This video has been a major role in my inspiration of connection with others. In my LIPD embracing deeper connections with others had been a personal/peer goal that I established. When this video started to circulate I felt even more empowered and it gave me a revitalizing push to continue on with writing this output. Hopefully it ignites some sort of flame, old or new that makes you want to set down your phone, close your computer and have coffee with a friend!
Look Up by Gary Turk
Project Specification
Project Title: Activating Community
Project Outcomes: Summarize a healthy vs unhealthy community aspects, create a universal definition of community, and learn and teach what connects people.
Project Design: I created a design system that implemented a few key tools to generate this output. The design system is an exact measure of how I created my output smoothly, start to finish. My first step was to 'Plan'- where I asked myself: why, when, where, and what? I used this as the base for my output. The next pattern I used was 'Reach Out' I did this by creating a survey and reaching out via facebook, e-mail, gaia u forum, as well as face-to-face interactions. After reaching out, my next step was to gain 'Support' and I needed support in order to continue on with my project. What I also got out of the support portion was a tutor, which leads me to my next process of 'Expand'. What I mean by expand is the expansion of my knowledge, tools, and community. The very last step that I had built into my design pattern was 'Teach' and that is what I am doing for my readers of this output. I have created it for teaching others ways to activate a community.
Outcomes to the Field
How does your project affect the world, the field, your community, the client?
My project will affect numerous people because community is present everywhere, some communities may have stronger affiliations and clear relationships and roles, where others might not have much of an active community but in the end the people are still there. In my opinion after all, it's the people that physically make-up a community and their gifts, tools, ideas and communication activates the sustaining community. My project focuses on tips to lead a community and build a community on strengths, it will help outline when times are hard ad community is less present and how one can cultivate that whole feeling of community again.
What are the primary achievements of the project?
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Create a universal definition of community
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Establish what's healthy vs unhealthy communities
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Understand how people feel connected, and how they handle problems to dissolve disconnection and rekindle connection
- Where is our connection going? i.e. Social Media, face-to-face
Describe your contribution to building your peer networks, the knowledge commons and the epistemic community.
I had a lot of fun with this OP, I engaged in a variety of community connection opportunities. First, I held a Swap party. A swap party is where people come together bringing a handful of items to donate. It can be a variety of clothes, books, movies, appliances, talent, etc. Secondly, I held a verbal survey as well as an online survey to gather data and insight on what community meant to my local allies, as well as my Internet community. The third opportunity I was able to embark on was searching, hiring and interviewing a philosophy tutor from my local community to talk about Hannah Arendt’s theories on The Human Condition. Last but not least, I attended the 3-day Midwest Renewable Energy Fair in Custer, WI, where I was able to network with people from all over the Wisconsin community.
Includes dissemination through...
- Discussions
- Teaching
- Community Outreach
Politcial/Patrix Effects
How may your work alter the political landscape in your home, your community and the wider sociopolitical arena?
My work will encourage the presence and necessity of sustainable communities in the world. Sustainable communities means they thrive on what is present around them. In example: strong leaders, problem solving, outreach programs, individual strengths and important resources. With a sustainable community you will have people feeling involved, and needed. I think once this feeling is embraced only then will it truly alter the political landscape of the world. But initiating any sense of community should enhance your home life as well as your communal life because of the investment you feel towards your friends, co-workers, and the co-op down the street.
Personal and Professional Outcomes
Organization skills
Planning and logistics
Deeper connections
Patterns to bust!
Integration of Philosophy
In this output cycle I had the privilege of hiring a philosophy tutor for an hour where we specifically talked about a German- American political theorist named Hannah Arendt, and in specific we discussed her work of 'The Human Condition'. I then have related it to my project work of community and this is my summary of our discussion and my learnings:
One of, Hannah Arendt's, theories pertains to the idea that one cannot be an individual without a community; however there lays a duality. She also states that one cannot have a community without individuals. So in example: a person who lives off the grid, without the support of a patrix-busting job, or supply of monetary income is living as an 'individual' in some shape or form, right? Well, they are also most likely engaging in other day-to-day activities such as your typical community member would. One that comes easily to mind is reading a book. This poses the question: 'would this book be an existence without the presence of others?'
