Programme / Timetable
The timetable is now definite
Changes may happen only due to specific important needs - at the time of the conference ...
If you scroll down this page you will find the proposed schedule (Timetable) for each day of the conference. At the bottom of the page you will find an online version of the Thematic Conference Programme of which all delegates will be given a copy when they arrive in Loutraki. Both the Timetable and the Programme can be red online and downloaded. Also, at the end of this webpage you can find detailed explanation of the coloured cards system which will be used for EFA General Assembly.
If you scroll down this page you will find the proposed schedule (Timetable) for each day of the conference. At the bottom of the page you will find an online version of the Thematic Conference Programme of which all delegates will be given a copy when they arrive in Loutraki. Both the Timetable and the Programme can be red online and downloaded. Also, at the end of this webpage you can find detailed explanation of the coloured cards system which will be used for EFA General Assembly.
Parallel Lectures / Workshops
In almost every timeslot we have scheduled Lectures or Panels in parallel with Workshops. Some participants prefer to attend an academic, theoretical lecture/ panel while others prefer to attend an experiential workshop. The Lectures/ Presentations will be given in the big room (room A) which will be set up for Presentations, while the workshops will take place in the smaller rooms (room B, C and D) and in the many beautiful outside areas of the Hotel (Place E).
Each day timeslots have been left for the repetition of Lectures, Panels or Workshops or for extra ones. Participants will also be invited to participate in Interest/Working Groups and the 3rd timeslot (12.30-1.30) is dedicated time for these to meet, though group participants may choose to meet at other times. Focusing pairs could also happen during this time |
Rooms, small room and outside spots
At our disposal there is room A (the big one), two smaller rooms (B: the 'playroom' and C: the 'tavern' and its yard) and also a fourth small room (D) which can host 15 to 18/20 people.
Room D is good for workshops with small number of participants, e.g. those workshops that have maximum number of participants of around 15 to 20 people. Outside the hotel there are many smaller or bigger shady, beautiful spots, where self-organised (Interest/Working) Groups may meet or Focusing Pairs may happen. |
EFA General Assembly
The EFA General Assembly will take place on the Monday morning of the conference and everyone is very much welcome to attend this. This will be followed by feedback from the Interest / Working Groups and the conference will end with a Closing Group.
Open Space and Interest Groups
On the first evening of the conference an ‘Open Space’ will be facilitated where participants are invited to join with others in freshly-formed ‘interest groups’. Time slots have been made available throughout the conference for these ‘interest groups’ to continue to meet and new groups may form as the conference unfolds.
Download the Analytical Daily Timetable
You can dowload the Analytical Daily Timetable in digital form, as a 4-page pdf file, by clicking on the button below.
You can also download the Thematic Programme of the Conference in the end of this same webpage: just scroll down to it.
You can also download the Thematic Programme of the Conference in the end of this same webpage: just scroll down to it.
Click, below, on each day to see the corresponding timeschedule
Room A: the biggest one - Room B: the 'playroom' - Room C: the 'tavern' - Room D: the small one - Place E: outside areas
Room A: the biggest one - Room B: the 'playroom' - Room C: the 'tavern' - Room D: the small one - Place E: outside areas
Rearrangement of the rooms may happen for workshops due to the actual participation numbers of each one
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Thursday 10 May
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Friday 11 May
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Saturday 12 May
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Sunday 13 May
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Monday 14 May
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DAY 1
08:00 – 09:00
09:00 – 09:30
09:30 – 11:00
11:00 – 11:30
11:30 – 13:00
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch (not included in the conference fee)
14:00 – 15:00 Registration
15:00 – 16:30 Registration
16:30 – 17:00 Registration
17:00 – 18:30 Introduction to the Conference
17:00 – 18:30 Welcome Evening
17:00 – 18:30(Unfolding the Greek culture)
17:00 – 18:30 Sharing
18:30 – 19:00 Open Space - Topics
19:00 – 20:30 Dinner
20:30 - 22:30 Open Space - Creation of Interest Groups
20:30 - 22:30 ... more ...
