We ALL want our concerns addressed and our hopes achieved

[Autry Haynes]

We ALL  wish our hopes are achieved and our concerns are addressed. Achieving this begins with the individual dream, moving to the group dream and then to the community dream. The result is a statement that reflects the ‘spirit’ of what the community wants to achieve so that they can realize their full potential and live comfortable lives. It does not mean, however, that life is perfect, but people can cope better with life’s challenges. 

In the individual dream, participants reflect on their future in ten years, fifteen years, twenty years. What would that time be like? Describe it. 

Following the development of the individual and group dreams, the similarities and differences between the group dreams were identified

                       Two volunteers create a vision statement from the similarities and major                                           difference that emanated from the three groups dreams

               The initial dream statement created by the volunteers

The Village Council of Mainstay / Whyaka, an indigenous village in Guyana, invited government supported Community Service Officers volunteers to contribute to jointly build a common dream for more structured and mutually supportive developmental processes. It was intended that this exercise would enable the Village Council to support the CSO volunteers in a more structured and mutually beneficial manner.

After engaging in the development of the practices, members agree that the dream statement could be re-defined as a motivating statement: “Peaceful retirement and healthier lifestyle through a better education and from hard work.”

 

Participants identified five practices that can deliver the dream:

 

• Better health

Healthier lifestyle from the provision of better health services, good nutrition, diet, and exercises.

 

• SMART agriculture

Appropriate technological innovation contributing to food security, self sufficiency, and livelihood.

 

• Tourism and clean energy opportunities

Tourism and clean energy provide major livelihood opportunities. With renewable energy as the main source of energy, Mainstay / Whyaka residents enjoy a better quality of life socially and economically.

 

• Improved education

A better education system contributing to a paradigm shift towards a skilled and professional human resource base of our community.

 

• Improved infrastructure

The road networks including our airstrip are strong and supported in a sustainable manner by adequate hospitality services for other communities of practices.

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Thanks Autry! its wonderful:-)

[Autry Haynes]

The Dream statement, practices and SMART roadmap are the RESULTS of SALT engagement or the HOW.

Mainstay is a small indigenous village so everyone knows everyone. We still started with an 'appreciative moment'. The goal was to make participants comfortable as we stimulate a different Way of Thinking. Using a ball of twine each participant selected an individual to whom he/she went to a expressed what they appreciated about that individual. Below is an example.

         We are interconnected as a community when we appreciate each other

the 21 participants were placed into three groups. One group on a flip chart page shared what they are most proud of, while one group shared their concerns and the other group shared its hopes. After ten minutes there was a change from the page the group started to another page. They added to what was shared by the previous group. We discussed each in a plenary. What are we learning from the shared 'what are we most proud of, Our concerns and Our hopes.

                    conversation on what are our concerns and hopes

The concerns and hopes were used as the entry point for the conversation on dream building. Imagine a future time, may be ten, fifteen years or even twenty, your concerns are addressed and your hopes are achieved. What will that time be like? Can you describe it? This was done on an individual basis, then as a group and merged into a community dream or vision statement.

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Thanks Autry. Happy to learn from you!

How do you incorporate SALT in this process?