Training for Transition, June 19 and 20

[David MacLeod]

Training for Transition (T4T)

Transition Whatcom members, please consider signing up for the T4T happening in Bellingham June 19th and 20th. Please see the Event Announcement Here.

The T4T course is designed to give a detailed introduction to the most important skills necessary to successfully set up, develop, and run a Transition project. It is designed for people who
are already in a group working to achieve this, or are thinking of
creating such a group. The full curriculum for the T4T can be found here.

Those of us who have had this training can testify that not only is it an enjoyable and inspiring way to spend a weekend, but it has played a critical role, along with the Transition Handbook, in preparing us for initiating a Transition Initiative.

At the end of the course participants will:

• Have a clear understanding of the context for Transition Initiatives, the current global situation and the transformational possibilities that arise from climate change, peak oil and the economic
  crisis.
• Know what the Transition model is – including an in-depth look at the 12 steps, from inspiration, setting up the initiating group, all the way to having active and effective working groups.
• Have experienced a joint visioning process.
• Understand how to organize effective meetings such as public talks, open space days, and small theme working groups.
• Understand the purpose and principles of an Energy Descent Action Plan.
• Have the outline of an effective and inspiring talk on the Transition movement.
• Have formed useful contacts with other Transition Initiatives and individuals interested in the Transition model.
• Have a plan of action for themselves and their locality.

This training will follow the Transition model in paying attention to both the outer work and the inner work necessary for a successful transition process. The course is participatory, action-learning-based
and fun, with participants invited to share their own experience and
learn from the many different transition projects represented in the
group.

Cost

$150. Scholarships are available - more details to come.

Trainers

The US Transition Trainers are all trained by Naresh Giangrande and Sophy Banks, both long-term contributors to Transition Town Totnes and founders of Transition Training. We are fortunate to have one of the Transition Trainers here in our initiative, Cindi Landreth.

Cindi is a founding board member of Sustainable Connections and served on that board for about 6 years. She has served as an advisor for Sustainable Bellingham; as a host for the Changing the Dream Open Space Salon; as a host to a Women's Open Space Day; as a facilitator for the Pachamama Alliance's Awakening the
Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium. Cindi is part of the Transition Whatcom Initiating Group and is dedicating the rest of her life
to blazing a trail for the generations to follow (both human and
nonhuman). She is walking her talk of building community and building
relationships within all aspects of her world.

The other trainer for our June T4T is David Johnson. After completing a degree in Computer Sciences, David traveled the world, discovering Tibetan Buddhism on his journey and developing an interest in environmental issues. On his
return to the

UK, David became involved with a Tibetan Buddhist sangha and moved to their Retreat Center in South Wales. He later purchased and moved to
neighboring piece of land and built an award-winning ecological house.
David continued exploring the overlap of ecology and spirituality
through a Masters Degree program in Transpersonal Psychology with a
concentration in Ecopsychology at Naropa University. During this time he
also trained with Joanna Macy. His training and work with a number of
ecopsychologists informed his thinking around the Heart & Soul
aspects of Transition. David was involved in a think tank set up by Rob
Hopkins in the early days of Transition Town Totnes and recently moved
to Portland, Oregon where he has been in the central group helping to
bring the Transition Initiative to
Portland.