SPC Retreat March 28-29at SPC - Mark your calendars

Things we are requesting from others:

  • Need readings on movement strategy/ how social change happens
  • Food and snacks
  • Need some facilitators

The Proposed Agenda

SATURDAY, MARCH 28

Open to SPC committees/regular activists/volunteers

1) 9:30–10 am. Come early for a breakfast/snack

2) 10-10:15. Agenda review, goals of the day, housekeeping, timekeepers, etc. –

Carol and Richard

3) 10:00–11:30 – Personal/Political Introductions– Carol facilitates with Kim. Need timekeeper

  • 5 minutes to focus on what you’d like to share
  • Go-around, 2–5 minutes per person (time keeper has sign for 2 minutes and 4 minutes)
  • Share about your political self. Possible questions to answer: What drove you to become, or drives you to continue being political? How does your personal life inform your politics, and vice versa? How do you identify, envision or express yourself politically? What are you passionate about?
  • At 11:15, general discussion on experience of doing this(for 15 minutes)

4) 11:30-11:45 Break

5) 11:45–1:00 – Strategies for Social Change – Rich facilitates with ______

There will be readings sent out before the retreat.

  • Brainstorm list of different strategies/ list of ways social change happens (10 min)
  • Fishbowl discussion on:
  • How do yousee these strategies playing out with organizing at SPC (or others not listed)?
  • Is there a strategy you favor? Why is that?
  • What strategies for social change have you seen/experienced that worked well?
  • Large group discussion

Note that the times are not set – we imagined that if there was a fishbowl, there would be less time for that and more time for the large group discussion; if there were small group discussions, there would be more time for those and less for the large group discussion after.

6) 1:00–2:00 – Lunch.This time includes set up and clean up.

  • Eat in small groups and continue discussion from either topic in the morning informally.

7) Sharing of lunchtime conversations. 2:00–2:15– Dianefacilitates

8) 2:15-3:45 – Evaluation of Recent SPC Activity – Dianefacilitates withKim

Committees have been asked to evaluate their work. Given that SPC does a lot, and that this item is 1.5 hours, the agenda committee suggests that we focus most attention on SPC’s main three committees and breaking events.

  • Reports from: Pal-Is, Ground the Drones End the Wars, NOON, Breaking events(see very end of agenda for suggested questions to answer) (5 minutes each). After each report, clarifying questions (5 minutes each). Total is 40 minutes.
  • Brief summary of other activities (staff to do this?), with clarifying questions (15 min)
  • Open discussion – what have you noticed as an activist: what went well; where were there problems; what opportunities did we make use of: what opportunities did we miss: what should we do in the future (35 min)

9) 3:45-4:00 Evaluation – Kim facilitates

10) 4-4:15 – Input on Sunday’s discussion topic - Carolfacilitates

We will have an ongoing list throughout the day of a possible topic(s) for Sunday’s discussion.

  • During this time you are welcome to add to the list and also participate in a straw poll of the topics. You are welcome to “vote” for up to 5(?) of the topics.
  • Remember, we want a topic(s) that we can make real headway on in a little over 3 hours.

11) 4:15–4:45 – Sunday’s discussion topic – decision on topic and creating Sunday’s agenda. Carol facilitates.

  • Anyone is welcome to participate in this.

SUNDAY, MARCH 29
SPC Steering Committee Only

1) 9:30-10am – Come early for a snack/breakfast

2) 10:00am–2:00pm meeting. Lunch will be provided.

  • Discussion around whichever issue was identified at the end of Saturday's meeting.
  • Come to some resolution/concrete steps to take, ideally with as little as possible required follow-up discussion.

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Evaluation of recent SPC activity suggested questions for committees to answer:

  • A few things the committee did that felt like they were effective and why
  • What are some of the challenges the committee experienced? Were there any tough experiences?
  • Does this committee have a general strategy and if so, what is it?
  • What are your future plans?
  • How can SPC as a whole and/or other SPC committees help your committee in your work?