Al Etmanski

10 Reasons for Thinking Like a Movement

2012-10-08T20:02:44-07:00

Every January Vickie Cammack and I host PLAN Institute's Thinking Like a Movement. This year we;ve added Social Innovation Generation as a co-sponsor. It is a time to share insights and perspectives about social and environmental change we've gleaned form the previous year.

We keep the gathering small and intimate and make sure we have time to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Each year new colleagues with fresh perspectives join us as presenters. This year Beth Haddon, Tim Draimin and Molly Harrington join David Roche, Marlena Blavin, Vickie and I.

Previous attendees have included grass roots activists, senior public servants, academics, philanthropists, service providers, agency executives and business people from Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the US.

Here are ten reasons for attending 2013's Thinking Like a Movement,( January 27th to 31st, 2013):

Discover 50 shades of social finance from Tim Draimin the founder of Canada's social finance movement
Hear what respected broadcaster Beth Haddon has to say about media, communication and how best to tell your story
Learn how public policy is made from Molly Harrington one of the public service's most effective 'system entrepreneurs'
Touch your inner storyteller with David Roche and Marlena Blavin
It's a chance to turn off your electronics, eat and sleep well in quiet surroundings on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast
Meet talented, engaged fellow travellers
Learn six patterns for innovating in times of adversity and uncertainty
Take advantage of walking trails, an exercise room, spa and outdoor hot tub.
Dive into a comprehensive reading package on social innovation and whole systems change.
Start your new year off right!

A past participant summed up his experience as follows. “Attending 'Thinking Like a Movement’ was one of the best investments our organization have ever made. The four day retreat was worth more than a month of work time." He enjoyed it so much he came back the next year. So have many others.

Attendance is limited and registering early gets you an early bird discount. Details here.

We'd be delighted to have you join us.

Flourishing into Life

2012-10-04T05:16:59-07:00

Karin Melberg Schwier’s new book Flourish creates the right conditions for a little hell to break loose.

That’s because it pays attention to the real stuff of life – beauty, love, hospitality, longing, desire, messiness, passion, pleasure, joy, celebration…

This remarkable book tells the story of dozens of folks who have dumped their labels, stamped on their stereotypes and burst through traditional mindsets about having a disability.

You are drawn into Flourish until you too are ready to enlist in an important revolution – a revolution that declares the meaning of life isn’t your diagnosis or condition but being creative, doing your bit and helping out. Flourish reminds us it’s long overdue to throw off the anchors of neediness, pity and charity and to pay attention to what is life affirming and fun.

The people in this book are a vanguard clarifying a new paradigm of belonging which must have equal status alongside those focused on rights or rehabilitation.

Karin Melberg Schwier is the Boswell of the disability movement. She has been our scribe, and chronicler - writing with both authority, and affection about the borderland between the world of service delivery and a good life. She cherishes her characters, their struggles and surprises. We can soar on the warm thermals of opportunity Flourish sets loose, inspired to create the conditions for all lives to flourish.

It's available from Inclusion Press or Amazon for $20.00

an eBook or pdf version: is available from the author for $10 (epub format suitable for iPads and most e-readers)

Related Posts:

The Wild Abandon of Big Jim Schwier

You can also read Karin's Essay in my collection: What are you Skating Towards?

Vancouver Connects and Engages

2012-09-16T10:55:55-07:00

Something is in the air in my home town. Posters on bulletin boards everywhere including my favourite bagel shop. Daily op- ed features in the Vancouver Sun. An ambitious week long 'public square' celebration and dialogue beginning September 18th and hosted by Simon Fraser University on the glue that binds us together as community - our connections with each other and our engagement in community.

It began when 'belonging' became the theme of the Vancouver Foundation's most recent Vital Signs report. Here's a quote from that report: A strong sense of belonging - really feeling that there is a place for us in our community - and a bond of trust with our neighbours have the greatest influence on how we rate the quality of our life.