09:00 – 09:30
09:30 – 11:00
11:00 – 11:30
11:30 – 13:00
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch (not included in the conference fee)
14:00 – 15:00 Registration
15:00 – 16:30 Registration
16:30 – 17:00 Registration
17:00 – 18:30 Introduction to the Conference
17:00 – 18:30 Welcome Evening
17:00 – 18:30(Unfolding the Greek culture)
17:00 – 18:30 Sharing
18:30 – 19:00 Open Space - Topics
19:00 – 20:30 Dinner
20:30 - 22:30 Open Space - Creation of Interest Groups
20:30 - 22:30 ... more ...
DAY 2
08:00 – 09:00 Breakfast
09:00 – 09:30 Plenary Session
09:30 – 11:00 Lecture & Discussion / Parallel Workshops and more
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Lecture Mia Leijssen (60 minutes) + Dialogue (30 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Workshop Marine de Fréminville Calliope Callias (90 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Small Workshop Claude Missiaen (90 minutes) (up to 20 participants) |
Interest Group Lecture Panel Workshop (extra or repetition) (90 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Living Forward. The challenge of carrying forward Gendlin's legacy. |
Born in One Land And Living in Another: Carrying “it” forward creatively |
FACING YOUR EXISTENTIAL DEMONS: Experiential workshop on focusing from your safe place |
... |
11:00 – 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 – 12:30 Lecture & Discussion / Panel / and more
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Lecture Donata Schoeller (60 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Lecture Alan Tidmarsh (60 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Small Workshop Ruth Hirsch (90+ minutes) (up to 20 participants) |
Interest Group Lecture Panel Workshop (extra or repetition) (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Felt Sense - a beautiful yet misleading term |
Eigentlichkeit (owned-ness/authenticity) and therapy with an uninvited guest |
Building Inner Strengths to Heal Your Inner Critic |
... |
12:30 – 13:30 Interest Groups
The previous Panel on Children Focusing may be ending in this timeslot... (e.g. dialogue may spring up)
Interest Groups so far are the following:
#Hejo Feuerstein (60 minutes) (any number of participants) Focusing-Orientd / Experiential Coaching
#OR Hejo Feuerstein (60 minutes) (any number of participants) Experiential Approaches to Supervision
#(MEG) Maria Emmanuella Galanti (60 minutes) (any number of participants) Philosophy of the Implicit as a force for Cultural and Social Change
#Mia Leijssen (60+ minutes) (up to 16 participants) Living forward in human life and beyond
#Fiona Parr (60 minutes) (up to 20 participants) Focusing Teachers' group (started at Padova)
#Hejo Feuerstein (60 minutes) (any number of participants) Focusing-Orientd / Experiential Coaching
#OR Hejo Feuerstein (60 minutes) (any number of participants) Experiential Approaches to Supervision
#(MEG) Maria Emmanuella Galanti (60 minutes) (any number of participants) Philosophy of the Implicit as a force for Cultural and Social Change
#Mia Leijssen (60+ minutes) (up to 16 participants) Living forward in human life and beyond
#Fiona Parr (60 minutes) (up to 20 participants) Focusing Teachers' group (started at Padova)
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
... ... (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
... ... (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
... ... (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
... ... (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
... |
... |
... |
... |
13:30 – 14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 15:00 Personal Time
15:00 – 16:30 Panel / Parallel Workshops / (+) Hiking
The following Interest Group is scheduled for this afternoon :
(Hanspeter Mühlethaler) Focusing and Hiking (duration 2-3 hours)
(otherwise Focusing and Hiking will be arranged for Sunday afternoon)
Language: English - French - German
(Hanspeter Mühlethaler) Focusing and Hiking (duration 2-3 hours)
(otherwise Focusing and Hiking will be arranged for Sunday afternoon)
Language: English - French - German
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Panel Eleonore Schudek Kurt Schley Hejo Feuerstein (Part 1: 90 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Workshop Anna Karali (90 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Workshop Irit Tessel (90 minutes) (up to 30 participants) |
