dali learning blog

Here is the copy of our thought session on our contribution to CLP discussion. click on the pdf logo to view or dowmload.
Hope you get it OK Chris

My non disabled action learning set!
I have to say
It’s a revelation for me for me in this group –
I don’t socialise much
I confess I am not usually attracted to people who are resistant to showing their vulnerability. And wnen it comes to meeting with non disabled people I much prefer a one to one set up or a couple more – that way I can get to what I call the ‘meaty’ side of the conversation…the part when people are willing to make themselves vulnerable and speak of inner emotions…so with this (and the DALI Hub) AL Set I feel in my element!

All of them are consultants in some field or other – one working with women, another in education, one in the arts and the others more like trainers for organisations and they’re the ones who have already been trained as AL facilitators. I wouldn’t say I’d normally be attracted to talking to any of them, but that’s quite often the case on the surface of it, and that really doesn’t matter. I prefer not to talk in the breaks, don’t want to chit chat much or get tid bits of this n’ that, I just enjoy getting stuck in….and that we do.

We met in Ruth’s London base which is also used as a AL meeting room. Views in Bermondsey – very cosmo, I haven’t been in that area since the early days of my career when I worked for Interim Theatre company ’79 (of deaf and hearing actors) and the office was based there…it is so very different now and rather cool with it, lots of live work bases.
Now I am here by virtue of the Arts Council, once again, as so many times previously, my life experiences an enhancement because I have been supported by it. Who am I to knock it when in all honesty its provided me with so many opportunities. I feel very fortunate. To be surrounded by such rich and varied skill from a wide range of backgrounds, people and areas of work that I would never otherwise encounter, I feel blessed. And to hear of issues outside of deaf/disability arts wow! What a refreshing shower that is! Takes me away from myself, from the little pond that I feel I am in, both within the arts and in yoga. I feel in very good hands not only with Ruth guiding the process, more with the wisdom that surrounds me in the meeting. I hope I have a good juicy work issue to present to them …. one day…..

Sarah X

Just going through my note books and found this quote which is often attributed to Nelson Mandella (he never said it). I think it is very apt for many of us following yesterdays(Fridays) meeting. Hope you don't think I'm being too cheesy.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?... Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do... It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we subconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." (Marianne Williamson, author, from A Return To Love, 1992).

X Chris

Here's the address og the personal DNA web site I was talking about if anyone is interested. www.personaldna.com Have fun, I know Michelle's already been there. Here's my lovely coloured strip.
Hope it works i do like pretty stripy colours! Even if Paul Smith made them more common.

X Chris

Sorry - i've been absent and very wobbly about getting on here - pleae some one tell me that you're reading me finally....
i can see the light and before too long my time will be more my own and i will then be more 'visible' here...
re the meeting up options - the week away only feasible say in half term time (or holiday time ie Aug) really like the idea of more contact time - even if we take in turns to call eachother - ie co mentor rotation - with a structure for the calls - that would work for me -
i'm a bit lost as to what preparation - what we should be processing towards our next meeting?
Yes agree Moya Chris be the DALI face with CLP lot.
skype - yes - when i get my act together technically this end which is planned for first week of June - will register onto skype ....
Action Learning project here - we had a very good meeting last Tuesday (one reason i been so quiet) and for the first time i've ever known the representation of deaf to disabled people present was just a touch more than half! 15 people attended - all want to do AL and i've still got a couple of one to ones to have with people who couldn't attend the meeting but want to know more...
Kathy and i are holding a meeting on 8th June - after that i'll have clearer ideas of what next, plus we have final steer group meeting on June 21st ....
meanwhile at ACE
a new man has been appointed for the post i have been covering - he's not from round here - sounds potentially interesting! My last day at ACE 25th -