Thus began an unprecedented initiative by Canada's top community foundation. They issued a Vancouver wide survey on connections and engagement. Then they began releasing a series of mini-reports digging deeper into the results of their larger survey. Some of these topics: The Benefits of Neighbourliness; The Consequences of Loneliness; What We Feel When we Have Nothing to Offer.

Now they have teamed up with Simon Fraser University's Public Square team led by Shauna Sylvester to host Alone Together - Connecting in the City a week long summit of conversations, film festival, open space, lunch poetry, cabaret, story telling and a few surprises.

Here are a few of the featured discussions during the week.

Our Voices: Youth Building A Connected City: Designed for youth, by youth, to explore issues related to isolation and disconnection while helping develop solutions at this interactive daylong conference

Creating A Connected City: The Role of Business: Metro Vancouver's business leaders discuss the role that the business community plays in building urban connections.

Mayors' Roundtable: This facilitated dialogue will discuss municipal strategies for various issues related to urban isolation with a focus on building more vibrant and resilient communities.

And to nourish our hearts and minds the Vancouver Sun has been publishing op ed features for several weeks.

Here's a recent one by my pal David Eaves: Is the Internet Bringing Us Together or is it Tearing us Apart?

And another by Bing Thom one of Canada's most celebrated architects: Use Design to End Isolation in Vertical Suburbs

I'm delighted have been asked to tell a story Friday evening September 21st at Rain City Chronicles – Extra Ordinary advertised:" as an evening of storytelling and music, featuring extra – ordinary community folks sharing personal reflections on how they have brought their neighborhoods and communities together." Tickets are $15 and are available at: http://extraordinaryraincity.eventbrite.ca/

Here is the link to the full program.

I'll keep you posted on future web links and videos.

The wisdom and leadership of Faye Wightman and her talented team is breath taking. May those of you who care about these challenges elsewhere be equally blest.

Related Posts:

Stand By Me

Vital Signs in Our Social Garden

Belonging a 21st Century Challenge

An American Tune

2012-09-06T11:12:03-07:00

It is peak season for US politics. We non-Americans watch entranced and disgusted by the search for shadows that are bound to lurk in the hearts of Presidential opponents, as they do in each of us. Hubris takes no prisoners as it fractures into partisan flags flying from solitary peaks. There must be no spaces in between, no middle ground in American democracy today. Being forsaken isn’t pretty.

The early settlers weren’t blown here on gusts of hope. They were more pragmatic and gritty. Cradled in the riches of North America their nightmares gave way with opportunity, cooperation, and hard work. You could be unrealistic in America and still make something of your dreams. Somehow over two centuries such bounty got confused with hope and hope got confused with destiny.

You can’t be forever blest. Such certainty is bound to scorch, first in the lengthening shadow you cast and eventually in the heart that holds it. This is really what’s on display in American politics today - one last speculation on hope. But that will pass. Hope has evaporated from other peoples. From them Americans will discover more fundamental aspects of their character - courage, love, humility, resilience, reciprocity, trust, perseverance and yes, faith.

Hope isn’t audacious. Courage is. Without it no other virtue is possible. It takes courage to confront your contradictions and wrong doings; to love opponents; to be curious about strangers; and to carry on even when driven to your knees.

Emily Dickinson used a bird metaphor to define hope as “the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.” But redemption does not have wings. Feathers are too light for the work ahead. The outlook may be bleak but many Americans are awakening to life in the spaces in between. They are not waiting as Emily Dickinson did for hope “to sing the tune.” They are rediscovering their faith in each other. These include truth-tellers like Angeles Arrien who nourishes with ancient wisdom, John McKnight and Peter Block who illuminate with neighbourly love and Bill Drayton who inspires a marriage between creativity and empathy.

Americans have long working days ahead. Those of us who love them should remind them they are not alone.

NOTE:

This piece was inspired by Paul Simon’s 1973 song An American Tune, which was in turn inspired by a JS Bach melody.

