agenda I put forth, with talk-notes into the discussion format. All walked out with smiling faces, seeming enriched and enticed to learn from the you-tube list of videos also uploaded into the discussion.

I'll be advising the coming yearlong process of revamping our Town design plan toward true self-sustainability, resilience and integrated permaculture design, while now working up a new metrics for Permaculture's effectiveness in our town.

The town administrator though avowing he does not understand the terminologies we use, thought up a perfect way to bridge the way toward resilience, that "ambiguous" term not clearly understood, by suggesting I do a workshop on town property that he and the others can learn from in action not words, so they can learn firsthand. This a dream reaction Permaculture teachers love, to be asked by the person they really wish to reach, especially in government bodies, by stimulating their own thinking and suggestions. Hurray for our town coming up with localized thinking and making the change of habit and mindset possible by working together, doing whatever, cob, building, rain-gardening, etc.

This is my second experience with our governing bodies coming up with their own already relocalizing way of reasoning to understand and discover what transition towns and Permaculture practice have to offer. The we together mode supercedes the I know more than you mode, so I find that in listening to dissent, if there is no ego at stake in the outcome, leads to what is feeling more right being decided by those you want to learn from you. Waiting it out until others take their own steps and rewrite your agenda to further their small steps stops the big presentation from being scrapped while those who balked become converts and change their awareness.

This is the slow in small chunks cumulative way to learn, versus the quick immersion way that those who already are well primed will love to be challenged with.

I find that the group not understanding the vernacular can be enchanted just enough by several references to want to continue, and will themselves suggest how to get there. What others may perceive as being shot down is illusory. What is happening is the change of consciousness in front of your eyes, it takes courage to sit back and let that play out, not try to force a teaching from expert mode.

Comment by David E Greenwald on January 15, 2009 at 4:55pm

To all;
I saw the following in an email but did not see where or how to respond so I am putting it here. Matt Johnson from Transition Louisville also attended and we had our weekly Initiators Meeting this morning - we are adapting this for our Louisville meetings going forward - I love it!!!
EMAIL FOLLOWS:
A message from Alice Kelsey to all members of Transition Group Facilitators on Transition Colorado!

Vicki Robin spoke last night about her Transition Whidbey's potlucks. She said after they eat, the program consists of:
- Celebrations ("We just installed a solar water heater.")
- Announcements ("There's a Great Reskilling class next Wed. at 6pm")
- Offers (I"ve got three downed trees that someone is welcome to cut up for firewood.)
- Asks (Does anyone have a rototiller I could borrow"?)

This seems a wonderful next step for our group. It might address the pull-n-tug that exists amongst us between the folks that "want to do something!" and those who want to focus on building relationship within the group. I'm going to share this idea with the Loveland group tonight. I'll keep you posted how it plays out. P.S. Google "potlucks with a purpose" and you'll find a recent event announcement from Whidbey. Alice from Loveland

Comment by David E Greenwald on December 24, 2008 at 11:50am

Hello All
Not sure where to post this - hereis Transition_Louisville_Initiating_Gp_v4.docthe Transition Louisville Initiating Group statement of intention. I am attaching it in word format

Comment by Coco Gordon on November 22, 2008 at 11:13pm

Had a great experience today with Anne parker leading us through Conversations that Matter, multiple ways, tools lively rich am very energized and satiated. Thanks for Transition cross-pollinations!

The center candle, rock, pine branch and pine cones reminded me of the Naropa Transition Council of All Beings centerpiece- the coming together of a microcosm of community in both was heart touching!
Coco

Comment by Blair McMorran on November 11, 2008 at 11:57pm

Hello,
I am just catching up on requests to join this or that - without realizing what I signed myself up for....
I spend a lot of time answering emails all day - not sure I'll be able to keep up but I'll do my best.
-Blair

Comment by Dana Miller on November 5, 2008 at 1:19pm

Just follow your instincts, Alice.

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4