Making Microsolidarity Presentation - 30/05/2020

Josh and I prepare our sessions in advance, after having asked around what are people's needs and desires.

We always take into account and try to balance at least two things:

• Giving interesting content and information so that Congregation members can get inspired and learn new cool stuff.

• Allowing space for people to bring their own voices, and to create exchange of information and experiences.

Additionally, the format usually has a basic structure of:

• Context/remember why we're meeting

• Check in so everyone can see and be seen

• The content at hand (often includes small group breakouts)

• Collect and reflect together on content

• Check out - with what are you leaving this meeting? another moment to see and be seen

In here you can see in good detail how our meetings are organized (Congregating: the Process > any of the meetings).

From Weronika : How does your work look like at the meeting sessions? Is there a specific structure?

A percentage into common pot is a common first step. The kind of crews I'd like to be involved in would be ones where crew members are actually helping each other materially in that process of earning money. In which case, it makes sense to share it... maybe when sufficient trust and mutual knowledge is there, one can work towards everyone feeling responsible that everyone else is employed, within their stated capacity. (I.e. some people may opt to be part time and aim for an income proportionate to what others aim for)

@Katherine Glass Meaningful work in our case includes earning incomes. That form of income can be defined as financial or otherwise. For now, our specific Congregation holds a collective vision that we intend to move into work which does support our needs for money.

To answer the second part of your Q in an example: If I make money from the work I do as a freelancer, I will keep that money for myself. However, we have begun exploratory talks within our congregation about sharing money. There are no real systems in place for it yet, but it's definitely possible that, for example, a % or a self-defined amount of everyone's income would go to a common pot. The way in which the money in the common pot is used is to be defined by the collective that contributes to it.

From Katherine: When you focus on Meaningful work, is that also about earning incomes? And are the incomes separate? Or intertwined for the community ?

Maybe, simply, if a topic feels like a shared vital interest to a number of people? What they then do about it can vary. But for a crew with an extended life (not just short term) my guess is that is has to be rewarding and sustaining in meaningful ways. If the crew members need income, then the crew will probably have to focus around income ... etc. But that's not always the case.

In our understanding of the process of Crewing, it all starts with someone's idea, desire or curiosity. This desire is then turned into a "Call" - a call for a few others to join around the topic of curiosity.

What makes a topic worth crewing ? There's no absolute answers, but usually you can consider...:

• Whether the topic feels important for you in your life.

• Usually we Crew after being in the Gathering with all the Congregation. You can also take into account what conversations were predominant in the Gathering and collect something from there.

From Julan: what makes a topic worth ‘crewing’ about?