The British Paralympics - Destination Unknown

2012-08-30T10:36:16-07:00

Gregor Wolbring is the purest, cheekiest and most prolific commentator I know on issues affecting people with disabilities. Perhaps it's his European origins blended with his Albertan sensibilities as Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary. He does not appear to be constrained by the usual nuances of language or moral righteousness exhibited by many advocates. He calls the issues as he experiences them himself and is smart enough to understand the implications and dangerous side effects of society's mad dance with medical, scientific, nano-technological and genetic advances. He is far too worried for cheap shots.

I'm proud to have carried his commentary in my New Years series What Are you Skating Towards? and Becoming Visible.

Gregor has landed a new gig, writing for The Conversation (Academic Rigour, Journalistic Flair) on the Paralympic Games. His first post Expectations for the Paralympics provides a sobering contrast between expectations for the Games by the mainstream British public and those of folks with disabiities and their families. Here are some excerpts:

Since the Emergency Budget two years ago, disabled people and their carers have seen a drop in income of £500 million. This is one of the disturbing findings of Destination Unknown a report by the think tank Demos outlining the impact not just on people with disabilities but equally their families. Households in the study are becoming more socially isolated, and reducing the amount of activities they engage in – from essentials such as work and medical appointments to perceived ‘luxuries’ such as volunteering and training. This is at odds with the Government’s vision of stronger and active communities.
50% of the British public see the Games to empower disabled people but only 23% of disabled people think like that.
4% of the British public think the games make disabled people feel like second class people versus 20% of disabled people who voice that sentiment.
A SCOPE news release states further that, “Between April and September this year (2011) the number of disabled people claiming they experienced aggression, hostility or name calling saw a dramatic hike from 41% to 66%.”

And Gregor being Gregor offers a bonus commentary, Leg-ism leaves Some Paralympic Stars Out on a Limb. Here are a few excerpts:

The Cheetah legs of Paralympic athletes such as Oscar Pistorius and Aimee Mullins have triggered a lot of attention.

Artificial legs are often hailed as “liberation tools," giving their wearers the “essential” ability to walk. At the same time, other therapeutic assistive devices, such as wheelchairs, are demonised through the use of phrases such as “wheelchair-bound” or “confined to the wheelchair”.

In 2003 I wrote a book chapter called “Confined to your legs” to question the leg-ism evident in the discourse around artificial limbs and in society in general. And the bias against wheelchairs has been questioned by people with disabilities for a long time.

...the media is fast to use terms such as “inspiring” with Paralympians. But how can they inspire if the reporting of disabled people often continues to be disabling in so many instances. Instead of using labels such as “wheelchair-bound” the media should aspire to inspire people to accept and support ability differences.

Gregor's is committed to shifting the eye of the beholder from deviancy to dignity. In an age when more and more of us are caught in the needs maker's grasp his value is priceless.

Five (Plus One) Good Ideas About Social Innovation

2012-08-28T12:26:43-07:00

The Maytree Foundation runs a marvellous lunch and learn series titled Five Good Ideas. They cover just about everything and are worth having a look at. Fortunately they have released a compilation of their first years called not surprisingly Five Good Ideas - Practical Strategies for Non-Profit Success. You can download an excerpt here.

I was asked to speak on the topic of Social Innovation earlier this year. I chose to make the following points.

Social Innovation:

Starts With Passionate Amateurs
Is A Marriage of the Past and Future
Does Not Have a Dress Code
Is Hard to do with Friends and Colleagues Let Alone Opponents and Strangers
Has Negative Side Effects

You can access the video of my talk here.

During a subsequent session at the University of Waterloo's Masters Diploma Program in Social Innovation I added a sixth point:

6. What You Can't See Is Most Important. More about this one in Subsequent posts.

I also offered Five Good Resources

Anything by Frances Westley. The best introduction to her work is Getting to Maybe: How the World Has Changed (Random House, 2006), co-authored with Brenda Zimmerman and Michael Quinn Patton.
John Elkington and his team at Volans are at the leading edge of thinking about social innovation. Check out their website and their recent report Future Quotient.
Ezio Manzini is a leading European thinker about design, social innovation and sustainability. Check out his blog. Here is a link to a long but inspiring video of a recent presentation in Australia.
Adam Kahane has practical insights and proven strategies to improve our ability to work with allies and colleagues as well as strangers and opponents. His latest book, Power and Love: a theory and practice of social change (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2010). Read his approach to change-labs.
The Long Now Foundation hopes to provide a counterpoint to today’s accelerating culture and help make long-term thinking more common. Their most majestic project is the Clock of the Long Now – a clock designed to tick for 10,000 years but will only tell the time if you power it.

