How to get started again when a new year rolls around. Especially if you are the convenor of a group. Here Kit Shepherd, convenor of Transition Bondi, shares her thoughts…
January is the time for getting the wheels turning and also injecting fresh ideas and energy into our group.
Conversation with a colleague in a different part of the country helped me with this. Two minds, with good listening attention allowed thoughts to develop and ideas to emerge.
We reminded ourselves of the general principle of the Transition Movement – to envision what we want then work from there.
Also the Active Hope Spiral process adds to the group process toward visioning:
- Grounding and sharing gratitude
- Getting in touch with grief and despair
- Seeing with new eyes (possibly by an imaginary dialogue with a person of the future; or tuning in to the gifts of our ancestors)
- Creating next steps which will include envisioning.
This big-picture approach fosters momentum and can be returned to when energy flags.
The small-picture approach whereby a local issue of concern becomes the launching pad for a project, could be seen as a passionate reaction. It may offer a sense of purpose, and gather support for the time being, though when the project is complete, engagement might flag. Without the context of the vision it is likely that momentum will be hard to sustain.
The thought is to start with a collective vision generated by a group and end up with a project, rather than the other way around, starting with a project and forgetting the vision.
So, in our group, we will be continuing with our well-established monthly programs. And by stimulating our imaginations as we think about how we’d really like things to be, we may not only refresh the sense of purpose in our efforts, but put us in touch with the broader sense of wellbeing of people and world, beyond our own neighbourhood.
By the way two ideas for projects came up in our conversation :
- Composting in our street
- Bike train – cycling together to work, for safety and boosting morale.
Kit Shepherd, Transition Bondi, January 2025