i so hope you get this
with love to you
sarah xx

After speaking to Chris, I've been mulling over the time thing once again....and there is another alternative to think about.
I think we all agreed at present that the most important facet of the project for now is our own AL Set; having the time to develop it, practice our own facilitation skills and grow as Set members etc etc. But I am also aware that there is an obligation to report back, develop better links within CLP etc - and that myself (in the project management/co-ordination role) and Chris (as director of the lead organisation) maybe could take that part of it outside of our time together as a whole group - at least until we are really confident and ready to go further with it. Usually, I prefer to work more holistically, but in these circumstances I actually think it makes alot more sense if the more functional aspects of this project DON'T intefere with the more important creative process. If this were the case, at the next two meetings, Chris and I could meet on the Weds afternoon/evening. Then when other people arrive (with Wednesday evening still being optional and open to everyone) on Thursday, we can move seemlessly into AL and take the whole day - and evening too, if needs be.

Is anyone reading these blogs?????????

As I wrote up some notes, two things occurred to me 1) that we could maybe have a one week stay at Hidelow in maybe September or November planned meetings. I know it doesn't work too well for everyone, but there is extra accommodation....and perhaps people could come for as long as is practical for them, trusting others to get on with the jobs in hand and using only the time we are all together for our AL Set.
2) is that we rework the budgets to allow for some additional time and travel costs for co-mentoring (which we said we would do in the application anyway). These could be based around geography or specific areas of work.....

Thanks to those who sent messages of support to me recently. They were really appreciated.

I've suggested that CLP might like to involve us in their Dialogue on Leadership: Beyond Diversity 3 (Disability) strand. I had heard from Sue that she is busy trying to dissuade them from commissioning Shape to do this, so I thought it important that we set out our own stall (ie over 100 years' collective experience!!).

Am aware Sarah's name still not on the subscriber's list to this blog....are you reading, Sarah?

x to All

Sorry I haven't been blogging away, but something has been sidetracking me - namely the s**t which is coming at me (again) from Equata and their new "well I might be disabled but it's a hidden impairment so I'll keep you guessing. When will it be possible to stop people riding upon the back of disability to gain a salary or status.....

Chris, don't know if you got my phone message but not sure how the cheap phone calls will work as I have a different provider than BT, my guess is that it might cost quite alot but we can try it. Another way would be if everyone downloads Skype, which is free, and buys a little headset (would this work for you, Sarah?). It's the way I work with Philip in New Zealand.

Anyway, my Code Name is Miss Demeanor, which is what I'm fairly likely to commit if I get another sh**y email from Equata.

And are there some letters missing from Doug's full title as patron? DOG

As for my learning, well now I'm on my own down here in the SW, the safety and security of the DALI group seems a long way away.....so it'll be good to talk tomorrow.

Moya
x

Well I thought if we are going to keep a learning blog we might as well start that now, before we even know whether we have been successful in our application to Creative Leaders Partnership. Why? Well because I have learnt so much in the process of the shared process of making/writing this funding application.

The journey started somewhere, and I suppose looking back, it was a few years ago, when I met like minded individuals, creative thinkers, people who cared about learning, shared learning and the absolute knowledge that by sharing we change processes, the way we work and eventually the shape of all our participation. Ownership or individual empire building was, and is, for these individuals something that never matters. That’s where I get my buzz, that’s why I’m excited. That’s why I feel excited, not just for my learning, but our shared learning. There are no egos; it fits with the new ‘new age’ of learning and sharing that we have learnt from the Internet.

So the e-mails, the conference calls, the phone calls, the threaded documents, the revising, the editing, the staying up till 4 in the morning, wanting things just right for the planned investment in our future, were all such a pleasure.

No longer in isolation, no longer playing the “funding game’ of secrets, individual empire building and back stabbing competition - just a real shared interest in developing something we all hold dear.

Vic Finkelstein, a now grandfather of the disability movement, once said to me that the problem that was happening with the disability movement, was the self appointed disabled people who just recreated the “Administrative Model” (some may know this as the Medical Model) and put themselves in positions of power. We try to fit in to the existing system, enjoy the good salaries and positions of power, and we appoint ourselves as the spokes people of all disabled people, as though we are some homogeneous mass.