Speaking Up for the Soul of Civic Life - Cardus

2012-08-23T16:32:24-07:00

An eloquent champion for civic values, community life and charities has emerged on the Canadian scene. Cardus (see note below) is a Canadian think tank which draws, "on more than 2000 years of Christian social thought, and works to enrich and challenge public debate through research, events and publications, for the common good."

I've been wanting to write about them for some time. I've been a guest and co-sponsor at some of their forums and focus groups. I'm impressed with their intellectual curiosity and their willingness to tackle some of our toughest challenges with both discipline and an open mind. While they are inspired and informed by the essence of Christian values they seek to understand and apply them to issues faced by the charitable sector, our education system, cities, employment and the economy.

Their opinions are frank and clearly articulated. They don't shy away from contrary opinions including publishing vigorous criticisms of each other. And contrary to what some might assume about an organization that declares its Christian values, they have not hesitated to be among the first to criticize our federal government.

Here, for example, is an excerpt from an editorial which urged the federal government to do more than bail out the banks and invest in bridges and highways to stimulate the economy, "...nothing is as vital to a nation in the long run as its social architecture. Charities are not vehicles for greed, excess or profit. They are the products of our generosity, kindness and creativity - vital components of a healthy society without which financial economies cannot thrive."

Change and transformation occurs in society not just by passing laws and setting priorities for funding. Civic, social, cultural, and economic flourishing also requires an ongoing reconsideration of how our numerous social institutions relate to each other. This in turn requires a realistic understanding of how culture changes and an openness to public exchange about our most deeply held convictions.

Clayton Christensen the world's authority on disruptive innovations, suggests that all innovation is ultimately cultural. Cardus has entered into the public square of cultural renewal by illuminating the soul of our work. I predict more and more civic organizations will follow as they realize values and beliefs are integral to changing those habits and behaviors that keep us from ending inequity and environmental degradation. They can have no better example than Cardus.

Cardus publishes a number of journals and a pod cast. You may want to start by subscribing to their free monthly digest of news, publications and policy updates.

Speaking of which, their current digest contains links to recent two pod cast interviews. One is with me on the topic: The World Can Be Changed. Their Director of Operations Milton Friesen. got me to reveal opinions I haven't shared in public before.

The other is with the talented Richard Bridge one of the very few lawyers in Canada specializing in charity law. His topic: A Thriving Charitable Sector is Vital to Canada.

NOTE: In Roman times the cardus was a kind of marketplace or public square that took the form of a street. Typically, it was the north-south road that connected people in Roman cities to their major public spaces. On the cardus, government, markets, temples, and other social groups met to establish a common life for the good of society. Many interests were represented in this square making it necessary to balance individual needs with common needs.

Relying On Each Other- the Abundance of Community

2012-08-20T16:09:08-07:00

Many of us believe we should not rely on the institutions of government, business and non profits to solve our toughest societal challenges on their own. Who then can we count on?

The answer, if you follow John McKnight's work, is to rely on each other particularly when we come together in voluntary associations, networks and neighbourhoods.

John and Peter Block's book Abundant Community has hit a sweet spot in America. Americans, like other citizenry, must reclaim their authority to solve their own problems and stop relying on an oligarchy of financial, intellectual, media and marketing elites, experts and needs makers. Abundant Community chronicles the hidden assets of Americans - their care, commitment and concern for each other. The power and love of citizens are alive and getting better in our neighbourhoods and the voluntary associations that proliferate in our communities. There you will see an abundance of people who come together to support each other, to enjoy their passions and to define and direct solutions to what challenges them.

American media seldom portrays these hidden assets and their social inventions. American politicians rarely rely on them. Abundant Community does. John and Peter encourage us to take back responsibility for our children, our health, our fun, our learning and our safety.