On the other end of the theory, let's talk about the need of individuals in order to have a community. I feel like this is a very natural thought process in my mind. In general, a community is composed of more than one person. Also, each person has their own niche and talents, gifts they bring to others. These gifts and talents are what have created jobs, books, music, movies, gardens, etc. within communities. With that being said I think it's evident that there is indeed an interdependence between individuals and community that enables their coexistence.
Purpose and Process
This OP is for me, my community, and others’ communities.
This OP has created space to help me utilize my strengths and minimize my weaknesses as a leader.
It serves as an awareness tool for those in the community to help support a sustainable community and connection.
The journey of this OP and it's discoveries have been supported by my local peers and online Gaia U allies. They assisted by being part of my project developments and surveys. Their presence has aided in personal reflections, personal goals and visions.
I felt like I was a lady of many facets for this project. I was a leader, supporter, and a follower. For the majority of the project I felt like a leader because I was initiating a lot of surveys and get togethers. I also felt like a supporter by involving myself with other peoples work and readings. It felt nice to step back and honor what other people had to say about community and connection. At times I thought I followed along, especially when I was at the workshops. I engaged myself fully though but I wasn’t the one in charge, someone else had to reins and it made me feel relieved. Whichever position I landed in, I completely embodied and absorbed the responsibilities that coincided with the role.
I had a few team members, my philosophy tutor being one, and my survey respondents. I also had people who participated externally with the swap party and vocal surveys. I feel like there were a few other people that I ran into (strangers) and had beautiful conversations with.
Critical Evaluation
For this project many resources were utilized. As I had said, I attended the Midwest Renewable Energy fair and it was thriving! It has been a fair consecutively for 25 years, going on 26. I was able to participate in a lot of community gathering orientated workshops and it felt great to be around many local folks that were just as ambitious as I was about activating community. With their foundation of 25 years, I didn't really question the tools and knowledge that was being taught in the workshops because many of the presenters had been there before. Even with the new presenters they were so willing to tell you their life stories and exchange information with you so regardless it was a great location to network as well.
I also hired a tutor who discussed some of the work by Hannah Arendt. Hannah Arendt dates back to the 1950s and was well known as a Political Theorist/Philosopher. Arendt studied at Yale as well as Wesleyan University. I really thought it was neat to introduce a bit of her theorem into this project.
Interventions
What were the primary interventions (into what systems) you made?
The main intervention that I faced came down to my learning support budget and how to apply it to this OP without deviating from my core topic/current interests. At first, this seemed like a very big issue and I was really freaking out about it. I thought that I would have to completely change my direction in order to find something that would relate enough. This wasn't the truth, and all I needed to do was relax and just figure out what I wanted.
What interventions did you choose to make and how was the timing significant for the success of these?
I chose to stay on the topic of community/connection for this OP and that generated a lot of ideas and visions on actions to take. I realized that I needed to use my learning support budget as I am on my last OP before my learning review OP. This issue stemmed a lot of stress and anxiety for me. I felt like I had a strong vision for this OP and was worried that I wouldn't be able to find something that would be beneficial for me to spend my learning support budget on that related. After some digestion time, I realized there were plenty of opportunities to tap into my learning support budget. Once I figured out how I was going to utilize my learning support budget most of my stress was alleviated and I was able to generate this OP fluidly.
I also deviated from my first vision to have a video compiled of peoples responses, more people were willing to only share vocally and didn't want to be recorded. I didn't see this as a major set back but merely as a chance to direct my attention in a more universal manor. What I mean by that is I chose to do an online survey and broadcast it via gaia, facebook, and blogger in order to obtain responses.
Next Steps
Next steps and new goals:
I will continue fostering a connection within my community and focus on developing time and attention towards activating the community and building off of strengths that we already have. I also will take time to reflect on my past year as this paper wraps up my projects for the year and leaves me with my learning review as well as my End-of-Year presentation. I hope I can find closure and insight while seeking next steps to continue on with some of the learnings that I gained throughout the year while being engaged with Gaia University.
TO THE FUTURE AND BEYOND:
If you look below you will see a timeline outlining my 2014/15 school year. It gives an estimated idea of what I want to achieve within each timeframe. I have made it to be easily achievable and as a tool that I can utilize for designing my next steps.