Small Workshop Donata Schoeller (90 minutes) (up to 20 participants) |
Experiential Concepts in Professional Practice #1 Eleonore Schudek: Developing supportive work relationships in stressful social work conditions by collegial Focusing. #2 Kurt Schley: Experiential Behavior Therapy for Children and Adolescents - How Focusing can be used within Behavior Therapy. |
The Greek myth of "Ariadne’s Thread" as navigator to our implicit labyrinths… |
Focusing In Health |
A Process Model |
16:30 – 17:00 Coffee break
17:00 – 18:30 Panel / Parallel Workshops / and more
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Panel Eleonore Schudek Kurt Schley Hejo Feuerstein (Part 2: 90 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Small Workshop Atsmaout Perlstein (150 minutes) (up to 20-24 participants) |
Workshop Greg Madison (120 minutes) (up to 30 participants) |
Interest Group Lecture Panel Workshop (extra or repetition) (120+ minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Experiential Concepts in Professional Practice #2 continuation/ending #3 Hejo Feuerstein (moderator): Experiential concepts for decision making: Some recommendations how to use Focusing and the Felt Sense - and how to not use it. |
Relational Aspects of Interactive Focusing and Mindfulness: Implications in Couple's and Family Therapy |
Upscaling Focusing: Can we take an individual practice as a template for social and community organising? |
... |
18:30 – 19:00 Workshops ending / Interest Groups starting / Personal Time
18:30 – 19:00 Personal Time / Interest Groups ending
19:00 – 20:30 Dinner
20:30 – 22:30 Personal Time - Event
DAY 3
Timetable (Day3) for those who stay at the Hotel/Loutraki from morning to midday
08:00 – 09:00 Breakfast
09:00 – 09:30 Plenary Session
09:00 – 09:30 Self-Organising Events/Lectures/Workshops
09:00 – 09:30 Self-Organising Events/Lectures/Workshops
09:30 – 11:00 Self-Organising/Self-Organised
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Lecture Self-Organising (90 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Panel Self-Organising (90 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Workshop Self-Organising (90 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Interest Group Lecture Panel Workshop (extra or repetition) (90 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
... |
... |
... |
... |
11:00 – 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 – 12:30 Self-Organising/Self-Organised
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Lecture Self-Organising (60 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Panel Self-Organising (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Workshop Self-Organising (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Interest Group Lecture Panel Workshop (extra or repetition) (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
... |
... |
... |
... |
12:30 – 13:30 Interest Groups / (or maybe... Focusing in Pairs)
Self-Organising / Self-Organised Interest Groups or Continuation of already started ones
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Interest Group Self-Organising (60 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Interest Group Self-Organising (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Interest Group Self-Organising (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Interest Group Self-Organising (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
... |
... |
... |
... |
More Interest Groups
Return from the Excursion
13:30 – 14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 15:00 Personal Time
15:00 – 16:30 Lecture / Parallel Workshops
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Lecture/Workshop Pavlos Zarogiannis Nikolaos Kypriotakis (30 minutes Lecture) (+ 60 minutes Workshop) (any number of participants) |
Workshop Nada Lou (90 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Small Workshop Patricia Foster Eirini Davleri (90 minutes) (up to 20/24 participants) |
Interest Group Lecture Panel Workshop (extra or repetition) (90 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Focusing, Critical Theory and New Materialism |