For those who haven't yet read their book have a look at their Abundant Community website. John and Peter continue to write, to illuminate, to profile and to provoke - all in the service of what's already working. Here for example is a brief quote from a longer interview with John on the importance of hospitality:

When I think about the importance of keeping the “door open,” it doesn’t seem to me to be a question about power. It is a question about hospitality. Hospitality is, classically, the welcoming of a stranger. It is a feeling that you have a relationship with people you don’t know. And, why would you have this kind of a feeling? Because, the stranger has come from over the horizon and knows about places you’ve never been, knows stories you’ve never heard, and tells you poems that light up your life. If your door is closed, you live an arid life. So, a good life depends on an open door. I suppose you could say that a good life depends upon whether you have the power to welcome people.

From time to time Peter and John host telephone webinars.

I'm delighted to be their featured interview next Tuesday August 28th at 2:00 (EDT) 11:00 Vancouver time (PDT). The topic is: Innovators Out of the Box. Click here for details on how to connect either by phone or internet.

Related Posts:

Happy Birthday John McKnight

Abundant Community

Peter Block - What Am I Skating Towards? Unoccupied Space

John McKnight - What Am I Skating Towards? Cooperation

Arthur Wood - A Clauswitzian Interpretation Of Impact Investing

2012-07-24T10:22:47-07:00

Arthur Wood is the Einstein of social finance. You may not immediately understand everything he says, writes or does but you know he is worth paying attention to.

For example, several years ago on a whiteboard in Vancouver he sketched out the basic concept of what would become Social Impact Bonds. None of us realized the significance of the conceptual leap he was making.

In this excerpt from my What Are You Skating Towards series, Arthur makes the case for a strategic partnership between philanthropic dollars and private pools of capital to tackle our tough social and environmental challenges. This combination of social and financial return is more and more referred to as Impact Investing. Click here to read the full essay or Download What Am I Skating Towards?

... Impact investing and philanthropy now need to think about the synergistic engagements it wishes to use to defeat our pressing social challenges. We can no longer continue raising money without a strategic vision or continue throwing silver bullets at the huge social problems we face - no matter how well crafted the silver bullet. We need to think how we create systemic collaboration to fire the bullets so they land on the target and create definable and ‘audit able’ impact.

Pragmatically we do not have the resources in the current paradigm (philanthropic). To put it in context the Gates Foundation total endowment is about what the Pentagon spends in a month. Another example, Total Global Foundation funding is about $50 Billion versus the challenge of Sanitation at $550 Billion per annum or the Climate change challenge where the damage is estimated at $5.3 trillion.

In addition we have created in the current for profit / not for profit paradigm, incentives to fragmentation

Former President Clinton has noted we have for the most part created the solutions – the challenge is now in scaling them.

It is here that the current paradigm fails in delivery. For example, since 1973 in the US less than 0.007% of not for profits have reached $50 million in revenues or more. If we are to move the models to scale we cannot continue building inside our sectoral silos. We need to consider new forms of collaborations (For profit / not for profit/ community) focused and incentivized on the delivery of tangible outcomes.

This debate is being driven as well by a realization that money has dried up and that new partnerships utilizing modern commercial techniques are required.
The opportunities of applying new financing techniques in collaboration with the commercial sector are potentially measured in billion if not trillions that could be applied to funding social goods. Here are six financial opportunities by pursuing new social entrepreneurial innovations:

