Cohousing-L Mailing List: Community Building

[Raymond D. Gasser (raygasser]

The following is a request from 2 members of EcoVillage at Ithaca for the list.
Please reply directly to them at the address below. Thanks!

Ray Gasser

>Return-path: <mberman [at] sescva.esc.edu>
>Date: Tue, 27 Oct 1998 15:50:53 -0500
>From: mberman [at] sescva.esc.edu (MONTY BERMAN)

>       We (Pam and I) are residents and founding members of the EcoVillage
CoHousing Cooperative in Ithaca, NY, and are looking to communicate with any
cohousing groups that have adopted community building as the foundation of
their being together, i.e., it is basic to all other processes---e.g., in
decision-making. 
>       To further describe what we are looking for is to contrast coming to
consensus by really going through (and embracing) the difficulties with all
involved rather than an approach that relies on skillful facilitation. The
former emphasizes the importance of each group member being aware of and
dealing with barriers to community and to open-discussion in the shaping of
a decision---and being supported in doing this by the other members. The
latter focuses on the role of the facilitators to effectively sidestep or
carve a way through the inevitable chaos and power struggles which groups
must confront. We believe that only through the more personal growth
oriented approach can a felt sense of community be experienced, i.e., a
palpable sense of closeness and richness among people rather than an edgy
tolerance.
>       We are looking to promote and embody this more at EcoVillage, and would
appreciate having contact with others with a shared sense of purpose---or,
even better, with experience with this kind of approach.
>NOTE: One organization which promotes this kind of work is the Foundation
for Encouraging Community (FCE), founded by M. Scott Peck.
>
>Please reply to:    mberman [at] sescva.esc.edu
>
>Pam June and Monty Berman