Workshop on Effective Collectives, Teams, and Affinity Groups for Occupy, Thursday, Feb 2.

[Theodor Arnason]

The Cascadia Center presents

Collectives, Teams, and Affinity Groups 101

A Workshop on Social Ecology for Occupy, and the Movement of Movements

As we have seen again in the exciting emergence of the Occupy movement, most of our work toward social transformation is done in groups, whether in formal collectives or temporary work groups.  Everyone has experienced how this work can be enjoyable and creative, or boring, or even frustrating and alienating.  For our work to be as effective and enjoyable as possible, we need to learn from the experience of groups and collectives that have come before us.

Members of the Portland-based collective known as the Cascadia Center offers the Collectives, Teams and Affinity Groups workshop as way of conveying basic principles and practices for group work.  In a three hour workshop, we share ideas, resources, and group exercises that will help you:

• avoid burn-out
• engage interpersonal conflict with success
• decentralize leadership and empowerment
• be effective at getting things done
• feel supported as a human being in your group.

We will cover a range of topics related to setting up and maintaining healthy groups, such as:

• Types of groups and their functions
• Issues around membership
• Defining purpose, vision, and strategy
• Meeting design
• Relationship building
• Decision making
• Follow-through and accountability
• Communication
• Documentation
• Reflection and evaluation
• Collaboration with other groups

Time and location

Thursday, February 2  from 6 to 9 pm at Local 49, 3536 SE 26th Ave, Portland, OR 97202
(note that repeat of the workshop will be offered Wednesday, February 8 at a location TBA.)


Your donation on a sliding scale ($2 to $20) helps the Cascadia Center provide services to important groups with few resources.  If you can, please pre-register by writing to c...@tryonfarm.org, so we can make sure there is enough space.  Indicate which date you will attend.

Bring whatever snacks, food, and drink you might need.

Participants will be given an assessment tool to take back to their groups.  Cascadia Center members will be available to groups to help process the feedback from these assessments.

Advanced workshops and consultation in each of these areas are also available to established groups on request.  Write to c...@tryonfarm.org for more information.

The Cascadia Center collective is a project of Tryon Life Community Farm, a sustainability education and demonstration center.