The move from Grant Investment to more Program Related Investment (PRI) ($50 Billion). Currently only about 1 -2 % of Foundation funding is in Program Related Investment.
The move to more Mission Related Investment (MRI)($1 Trillion core funds). Again only about 1 -2% of funds are currently aligned with mission. There is a compelling case that a percentage of this capital should be refocused on Social Investment. It is also worth noting that the investment bankers already take 20% of all the revenue we allocate to funding, in Investment Management fees (ie 1% of $1 trillion). As an aside Foundations also ignore their shareholder power.
The Monetization of social externalities with payments based on the delivery of tangible Outcomes (Multi $Trillion). Social Impact Bonds or contingent models offer the opportunity to monetize a much larger market base on out comes. Indeed under this model, higher social return means higher economic return. These surely should attract Mission Related Investment from Foundations.
CSR 2 / Bottom of the Market / Corporate engagement – it is worth noting that capital flows to the developing world are in relative terms one fifth of what they were historically at the turn of the last century. Here you see Impact Investing in its initial stages – the opportunity laid out in the billions by JPMorgan.
Realignment of Government Subsidy – through new innovation to encourage collaboration, replication of solutions and to leverage new civil society distribution mechanisms rather than top down models with their “frictional costs”. These Government to Government costs are measured in the billions. It is worth noting in Sub Saharan Africa historically 80% of aid is estimated to have returned as flight capital in 18 months.
Local Pension Funds ($1.5 trillion – which can be leveraged 15 times over 5 years by innovative guarantee structures). A 1 -2 % market share of such an entity would be bigger than Gates in seven years.

Practically the silver lining in the current financial crisis is the realization that by working together we can create large scale impact and access this capital.

Christian Novak - Social Impact Bonds - Benefits and Promises

Gordon Hogg - Social Innovation's Political Ambassador

2012-07-04T09:58:31-07:00

When Charlie Leadbeater visited British Columbia earlier this year he commented on three strategic social innovation advantages BC has compared to other jurisdictions. One is the presence of First Nations leadership connected to a heritage of resilience, creativity amidst adversity and wisdom. The other is Vancity Credit Union - a mainstream financial institution prepared to innovate to address social and environmental challenges Finally he referenced the political leadership of BC's Provincial Secretary for Social Innovation, Gord Hogg.

Gord represents the best in what we want from an elected official. Curiosity - continuously open to new ideas. Gord was reading speeches by Bill Drayton the founder of Ashoka's Global Fellowship for Social Enterprise into the BC legislature as far back as 2004. Intensity - a willingness to study, to learn, to pursue an idea through to its practical application. Aside from devouring any references many of us send his way, he is also working on a PhD in social innovation. Courage - prepared to take positions far in advance of political consensus. He has worked tirelessly to bring the promise and practice of social innovation to the attention of his political colleagues on both sides of the house. And finally political smarts - an understanding of how to negotiate through the competing priorities of a governing political party. He established a government caucus committee on social innovation which eventually led he and fellow MLA's to recommend the establishment of the BC Council on Social Innovation.

Many of us believe the willingness of BC's Premier Christy Clark to champion social innovation is in part the result of Gord's regular meetings with her. Consider this communiqué on social innovation from a recent western Premiers meeting.

Their statement has the western Premiers all interested “in new approaches that will enable the non-profit sector to fully realize its potential.” Its potential is seen to lie in greater partnership with governments, and involves both “creative and entrepreneurial” aspects. The Premiers said they want a strong non-profit sector.

Their joint statement said: “This includes removing barriers and ensuring non-profit agencies have the tools and vehicles they need to pursue innovative initiatives. Sharing strategies will help drive innovation across western provinces and territories.” Equally worth noting: social innovation was grouped under the overall heading of “Growing the Economy,” thus ending the artificial separation between the economic and social agenda of governments.

The Council of the Federation (13 provincial and territorial Premiers) is meeting in Halifax July 25th - 27th. It is expected that social innovation will surface on their agenda. Not surprisingly the Social Innovation Council's Action Recommendations have been sent to the Premiers in advance. And I know Gord has already spoken with four Premiers personally.

I'm not sure he's been invited but I'd like to make a case for Gordon Hogg's designation as Canada's ambassador for Social Innovation. We could use more political leadership like his to complement emerging business and community leadership in the social innovation space.

Resources:

For an audio version of a recent keynote speech Gord gave at the annual meeting of Sports Matters Group in Montebello, Quebec click here.

To view Gord's contribution to the What Are You Skating Towards series click here or Download the PDF What Am I Skating Towards?

Charles Leadbeater - Setting the post Bridget Jones Agenda