Alt Wed - 20 March 2024

The tiny text was sent out before the meeting - it is no longer helpful

 Alt Wed - threads, topics and themes

If anyone would like to pop in some thoughts about how Alt Wed might develop, or what we might like to talk about, please add them as a comment.   

Seven Plus and Elaine have added comments.  Click on Comments (below) to find them! Others might add comments after the session (or before if you randomly find this opportunity is here).   

What thread, topic or theme would you like to talk about more? 

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After the meeting - Here's an update from Elaine:

 

(1) Who belongs to Alt Wed? (ie who is on the mailing list)

The Alt Wed label (which is what I used to call  the mailing list) includes the following ...

Lynne, Elaine, Ian, Carolyn who met at Saturdays in Brighton on 20/03/24

Apologies from Russ, Kevin, Tony, Karen. 

Permanent apologies from f2f - from Niki/Tim, Beth, Bron. 

 

(2) There is now a description of Alt Wed in the "About our networks" box in the left of the blog.  

You might like to check it out - or not - it contains some suggestions that have not yet been explored widely - but will emerge over time.  I have used green to highlight the suggestions.   for example, here is a suggested description for Alt Wed: 

Alt Wed sessions are where the interests arising anywhere within Seven Plus can be explored.  This means that ideas that emerge as important can come into focus and can be shared more widely.  The ideas can spark conversations outside the Alt Wed meeting.    

Are you happy with that?  The first reactions I got was from Niki -  "I thought that is what we are doing."  

I'm hoping we can use the blog to let those who cannot attend Alt Wed to be part of the ongoing process of strengthening and developing 7+ as a network. 

 

(3) About the chat on 20/03: 

• The main discussion arose naturally from a comment about "Fight or Flight" - the result was a conversation about five Fs - 
• fight, 
• flight,
• freeze
  
• fawn (placate)
• flock (collaborate)
• That led to discussion around strategies of collaboration - problem solving, mediation etc.  - and the idea that a number of differing perspectives of an issue arise - sharing strategies can lead to a team making decisions about a "final solution" (agreed strategies for moving forward)
• We then talked about: 
• the Seven Plus network needing a clear "purpose" - and "values" - (and Lynne and Elaine added in "actions" in the car on the way home)
• The original purpose of 7Up being related to the transitions around retirement - should that remain our central focus?  We notice that 7+ has begun to explore other things. 
  
• Ian explained an initiative he and Beth are working on - related to the transitions to retirement - perhaps we could make this a focus of conversation in the next Alt Wed?  With the idea that it is something 7+ would support for sure.  **
• We worked on the idea that 7+ is a place where "like-minded people take and active interested in social issues" - and then we figured that we are not necessarily like-minded - but we all support the purposes, values and activities that we are gradually figuring out. 

(4)  After thoughts - for future conversation (or not)

• Looking ahead .. When Seven Plus is clear about these things, it will be easier to enable people who are interested in joining any of the networks within N4W to figure out how these networks are built on friendship and trust and shared values, purposes, and actions.  
  

• Looking ahead - we need to figure out how we use labels in 7+
• A label is effectively a mailing list - people with the label get the notification of what is happening. 
• Suggestion - members of 7+ may invite others to 7+ events on the understanding that they are visitors.  And, when they know enough about the values, purposes and actions (VAP? PAV?) of various networks and groups within N4W they can seek (ask for) for a label to join ones where they have developed friendships and trust  about the VAP. 
  
• Any group or network within N4W controls its own labels.  For example there are 11 people with the Alt Wed label.  We can add or delete as we see fit - basically on request from with a 7+ label.
  

• Next fortnights ..   Just a thought - 
• might we make Ian/Beth's initiative around retirement be a topic for discussion next fortnight? - 
• Might we talk about other initiatives people are working on over time - eg - the Iona Project in Aranui, the Learning City Project through WEA in May - or a focus on fitness.  It could be that this is a way of "acting" to supporting initiatives - simply hearing about them and sharing ideas and getting involved in practical ways when we share an interest.  Might taking an interest in initiatives become a key aspect of 7+ action?
  

•  How about we meet at Saturdays in Brighton again next fortnight? 
  

• Once Alt Wed has a pattern established it will not be necessary to write this kind of record of notes and ideas. We will have gotten into a pattern where ideas are spread naturally.  Much of this writing is because I have been grappling with ideas around how to enable membership to become a simple, routine process AND where groups of networks spin off our regular activities in ways that are purposeful and effective.  This is part of the vision of the emerging N4W movement.