All it took was two days
Building strong and effective communities is crucial to our society, and it takes a special skillset to achieve this goal. Recently, four of us from The No-Stone Foundation – Heike, Jo-Anne, Gerswin, and myself – attended a two-day course on Community Building hosted by Partners for Possibility. This organization works with partnering business partners with school principals to develop community building skills.
The course was led by Dr. Rama Naidu, who introduced himself simply as Rama, with no suggestion of lauding his accomplishments or education over us, although it was clear and evident in his depth of knowledge and interaction. Rama is a disruptor of conventional thinking, something I have always aspired to be, even if it has gotten me into trouble at times.
The course focused on the idea that every person on the planet is a maximum of 6 connections away from every other person on the planet, which is thrilling. But the truth is, we have never been more disconnected. We are struggling more than ever with issues like patriarchy, racism, sexism, leadership, hierarchy, partnership, ethics, values, and culture – all aspects of connection. The greatest challenge of our modern time is to find ways to relate and interact deeply and sincerely in an ultra-connected world in which we have never been more fractured and distant.
“Transforming self-interest in our communities INTO connectedness and caring for the whole ” Rama Naidu
What made this course stand out was that the methods used were simple, yet effective, and had both the capacity and capability to traverse chasms that one would think not possible. I particularly enjoyed the entry point of “yes, but what if…” which encouraged us to think outside of our comfort zones and challenge the status quo. The methods taught were not new, as they have been around for eons, but the approach was refreshing and thought-provoking.
As community builders, we found that the course provided us with valuable tools and techniques to build stronger communities. We learned about the importance of authentic communication, active listening, and creating a safe space for people to express their opinions and beliefs. The course also emphasized the need for partnerships and collaborations to achieve common goals, as well as the importance of recognizing and valuing diversity.
In conclusion, we highly recommend the Partners for Possibility Community Building course to anyone who wants to learn how to build stronger and more effective communities. The course was thought-provoking, informative, and most importantly, fun. It was refreshing to be part of a group of like-minded individuals who are passionate about making a positive impact on the world. Thank you to Merridy for the invite, and a special thanks to Rama for inspiring us to disrupt conventional thinking and build communities that thrive.