THINK DIFFERENT (TAE) |
Presence In-Action through Focusing as a Life Skill |
... |
16:30 – 17:00 Coffee break
17:00 – 18:30 Short Presentation+Lecture / Parallel Workshops
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Short Presentation Elli Avgerinou (20 minutes) (followed by) Lecture Christiane Geiser Judy Moore (60 minutes) (+Dialogue 30 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Workshop Teresa Dawson (90/120 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Small Workshop Antigoni Tsegeli (120 minutes) (up to 20 participants) |
Interest Group Lecture Panel Workshop (extra or repetition) (90 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
The establishment of HAPCEA in Greece; the contribution to the Greek society (followed by) Beyond Rogers, beyond Gendlin: widening our understanding of the theory |
Sleeping and Dreaming |
Deep Connection... Touch of Shiatsu, Focusing and Body-Mind |
... |
18:30 – 19:00 Workshops ending / Interest Groups starting / Personal Time
18:30 – 19:00 Personal Time / Interest Groups ending
19:00 – 20:30 Dinner
20:30 – 22:30 Personal Time - Event
DAY 4
08:00 – 09:00 Breakfast
09:00 – 09:30 Plenary Session
09:30 – 11:00 Lectures / Parallel Workshops / and more
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Lecture Campbell Purton (60 minutes) +Dialogue (30 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Small Workshop Annat Gal-on (90 minutes) (up to 20 participants) |
Small Workshop Gerd Parquin (90 minutes) (up to 16/18 participants) |
Interest Group Lecture Panel Workshop (extra or repetition) (90 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
A new approach to understanding Focusing |
HomeFocusing - Focusing Oriented Relationships |
Focusing and Movement Feeling Safe |
... |
11:00 – 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 – 12:30 Lectures / and more
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Lecture Frans Depestele (60 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Lecture MEG (Maria Emanuela Galanti) (60 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Panel Heidrun Essler Joke Van Hoeck Maria Kyriakidou Zoe Voulgaraki (60-90-120 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Interest Group Lecture Panel Workshop (extra or repetition) (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
A process theory of physical illness: medicine and psychotherapy |
… But Focusing implies a regression |
Children / Parents / Focusing |
... |
?Proposal for Panel: Ruth Hirsch: Teaching Focusing Online
12:30 – 13:30 Interest Groups (or maybe... Focusing in Pairs)
Some of the previous activities may be ending in this timeslot...
Interest Groups so far are the following:
#Hejo Feuerstein (60 minutes) (any number of participants) Focusing-Orientd / Experiential Coaching
#OR Hejo Feuerstein (60 minutes) (any number of participants) Experiential Approaches to Supervision
#(MEG) Maria Emmanuella Galanti (60 minutes) (any number of participants) Philosophy of the Implicit as a force for Cultural and Social Change
#Mia Leijssen (60+ minutes) (up to 16 participants) Living forward in human life and beyond
#Fiona Parr (60 minutes) (up to 20 participants) Focusing Teachers' group (started at Padova)
#Hejo Feuerstein (60 minutes) (any number of participants) Focusing-Orientd / Experiential Coaching
#OR Hejo Feuerstein (60 minutes) (any number of participants) Experiential Approaches to Supervision
#(MEG) Maria Emmanuella Galanti (60 minutes) (any number of participants) Philosophy of the Implicit as a force for Cultural and Social Change
#Mia Leijssen (60+ minutes) (up to 16 participants) Living forward in human life and beyond
#Fiona Parr (60 minutes) (up to 20 participants) Focusing Teachers' group (started at Padova)
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Interest Group ... (60 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Interest Group ... (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Interest Group ... (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Interest Group ... (60 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
... |
... |
... |
... |
13:30 – 14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 15:00 Personal Time
15:00 – 16:30 Lecture / Parallel Workshops / and more (+Hiking?)
