Diverse, experiential, self-organising - is a large group learning community for you ?
Whilst intensely productive, creative and transformational, a large group learning community (as we are envisaging it), can be experienced as difficult and challenging by some. For many people it can become an inspirational experience they will never forget, for others it can become too challenging, overwhelming, confusing or plain frustrating. Three key characteristics that you will be exposed to are
1. the diverse make-up of the groups,
2. the nature of the experiential learning process, and
3. the self-organising format of our events.
1. The diversity of the learning community
Whatever your background or work situation, by participating in our events you will find yourself engaged in a diverse group, with people that you usually would not meet or work with, from different professions, different sectors of society, different social contexts. It can be challenging to encounter directly such differences - in outlook, values and identity - but also profoundly enriching.
Remember that wherever you are coming from, whatever your background and identity, these other people potentially are your customers or clients, your staff or suppliers, your target groups, your funders or allies or even your competitors and opponents.
The diverse stakeholders of your organisation
In short: these are people, however different they are from you, that you want to understand (at the very least), engage with and relate to (better) or ideally inspire and bring on board with you.
The Communitas large group will have a diversity equivalent to the community of stakeholders that make up the total system of your organisation. That’s why we think of organisations as communities, as complex, diverse systems.
Well-organised diversity makes organisations robust and creative, and we are, therefore, keen to encourage and enhance the diversity of the group by inviting participants from as wide a range of contexts as possible.
Diversity in social organisms
We recognise that for ‘diversity’ not to become an empty phrase, it needs to be based on facing squarely social issues of power and inclusion. It goes without saying that we are committed to equal opportunities and will resolutely attend to them by appreciating social minorities and diverse identities of any kind.
Diversity is one of the perennial issues of all communities and organisations, and one of the essential domains for social learning. It is thus at the heart of the Communitas Project.
However, we do not believe in dealing with oppressive dynamics by policies, but by emotional, relational and collective work, and therefore have not included the customary ‘Diversity and Inclusiveness Statement’.
2. Experiential, holistic learning
Although as the tutors we are prepared to give input, demonstrate, teach and model within a traditional didactic style (see here for a list of approaches that fall within our expertise as possible inputs into the courses), our main focus is on encouraging and facilitating holistic, experiential, self-directed learning. The large group provides an ideal setting - in both plenary and sub-groups - for learning about being and participating in groups as well as leading them.
Such learning is practical, ‘here & now’, engaged, integrating left and right-brain processing. For most people it leads to much more effective outcomes, with knowledge and skills more applicable and better retained. We emphasise learning processes based on a model of multiple intelligences: emotional and relational as well as mental and rational. Research on the skills and qualities of ‘reflective practitioners’ indicates that such a model of experiential, multi-modal, holistic learning is a key ingredient in sustained excellence, whatever your field.
However, for some the large group can at times be experienced as chaotic, overwhelming or laborious. If you find that you learn best in a theoretical, left-brain, concentrated, individual and secluded manner, then our learning communities may not be suitable for you.
3. Self-organising and self-directed
Unlike most other training courses, our events do not have a fixed curriculum and no pre-designed content to be delivered to you. We do not subscribe to the funnel method of teaching. As the tutors, we do not presume to know better what you need to develop or how to run your organisation. The learning community is self-organising and self-directing, open and responsive to your needs and your influence. As in your everyday work (and in life generally), responsibility for your experience and your choices ultimately rests with you.
Co-creative responsibility - empowering or frustrating ?
In Gestalt philosophy we re-frame the term ‘responsible’ as ‘response-able’. Learning communities are known for their inspiring and empowering effects on participants (often sustained over many years, if you believe some of our testimonials - see link). Whatever your position in an organisation, you can co-create the kind of conducive culture and environment you believe is possible and desirable. We are not suggesting miracles overnight, but there are few learning contexts that will have as much impact on your capacity to engender fruitful organisational processes as our learning communities.
However, for some people this is not what they are looking for in a training course. If you want structured, didactic, abstract and linear input that you can passively absorb, then our learning communities may not be suitable for you.
Posted by Michael Soth in