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NOTES FROM WOSonOS2008 PHONE CONFERENCE June 25, 2007

Participants: Thomas Herrmann (Facilitator); Karen Davis; Gail West; Larry Peterson; Michael M. Pannwitz; Peggy Holman; Philippe Slioussarenko; Gerard Muller (close to the end); Brian Bainbridge (Note-taker).

THOMAS – set up circle and procedure for Talking Stick.

INTRO REMARKS : LARRY – OSonOS in French in September near Montreal with support from several sources. KAREN – Lisa Heft may join later. BRIAN - Nothing to add. MICHAEL – Training in Stockholm Aug 30 to Sept 1 – a great opportunity. GAIL – OS Learning workshops in Taiwan – July, August & September. PHILIPPE –May be at Canada French OSonOS; Proposal to help funding OSI-France with an Open Space for 700 people for the Assembly of European Regions in Strasbourg. THOMAS – August 17-18 OS in west coast of Sweden.

NOTES FROM KYIV WOSonOS2008 :

Decided on San Francisco for 2008. Much support for Taiwan in 2009 – decided to decide at San Francisco; this allows time for Taiwan (or others) to prepare a submission and allows word to spread that we are moving to making two-year decisions about future locations. The work of this group was taken seriously and great decisions made. GAIL happy and will prepare submission for San Francisco. Happy to get word out earlier than that if necessary. Need these decisions shared on the OSLIST so that all know and can look ahead to 2009/2010. Add this information to the SFO invitation when it comes. MICHAEL will propose Berlin for 2010 on the OSLIST and will invite others site proposals. The phone conference in Kyiv worked well – may be good idea to pursue at future WOSonOS2008. Next steps for Taiwan were outlined.

ACCESS QUEEN FUNDING :

LARRY glad groups are helping with funding for French OSonOS in Canada – as per World Map and OSI Canada. What are the funding criteria? If any? MICHAEL - World Map offers initiators funding (when asked) and allows them to determine own criteria. Works OK. Also helped with trainings. Fund events rather than individuals. PEGGY – OSI-US sets four criteria for local groups to apply as they see fit : 1. Help people from under-served areas. 2. Help people who can make a difference. 3. Bring other resources to bear in these situations. 4. Ask benefactors to share stories afterwards. LARRY – Is Access Queen same as OSI-US. Answer : No. Accounts are separate. AQ helps with items that “fall between the cracks” – often small amounts to help with unanticipated travel expenses. Much help has happened. Try to make sure help comes not just from one source. LARRY – The Canada program is using available funds to help “outside-Canada” people attend. PEGGY – OSI-US aims to help people get to WOSonOS2008. Has also sent trainers to under-served areas like Nepal and Siberia. MICHAEL – World Map will assist the training in Siberia in July 2007 and has provided a Users’ Guide for all 50 participants. Also funded materials for the KYIV WOSonOS2008. Aim to support spread of Open Space. PEGGY – OSI-US has a discount deal with Berrett-Koehler (Harrison Owen’s publishers) and can help others access same – 10 books is the minimum order. MICHAEL has a similar arrangement.

NEWSLETTER AND COMMUNICATIONS :

GAIL - What’s the gap that is not being currently filled and which a Newsletter would fill? Not much clarity about this. Would need someone who has a real passion to do this. It happens in some countries – e.g. Canada and Australia. Mikk Sarv (Estonia) talked about this earlier on – but is not here on this call, sadly. Keep the question on this list for the moment – maybe BLOG is the real alternative?

YOUTH INVOLVEMENT WITH OPEN SPACE :

KAREN - How to encourage future generations to be part of Open Space and how to support the involvement and development of young/younger facilitators? THOMAS – Perhaps find an International Youth Organisation and help them discover Open Space? MICHAEL – Many German young people trained and involved (including Pannwitz boys but not girls) and working across Europe. Maybe we should give discounts to encourage young people to learn/train. ICA tends to do this. GAIL Taiwan would financially support any initiatives in this matter. Maybe we should start with San Francisco? PEGGY – Massive growth and presence of young people in the “unconference” movement. It’s not quite OS, but seems aligned.

CLOSING :

NEXT GATHERING – Maybe September 17-18-19 or so. Maybe use SKYPE, if possible?

GERARD – joined about now! THOMAS – Is there a need to change time of call so some folks wont have to get up so early? LARRY – in future, good for people proposing topics to add their name to the topic, please. MICHAEL – not worried about the time of day for such a gathering – important to be at a time when Lisa Heft can be available. GAIL - “Youth” criteria might create a new focus world-wide.

Thanks especially to Thomas Herrmann for facilitating, from all participants.