Social Systems LO5119

Tobin Quereau (quereau@austin.cc.tx.us)
Thu, 25 Jan 1996 12:27:15 -0600 (CST)

Replying to LO5081 --

Thanks, Steve, for a detailed post about the trials and rewards of using a
Future Search Conference model to create a vision for future action--or,
in some cases, inaction. I am familiar with Weisbord and Janoff's model
and have worked through six conferences using it at our community college.
Your comments regarding the effort required AFTER the conference are well
stated. In order for the energy and impetus towards the future which is
generated during the conference to come to anything at all, there must be
committed, competent, and creative people who will carry the torch into
the night, so to speak.

It sounds as though you were taking on a tremendous task with no true
"center" to the coalition which was created. I have found that within a
single organization it is a difficult job to keep things going, so your
situation must have been in the close to impossible range.

While I have heard often about the approach used by the Emerys, I haven't
had any direct training or exposure to it, and I look forward to seeing
the book that you mentioned.

I would like to also recommend to the members of the list the book that
Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff recently published, _Future Search: An
Action Guide to Finding Common Ground in Organizations and Communities_
(Berrett-Koehler, 1995). Even though the emphasis may not be on continued
consultation in this model, the description of the process and general
planning guidelines are quite detailed and helpful.

I also just received a flyer from Blue Sky Productions for a 45 minute
video of a future search conference held in Santa Cruz County almost two
years ago with Marvin and Sandra facilitating. The process and outcomes of
this conference a year later may be of value to those who are focusing on
community-wide action planning. Blue Sky Productions can be reached by
calling (800) 358-0022 or faxing (215) 844-5785. For those interested in
the general model of future search conferences it appears to be a rich
time for learning.

I also have a short (25 page) report on the series of conferences we did
here at Austin Community College last spring, and am willing to share it
with anyone who would like to see it. Send me an email _and_ a regular
mailing address (just in case I can't get it out to you over the net) if
you want to see another example of the process in action.

--
Tobin Quereau
Austin Community College
5930 Middle Fiskville Rd.
Austin, TX 78752
USA
quereau@austin.cc.tx.us
(512) 223-7821