Prosocial – Social Governance And Consciousness Evolution
From Event Calendar: We will gather to begin the process of creating governance systems for Regenerate Cascadia that are compatible with the 8 core design principles of Prosocial. We will also start to develop and utilize collaborative systems of enhancing mindfulness, deep listening, and other wisdom practices, to help us to become better at discerning what it is to govern wisely. Learn more in the Prosocial Group.
Summary of this ProSocial Zoom Meeting
The meeting discussed the formation of a governance structure for Regenerate Cascadia, focusing on transparency and clear communication. Concerns were raised about the rapid growth and the need for a governance process. The 501c3 of the Department of Bioregion as the backbone of regenerate Cascadia organization and the importance of strong governance and educational support for grassroots organizations were also discussed.
Group Roles and Meeting Summary
00:00 The meeting discussed the roles within the group and how to improve participation. David, Langdon, and Julie agreed on a structure that includes a facilitator, a note taker, and a timekeeper. They also suggested the inclusion of a ‘snake charmer’ role to ensure the conversation doesn’t go in an unhealthy direction and to ensure everyone’s participation. They also discussed the need for a summary of the meeting and decided to use a document for notes.
Governance Structure Formation for Regenerate Cascadia
08:24 The meeting revolved around the formation of a governance structure for a new organization, Regenerate Cascadia. The participants discussed the importance of developing a decision-making process and a system of governance. David Ketter, Langdon, Brandon, and Clare were part of this discussion. Langdon expressed their concern about the organization’s rapid growth, suggesting that the governance process should have been established before recruiting members. Clare highlighted the need to incubate the vision and protect it during the formation of the organization. Brandon discussed the organization’s structure and its openness to feedback and involvement from members. The group agreed on the need for transparency and clear communication to ensure everyone understood the organization’s purpose and structure.
Regenerate Cascadia Initiative Formation Discussed
30:14 In the discussion of the formation of the “Regenerate Cascadia” initiative by the Department of Bioregion, Brandon, a key member of the Department of Bioregion, emphasized the advantages of having a fully functional 501c3 and the benefits they can offer for sponsorship. He also outlined the leadership roles they are trying to establish within the initiative to streamline decision making and involvement. Langdon, raised concerns about the formation of silos and the importance of establishing clear pathways for people to participate in the initiative. Clare, stressed the significance of building trust and relationships in the process.
Transparency and Decision-Making in Cascadia Regeneration
50:18 David Ketter expressed their concerns about the lack of transparency and navigability in the decision-making process, particularly regarding the use of Telegram for coordination. They acknowledged the challenges of keeping up with the pace of decisions and discussions. Clare and David Ketter emphasized their commitment to transparency and facilitating self-organizing components. Clare also highlighted the importance of the process informing the scaffolding being built. David Macleod acknowledged the enormity of the task at hand – regenerating the entire Cascadia bioregion – and the need for both a strong core and a wide net. Howard shared their thoughts on refreshing their mission and vision to align with the ambitions of the group.
Telegram Channel Overwhelm and Future Platforms
01:01:28 Howard voiced their concerns about the overwhelming nature of the group’s Telegram channel and expressed relief at the prospect of moving to a more manageable platform. Mike suggested compiling the group’s messages into a more easily readable format to ensure all members can keep up with discussions. Tanja shared their challenges with staying focused and highlighted the difficulties in keeping up with the rapid pace of information sharing on Telegram. Clare, meanwhile, emphasized the need for ProSocial as well as space to connect as needed for good effective governance conversation and educational support for grassroots organizations. The group also clarified that their Thursday meetings are still ongoing likely every other week it seems.
Onboarding and Pace Concerns Addressed
01:11:59 Langdon expressed concerns about the pace and structure of the organization, suggesting that it needed to slow down and provide a clear onboarding presentation to attract potential members. They also pointed out that fewer than 5% of members seemed to understand the prosocial concept fully. Brandon responded that the organization was indeed trying to slow down and build a strong foundation, pointing to a 30-day activation tour and the Summit the following month as examples. He also mentioned that the onboarding process was underway and should be ready sometime in January. He emphasized the importance of creating a welcoming and easy-to-understand vision for the organization. Clare added that while the situation was urgent, the work also needed to be done well, ‘times are urgent, we must slow down.“, suggesting a balance between speed and quality.
This has inspired people knowing they need to invest in land regeneration as a priority. This is important to be organized in a way that is actually built on right relationship.
Land Regeneration Funding and Governance
01:19:26 The team discussed the importance of funding for land regeneration projects and the need for strong governance structures to ensure the work is done with integrity. Clare highlighted the crucial role of relationship holders in these processes. Julie emphasized the need for collaboration and the ability to work through conflict. David Ketter suggested planning a next meeting and noted that the notes were incomplete and open for additions. Brandon mentioned setting up a group through the Regenerate Cascadia page and Langdon expressed interest in a more intentional, mindful, and collaborative approach to group work. The team also discussed the challenge of creating cohesive, trust-based collaborative consciousness evolution.
Meeting on Frequency, Structure, and Consciousness Development
01:28:37 Brandon, David Ketter, Langdon, and Julie discussed the frequency and structure of their meetings, with a consensus to meet weekly or bi-weekly. Langdon suggested the idea of catalyzing local groups and creating an in-person experience, noting the benefits of face-to-face interaction over online communication. The group agreed to explore different ways of developing consciousness and governance, including traditional and innovative methods. They also discussed the importance of trauma healing, grief work, and other approaches. The next meeting was planned for after the holidays, with a goal to establish a structure that supports a variety of approaches.