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Lecture Jenny White (60 minutes) (followed by) + Short Presentation Michael Callifronas (30 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Workshop Bilha Frolinger (90 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Workshop Tine Swyngedouw (90+ minutes) (any number of participants) |
Interest Group Lecture Panel Workshop (extra or repetition) (90 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
A new approach to understanding Focusing Research Implications from Focusing With Music (followed by) Focusing and the Duck Shuffle |
How nurturing and practicing resiliency in daily living helps in times of crises? |
Interactive Focusing as an Instance of ReLiFo Focusing in Health |
... |
The following Interest Group may happen this afternoon (if it didin't take place on Friday):
(Hanspeter Mühlethaler) Focusing and Hiking (duration 2-3 hours)
(otherwise Focusing and Hiking will be arranged for Sunday afternoon)
Language: English - French - German
(Hanspeter Mühlethaler) Focusing and Hiking (duration 2-3 hours)
(otherwise Focusing and Hiking will be arranged for Sunday afternoon)
Language: English - French - German
16:30 – 17:00 Coffee break
17:00 – 18:30 Parallel Workshops
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
Workshop Mia Leijssen (120 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Workshop Ifat Eckstein (120 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Small Workshop Yehudit First (120 minutes) (up to 20 participants) |
Small Workshop Sofia Papoutsi (120 minutes) (up to 10/20 participants) |
Existential Wellbeing Counseling |
The Art of Feeling Whole |
Social-Oriented Focusing |
(Ιφιγένεια εν Σώματι) (Gr: Iphigeneia en Somati) Iphigenia Embodied or My Iphigenia |
18:30 – 19:00 Workshops ending / Interest Groups starting / Personal Time
18:30 – 19:00 Personal Time / Interest Groups ending
19:00 – 20:30 Dinner
20:30 – 22:30 Personal Time - Greek Festivity
DAY 5
08:00 – 09:00 Breakfast
09:00 – 09:30 Plenary Session
09:30 – 11:00 General Assembly EFA / Parallel Interest Groups
(Room A) |
(Room B) |
(Room C) |
(Room D) +E |
General Assembly EFA (90 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Interest Group if needed (90 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Interest Group if needed (90 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
Interest Group if needed (90 minutes) (up to ... participants) |
everyone is welcomed |
... |
... |
... |
11:00 – 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 – 12:30 General Assembly EFA (continuing)
(Room A) |
(continuing) Feedback from Groups Results - Discussion panel (60 minutes) (any number of participants) |
12:30 – 13:30 Closing Group
(Room A) |
Closing Group (60 minutes) (any number of participants) |
Facilitators: Anna Karali, Pavlos Zarogiannis (and more) |
13:30 – 14:30 Lunch (Closing)
14:30 – 15:00 Possible continuation of Lunch
...
Departures
Farewells
...
Departures
Farewells
Special Events
Afternoon Hiking (Focusing and Hiking)
Sceduled for Friday afternnon
(or else on Sunday afternoon)
with Hanspeter Mühlethaler
(English, German, French speaking people are wellcome)
Introduction to the Conference & Welcome Evening
Unfolding the Greek Culture
Greek Festivity
(or Greek Night)
and more...
Unfolding the Greek Culture
Greek Festivity
(or Greek Night)
and more...
(More details about the special events will be added soon)
Would you like to play some music and sing a few songs?
Please do it! Tell us about it!
Would you like to play some music and sing a few songs?
Please do it! Tell us about it!
Download the Thematic Programme of the Conference by Clicking on the button below
Read here the thematic Programme of the Conference
Coloured cards system (Spectrum cards)
By Fiona Parr
By Fiona Parr
Background and Origin
I was introduced to the coloured card system in 1978, when I was living at the Findhorn Foundation, a spiritual community based in Scotland. We were a group of 300 people, and we made decisions not by voting, but through consensus decision-making. This ensures the equal value of everyone, and no-one need feel excluded. However, it could get slow and unwieldy, with so many people involved, and often the quieter voices did not get heard amidst the clamour of louder voices.
A colleague recently arrived from America saw the pitfalls of trying to make space for everyone, and she introduced the ‘traffic light’ system of coloured cards. The benefits were obvious. We could immediately see who was in agreement with the decision (Green), who wanted to amend the decision (Orange), and who did not agree (Red).