Well, all good learning has a sort of anarchy about it, maybe an organised anarchy (if that’s not a contradiction), but it’s not a democracy, it’s the early days of the Internet – all opinions, personal histories, and learning, experiential or academic, are valid. What matters to me is the freedom of sharing and the ability to be liberated in a non-judgemental environment.

The possibilities of a new way of working and learning could be infinite, maybe not, but nevertheless, transforming, have a possibility of inclusion, for us all, in a new way. I suppose really, it’s the bigger picture, and, what’s really exciting when you think about it, is we don’t need to pass an exam, or even get anyone’s permission. We can just share and learn. And who knows as a friend of mine Tony say’s “Now we change the world”.

I wrote this just after midnight – so early morning of Wednesday 6 December 2006.
Chris

I thought you might want to see my post to the Arts Debate to be found under: What principles should guide public funding of the arts today?

Oh how lucky we are – OR - Count your blessings

Arts for all – what’s in the title – a sense of inclusion – a celebration of our difference AND our commonality as human beings.

How do they engage us in to this arts debate – a picture of a family lovingly engaged in a debate about the arts around dinner with Newcastle Brown and a bottle of HP Sauce on the table?

Someone’s missing the point!

Yes you guessed – I’m one of the so called culturally diverse – a misfit – a target – a performance indicator – excluded?

No not me – I should be grateful - I’m disabled – I use a wheelchair – I’m a nuisance to you all – I’ve got fat due to the steroids I take – oops, sorry no - in your eyes I’m fat because I’m lazy. One day I’ll dribble and shake but that’s another story and pushes me nearer to the edge of exclusion.

But anyway, yes I should be grateful – you – society – Arts Council England have worked ever so hard to give me ACCESS as an audience member– to YOUR arts. Don’t worry we won’t forget who the arts belong to.

Oh dear something’s slipping my mind – wasn’t it the introduction of the lottery that gave us some physical access to YOUR offerings – after all we still pay a £1 for a ticket (it would have been easier if we could have won for 50p. Then they would not have needed to worry about access). Oh, and we all still pay our taxes at the same rate as everyone else, but we have access - hallelujah – access – but NO inclusion.

I can hear you all now, running for cover, not wanting to listen to what you see as another “Crip with a Chip” the awkward one, the one who can’t be grateful. The one who takes it personally. Ok run for cover – or take me head on in debate. If it’s the later read on, if it’s the former “Do I look Bovered?”

So – if you are still reading, let’s get on with it: - We talk about inclusion, we talk about the arts celebrating difference, we talk about lateral thinking, about leading change. We talk, but never do. Like every other bureaucracy, despite some very hard working and well-intentioned individuals, Arts Council England is about protecting the Status Quo in the arts. Oh, they recognise when to bend to stay alive, but just enough to do that and stay alive on their terms.

One of the reasons I am involved in the arts is how it can paradoxically embrace difference and commonality, but somehow the arts funding system seems to ignore this and tag inclusion and equality outside the creative process in neat packaged boxes.

We could be leading the way on inclusion and celebrating the creative processes that allow us all to talk about commonality and difference, inclusion and exclusion. But to do this we need to get serious about it, invest money, human resources and time into developing different approaches, methods, processes and ideologies to all forms of the arts; dance, music, literature, visual arts, professional development etc etc. Instead we bolt on small ideas, in separate departments, which will never change the bigger picture; which, incidentally, belongs to less and less of “the public”.

I am part of the public. I do pay my taxes. I am a professional. I am an artist, but I am excluded on so many levels. Our arts system needs to take this seriously and see this as an equality and inclusion issue at the heart of everything it does. Equality and inclusion is something that is actually an important part of the creative process, for all of us. Otherwise we will continue on the narrow path of “access”, new audiences initiatives etc. without ever including me, or thousands of others.

Meanwhile, you can engage in discussions about what art is or isn’t, or art for arts sake, or public funding, or whatever. It won’t matter to many of us, because we’re not included anyway.

Chris