Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Consensus Models for larger groups

[Tree Bressen (tree]

Hi Becky,

> I welcome ideas as
>to how other larger cohousing groups actually govern themselves and
>references for other places to look.

I'd say that for well-functioning consensus structures, the larger the
group, the more gets done in committees or other subgroups.  

If you try to handle every detail in the large group, it's a set-up for bad
outcomes:  either things get rushed and members don't get to have input, or
things take a really long time and people stop coming to meetings because
they are not interested in that agenda item or because the meetings feel
slow and inefficient.  Decision boards (in use at Sharingwood and
elsewhere) can also be a helpful tool.

Svanholm in Denmark uses consensus with over 70 adults.
www.ecovillages.org/denmark/svanholm
They are not cohousing, they are income-sharing and run businesses together
and live in a variety of group residences.  They have meetings once a week,
but i've been told that most of their real decisions get sorted out at the
committee level before it ever comes up to the general meeting.

Good luck,

--Tree



-----------------------------------------------

Tree Bressen
1680 Walnut St.
Eugene, OR 97403
(541) 484-1156
tree [at] ic.org
http://www.treegroup.info
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