permaculture

["Rene and Lorraine van Raders" <rvraders@tpgi.com.au>]

Stefani wrote
> I've been avoiding getting too involved in political / campaigning work
for ages now, whilst thinking where I can best utilise my energy and
limiting myself to supporting others who are hard at it + a bit of work on
the fringes.
> 
> Mostly what has put me off is noticing what crap design there is around
much campaigning work - meetings are structured badly, people spend loads
of energy fighting each other, irrelevant angers get mixed up in the soup,
etc, and the end result is far too many wonderful visionaries ending up
burned-out & disillusioned.
> 
> I'd like some help in thinking how to design this stuff better.

Gee you sound pretty busy already, still they do say "if you want something
done, ask a busy person".
We're not involved in a lot of campaign work, like you to date
concentrating on setting up positive models.  And like you we also
sometimes feel it could be us organising campaigns.. or at least being much
more active in them.  One of the things I especially dislike about many
campaigns I see, is the lack of good information.  The campaigns are often
very one sided, with no effort to really understand the issue in any
detail.  I also feel that a bit more cooperation with the "opposition"
might be very beneficial in most cases  (getting to understand and
empathise with the people involved... rather than going in a
confrontational way).   

As to the infighting and meeting design, we've decided to learn more about
facilitation and conflict resolution ... more and more we're coming to
realise that our people skills are more important than any gardening
skills.  We're not perfect by any means, but we've learnt a lot already. 
As we started to develop these skills, we've been asked to chair meetings
and organisations, and been seen as leaders.  Now it's becoming possible to
change meeting procedures and to influence the behaviour of others to a
greater extent.

Wish you luck with your new proactive stance... the more activists the
better, and the less any of us will burn out (remember to take time out for
your sanity... and we will too).

Cheers  Rene (and Lorraine) van Raders
The Green Piece Permaculture Garden
PO Box 389
Malanda, Beautiful Far North Queensland
4885 Australia
Int.  61 740 965138
Australia 07 40 965138
email  rvraders@tpgi.com.au
"If enough people knock there heads against a brick wall it will fall
down."
Ashleigh Brilliant