A colleague recently arrived from America saw the pitfalls of trying to make space for everyone, and she introduced the ‘traffic light’ system of coloured cards. The benefits were obvious. We could immediately see who was in agreement with the decision (Green), who wanted to amend the decision (Orange), and who did not agree (Red).
The British Focusing Association (BFA) and Barbara McGavin
I introduced the cards into the BFA some years ago, and we have been using them for decision-making ever since. Barbara McGavin saw that more was needed, and she brought in 4 more cards based on Focusing principles. There is now a White card for ‘let’s take a pause’, which is very helpful when several people have strong opinions and all want to be heard. And a Blue card, for ‘I need someone to listen to me’, so useful when someone is not feeling heard, or they want to take time to clarify and sense for what they want to say. Maybe they have a felt sense, and cannot yet articulate what is there.
Barbara also introduced two more practical cards; Pink, which is the starting point of ‘I have a proposal’. Barbara says, ‘One of the things I found out was how important it is to state what the issue is clearly and to formulate action proposals with care. I learned how vital it is to make sure that everyone understands what the issue is and what the proposal means (especially important when there are language issues). I learned that until an issue is clear - everyone knows and agrees what the problem is, that discussing a proposal is a waste of time.’
Barbara also introduced Yellow. This is for questions of clarification and information. Perhaps you don’t understand the proposal, or you don’t understand the language used. This is useful in the discussions after the proposal has been made.
Barbara also introduced two more practical cards; Pink, which is the starting point of ‘I have a proposal’. Barbara says, ‘One of the things I found out was how important it is to state what the issue is clearly and to formulate action proposals with care. I learned how vital it is to make sure that everyone understands what the issue is and what the proposal means (especially important when there are language issues). I learned that until an issue is clear - everyone knows and agrees what the problem is, that discussing a proposal is a waste of time.’
Barbara also introduced Yellow. This is for questions of clarification and information. Perhaps you don’t understand the proposal, or you don’t understand the language used. This is useful in the discussions after the proposal has been made.
The 7 Cards
So the process goes like this: each person is provided with an envelope with 7 coloured cards that they can hold up during discussions. It is clear and easy to see when someone wants to speak. The words on the cards are slightly different from what we used in Cambridge.
- Pink: I have a proposal.
- Yellow: I have a question.
- Blue: I need someone to listen to me while I Focus.
- White: let’s take a pause, so that we can slow down and sense further.
- Green: I agree with the proposal as it stands.
- Orange: I am concerned about … and I feel that this needs more discussion. Or, I want to amend the proposal in this way.
- Red: I am not willing for the decision to go ahead in its present form.
How it works
The discussion following an Orange card may lead to a new amended Pink proposal. When it seems like the questions and amendments have completed the proposer might ask everyone for a showing of Green cards. It is inspiring and pleasing to see a room fullof Green cards. There is a carrying forward which includes all aspects and people present.
I have used the cards at many meetings in the BFA, at European Coordinators’ meetings, and at the International gathering of Coordinators in Cambridge. It really works!
What helps the process run even more smoothly is if someone with a red card sees everyone else with a green card, they may choose to let go of their position, so that the whole group can move forward. This is known as being a ‘loyal minority’, and it works if the person feels heard and acknowledged.
I have used the cards at many meetings in the BFA, at European Coordinators’ meetings, and at the International gathering of Coordinators in Cambridge. It really works!
What helps the process run even more smoothly is if someone with a red card sees everyone else with a green card, they may choose to let go of their position, so that the whole group can move forward. This is known as being a ‘loyal minority’, and it works if the person feels heard and acknowledged.
Beyond democracy
Barbara McGavin says, ‘This is not democracy where the majority rule and the minority feel disempowered. This is about listening carefully to different points of view, welcoming and championing dissent and diversity of opinion. This is about finding a way forward that is satisfactory to all of the people participating in the decision. Real, strong, creative decisions that everyone can stand behind can be made rapidly and respectfully.’
Fiona Parr 2018, [email protected]