Transition Culture

11 May 2011

Why we love Transition Training

I thought I would take the opportunity this morning to rave enthusiastically about Transition training.  A few years ago Naresh Giangrande and Sophy Banks designed Transition Training as a two-day total immersion in the first stages of this evolving process.  Since the first course in Totnes in October 2007, 106 training courses worldwide have been organised by Transition Training, with local organisers, and presented by members of a dedicated team of 16 UK trainers to over 2,500 participants.  Courses have been run throughout the UK, as well as in Eire, Sweden, Brazil, Portugal, Italy, Germany and Flanders. Dozens more are being organised and run by local organizing hubs in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, parts of South America, and Asia, led by a team of multilingual trainers.  Here is a recently made short film about it, the first of three I want to share with you:

https://youtu.be/S5PWLw1ez1U

The training aims to offer:

• Experience Transition in action: every aspect of the training from making it affordable, to respect, inclusion and sharing of information reflects the Transition process.
• Focus on the early stages of Transition: focusing on the first 5 ‘Steps’ of Transition (Ingredients 1.4, 1.9, 1.11, Tool 10 and Ingredient 1.10)  how to communicate Transition, the principles of resilience, how to set up an initiating group, and the importance of the inner aspects of Transition work.
• Experience varied learning, participation and facilitation: this offers participants first-hand experience of World Cafe, Open Space and other tools for running groups, presenting, and ways to engage people.
• Look into the inner  aspects of Transition: the emotional aspects of  Transition work, how to create a culture that supports change, and how to deepen our understanding of change,  within ourselves and  our initiatives
• Meeting others: Transition Training gives you a sense of being part of a wider international cooperative, co-created movement, and a chance to ask questions, get feedback and be inspired by others’ stories.

It clearly has a deep impact on people.  Here is a gorgeous film from Minnesota in the US, beautifully produced and really rather moving.  Not sure how many other courses inspire people to create something like this…

A Transition Training was also run recently in Pittsburgh… here 3 young women reflect on the experience:

For many Transition initiatives, hosting the training is a key event in their evolution.  If you want to find out more about it, dates of upcoming trainings and how to organise one where you like, click here.