Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Community-building activities prior to move-in

[Mac Thomson (mac]

Susana,

Congratulations on your upcoming move-in!

The things I remember as being most valuable and that I'd recommend are:
 - training in communication, conflict resolution, and consensus  
decision making
 - regularly scheduled meetings to share feelings

I'd guess that every group schedules regular business meetings, where  
feelings are sometimes shared, but these other meetings are intended  
specifically for emotional sharing.  We call ours the Meeting of the  
Hearts.  (We just had a particularly rich one last night.)  They are a  
great way to connect with each other at a deeper level.  The deeper  
connection is what community is all about and makes it easier to work  
together later on when the road might get bumpy with tough decisions  
and conflict.

Cheers,
Mac

--
Mac Thomson

Heartwood Cohousing
Southwest Colorado
http://www.heartwoodcohousing.com


"A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice  
person."
     - Dave Barry
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On Feb 3, 2009, at 4:16 AM, cohousing-l-request [at] cohousing.org wrote:

> Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2009 12:05:47 -0800
> From: Susana Michaelis <susana [at] pacificgardens.ca>
> Subject: [C-L]_ Community-building activities prior to move-in
> To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
> Message-ID: <4986009B.6090104 [at] pacificgardens.ca>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Hello cohousers,
>
> Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community in Nanaimo, BC Canada is 3 months
> away from our target completion date at the end of April. Yahoo! We
> still have a great mix of unit sizes, so check out our website if you
> want to move to beautiful Vancouver Island.
>
> I am looking for suggestions of community-building activities that we
> could be doing now, in preparation for enjoying each other's company
> once we move in. A Vancouver Island University student is wanting to  
> use
> us as a case study for the next 4 months to observe how we create
> community now and then transition into using our common amenities.
>
> I am really excited as this is a perfect time for us to ramp up the
> current connectedness that we already have in our meetings and  
> committee
> work.  Currently we have a monthly potluck with a theme, speaker or
> activity. These have been a lot of fun, educational, and involved
> wonderful food!
>
> As individuals and in small groups our members are highly involved in
> the local community and represent a huge range of interests and
> activities. We invite each other to events, clubs, hikes and dinner
> parties as part of our increasing friendship amongst members.
>
> I am seeking suggestions for activities that help build cohesiveness  
> and
> ease the transition to living in community:
>
> 1) Activities that your cohousing group did prior to move-in
> 2) Activities that you wish you had done
> 3) Activities that continued or started once you were using your  
> common
> amenities
> 4) Activities that attracted new members
> 5) Activities that attracted families with children
> 6) How to keep connected during the busy move-in and adjustment period
> 7) Any other suggestions for us, during this pre-completion time
>
> I am really looking forward to hearing from our greater cohousing  
> community,
> Thanking you in advance!
>
> Susana Michaelis
> www.pacificgardens.ca
> 250-754-3060
> "Where friends become neighbours, and neighbours become friends"