State of the Microsolidarity Network | Sep 2023
Updates & invitations to upcoming events
Hello dears! Rich here. Summer is behind us so I thought it’s time for a quick update on what’s been going on in the Microsolidarity Network. You’re invited to some upcoming events, so let’s start there:
Upcoming events
Practice Program (online course)
In October we’re running the 6th iteration of the Microsolidarity Practice Program, an online course spread over 4 workshops in 2 weeks. This is a great opportunity to get an experiential introduction to Microsolidarity practices, and it’s the best place to meet other practitioners in the network, and find out if this is a place you want to hang out.
Here’s a quote from a previous participant:
“It was mindblowing how quickly you can develop trust and belonging - I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t experienced it. We created a feeling of trust and safety within a few minutes, it’s bonkers!”
If you want to learn how easy it is to create this kind of connection between strangers, join the course! Find out more and register here: https://www.microsolidarity.cc/practice-program
Make It Rain - get support in applying microsolidarity to social change
Starting in the second half of October, Jonas and Jocelyn will host an 8-week coaching group for folks who want to take consistent action for a world that works for all life. They’ll support you to apply microsolidarity principles and practices to your real-life social change project and bring clarity, ease and joy to the challenges you are encountering.
Learn more here: https://collectivetransformation.coach/make-it-rain
Recent events
Summer Camp
We just completed another two big gatherings, with about 80 people attending two Microsolidarity Summer Camps, in Germany and in the USA. These events were a great opportunity for organisers from different communities to meet each other and weave new connections.
Berlin Microsolidarity experiment
The “Berlin Microsolidarity Experiment” was a 6-week learning journey for members from 6 different communities in Berlin to connect and build stronger connections and increase mutual aid between initiatives in the city. To learn more, see my interview with Nicki. Once this concept has had a chance to mature a little further, it’s exciting to imagine similar programs running in cities all over the world.
Network Co-ownership
Looking back across this list of updates, the most gratifying part is that the hosting of these events is decentralised. There are skillful, committed, and trustworthy people stepping into positions of responsibility around the network. It’s becoming more resilient and less dependent on me & Nati, who brought the initial hosting energy. Thank you Ioan, Sara, Abby, Jonas, Jocelyn, Uta, Dan, Gui, Karl and Nicki for stepping into hosting roles across all these different events, and thanks also to everyone else who has contributed in other ways <3
Join us
Network members are invited to two upcoming online events:
On the week of October 16th, Jocelyn is hosting MOSS - Microsolidarity Open Space Session, for network members to jam on anything they’re curious about.
On the first Thursday of every month, members get together for skillshares, discussions, and relational practices.
To get your invitation to these and future members-only events: you can join by contributing as little as €3 or $3 per month on Open Collective. Sign up here (or use this page if you want to make it tax-deductible in the USA).
Lots of love,
Rich
p.s. we’ve just published the 50th episode on the Microsolidarity Podcast, which you can find on Youtube or your preferred podcast platform. These episodes are mostly interviews with community organisers, getting into the nitty gritty questions around participatory governance, event production, decision-making, conflict and community leadership.