Reef Retreat

The Reef
1

Hello @reeflings,

Now that we have completed this important (and super difficult) phase of our project, I was wondering what it would be like if we would consciously set apart some time to reconnect with each other and recharge our batteries for the next stage of our project (which will also be difficult).

This led me to the idea of what I would call a “Reef Retreat”. The way I picture it, to make things easy, we would stay in Brussels and sleep in our own beds, but we would be spending a fair share of a weekend together - all on an optional basis though - to play, connect, organise our internal training courses and make time for important discussions.

The way I picture it, we would co-create the agenda. What I am proposing is that we all put our ideas in the document linked below, and that at some point we make a draft agenda in the Coordination Group. Ideally that draft agenda would include a couple of empty time slots, so we can fill them in on the day, and we can of course always reshuffle things in the moment in function of what feels good.

If you have a moment, can you please give it some thought, and fill in the document what you would like to do - maybe talk about the contingency plans? maybe have a salsa workshop? …? - and what you would like to offer, or what you could offer? No wrong answers of course and no such things as silly ideas!

This is the link: Login – Nextcloud

Thoughts on the entire concept are of course also very welcome. Maybe put them in this thread?

In terms of timing I would say we’d start on Saturday afternoon at 3 pm, with sessions until 7 pm and then an optional dinner. The next day, on Sunday, we would then have a full day together. What will be important is that everybody will be free to come and go as they like, so no need to be available all the time if that’s what it takes to make it work. And even when you are there, I think it should always be optional to participate in the sessions that are being organised!

That leads me to set up a poll to see whether we can make this happen.

Here we go …

  • 26-27/09
  • 3-4/10
  • 10-11/10
  • None of these dates work for me
  • I’m not super interested, so no need to take my availability into account
0 voters
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Team Governance & Working Methods: general communication
2

Hi Lee, thanks for the initiative, but does this not overlap to some extent with the weekend away? And is it not more or less the same concept?

2 Likes
3

Hi Maria,

I think both events are quite different, sorry if that wasn’t clear from the way I explained it.

For me weekend is for both adults and children. The purpose is relaxation and connection, and most of the time we are doing different things at the same moment (hiking, napping, board games etc).

The retreat I picture as a very long full members meeting (except that it will be open for associate members). The purpose is make space for the important things (as opposed to the urgent things, for which we usually gather). Making time for our governance trainings for example, whether as an onboarding activity or a refresher, I believe would do us all good to facilitate our working together in the future. Likewise I think it would be valuable if we could have sessions of 45-90 minutes to talk about important topics, like e.g. the contingency plan, how we intend to manage conflicts in the future, how self-management is working out for us etc.

Does that clarify it a bit?

5 Likes
4

hi Lee,

thanks for the initiative, i really like the idea, but not sure I fully understand..Some questions/remarks:

  • can you only propose things related to the teams/HC’s you are in?

  • i guess this is pure discussions, collecting feedback, and maybe moments to connect/have fun.. So noo decisions will be taken, everything will still come to a PM where consent will be asked to all FM, correct?

  • i am a bit exhausted right now, so if that is ok, i would like to have some weeks to reflect on this. Is that ok?

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5

No, everybody can propose anything they would like to discuss.

Probably yes.

Of course! I don’t think we’ll start working on the agenda before the end of August.

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6

Hi,
I think it is a nice idea and hope to be able to attend.
I took the option “none of the dates work” because it is very difficult to commit a full weekend so much in advance. I prefer to indicate that the dates don’t work at this time so that the group does not chose a date I might have to cancel in the end anyway.

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7

I’m interested. I’ve always found governance and working methods training/refreshers very useful. Due to work and tea events, I can’t really commit to any of the proposed dates just yet.

1 Like
8

Hello @reeflings,

Let’s say the poll has spoken and make it 10-11 October. More details will follow after the summer break.

In the meantime to hesitate to add your ideas to the document in the first post!

9

I am also interested. I may have to choose between this and the weekend though.

1 Like
10

Hi Lie, thanks for proposing this.

We talked about it in community life, and we thing we would like to try and propose something for 1 or 2 slots. We’ve been meaning to try out a different format of being together, it might be a good opportunity for testing it!
(And just to clarify, it would only be one of the slot, and maybe a mini activity at another point, not all the “social” slots)

2 Likes