Starting Up a Community 101

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Starting up a Community 101 By

Yohan Decelles and

Marie-Cachou Trudel-Langevin of

l’Infini (Collectif Masson) March 10th 2018 Notes available here (in French only): http://bit.ly/communaute101 Link to this present document: http://bit.ly/starting101 Link to the video of the conference: http://bit.ly/thetalk101

Intentional Communities • The concept of community is not recent. • We define the concept of “Intentional Community” as any coliving situation that involves cooperative efforts to create a lifestyle that reflects a shared set of values or needs. • Note that Western culture, its ideologies, values, and norms fundamentally influence our communities and our approach, despite our efforts to challenge and deconstruct ourselves from it.

DESCRIPTION OF THE WORKSHOP • The purpose of this workshop is to make the creation of new intentional communities more accessible by exploring the first steps, and how to address them both in theory and in practice. What challenges tend to come up in communities and how can we prepare to overcome them? What are ways to develop good group cohesion, and which questions -- individual and collective -should be addressed before engaging in such a project

INTRODUCTION • Many large community projects (ecocommunities) fail because some material aspects (infrastructure, monetary, legal) have been prioritized over interpersonal aspects (emotional maturity, introspection, communication). • LEARNING TO LIVE TOGETHER IS ESSENTIAL TO LIVE IN COMMUNITY.

Living in a community is like starting a relationship … – It allows us to get to know each other, to discover unknown parts of ourselves; – It allows usto confront our insecurities, fears, and difficulties; – It allows us to see the best in ourselves (strengths, qualities, authenticity). – There is the excitement of the beginning, the "hype." Then we learn to live together, we get used to it. It loses its novelty. We discover differences. We must decide if we want to continue to put the effort necessary to keep ourselves engaged and to maintain what we have created.

• Hence the importance from the outset of being authentic with oneself, of one's needs, desires and limits, and not only of wanting to fit, nor sacrificing who one is for the other, or asking em to do it for us. It’s important to make sure that the project we are creating is really fit for us, not just the idea of ​the project. – Am I aware of all the time and energy commitments that will be needed, and am I at a point in my life where am I ready to commit? – If so, why would I like to live in a specific community versus another community? – What things should I consider in my own life that could potentially affect my ability to live in community?

SCENARIO • Imagine that between us all in the room, we want to create a community. • What are we doing? What is our next step? • It is important to see life in community as a project with clear intentions and goals. This is what differentiates an intentional community from a flat with roommates. • Thus this workshop. We will ask questions. In fact, we will ask more than we will answer. • It will be intense.

JUMPING STRAIGHT IN • You want to live in a community? • Congratulation! • You have made the jump.

COLLECTIVE PROJECT • Find people who are interested in community living. • Look around you. • You have found them! • Congratulations!

LOCATION AND TYPE OF SPACE • Do we want the community to be in the city or in rural areas? • Do we have a specific place in mind? • Do we want to own or rent the place? • Who is “we"? • In what kind of physical space do we want the community to come into being? • How much construction and renovation work are we ready to do?

DREAMS • IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SPACE FOR A MOMENT WHEN WE CAN EXPLORE OUR DREAMS, OUR UTOPIAS, WHERE WE CAN BE FUN, AMBITIOUS, AND WITHOUT LIMITS, and this, as much with the people we think we know well (friend, relatives), as with those we want to get to know. Objectives of this part: • Discover and identify one's own ideals and values; • Get to know the people you want to live with; • Determine our compatibility with them ideologically.

Ask yourself the questions: What is our dream, our ideal, our utopia? In what world do we want to live? What would our ideal society look like? In our community, what values ​and ideals would we want to live and practice in everyday life? • What would our ideal community look like? • In our community, what kind of lifestyle, practices, and “norms” would we like to experiment on a daily basis? • • • •

VISION • To define the vision is to decide on which pillars the community will be built. The more these are identified, defined, and shared, the stronger is the community's foundations. • IT IS IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY THE VISION WITH AS LITTLE AMBIGUITY AS POSSIBLE, TO HAVE SOMETHING TO REFER TO IN CASE OF DOUBT.

With the people with whom you want to create a community, it is important to find common answers to the following questions: • What vision do we want to create, what are the objectives of cohabitation? • What values ​and ideals would it be possible to put into practice on a daily basis? • What kind of lifestyle, practices, and “norms” would we like to experiment on a daily basis? • Internal or external objectives? What is the extent of the intended impact of the community? (These questions are not binary) • What do we prioritize? Diversity or affinity group? • Is it realistic? • Where is the boundary between exclusive and discrimination?

• These questions lead to the challenge of prioritizing objectives and values. Ideally, we would be able to achieve all our goals by living in accordance with all our values. But when a problem arises, it is often necessary to prioritize one value or objective over another. The sooner this issue is addressed, the more it will avoid possible future conflicts: – What are the primary goals and values ​of the community? Secondary? Tertiary? – How shared are the goals and values among members?

NEEDS • IT IS IMPORTANT TO DO INTROSPECTION AND TO IDENTIFY YOUR NEEDS, DESIRES, AND LIMITATIONS. • Pushing one's limits makes one grow, but going beyond one’s limits is to lack respect towards oneself and risk hurting oneself and others. • It is equally important to distinguish one's needs from one's desires; what is essential, and what is not strictly essential for our well-being?

• What are my needs? • Are these really needs? • What are my desires? • What are my limits? • What limits can be pushed back, and to what extent? • What needs, wants, and limits are negotiable, which are non-negotiable, which are sacrifices, and which are compromises?

MECHANISMS OF REALIZATION • Once the vision is well defined, it is time to concretize it. • IT IS IMPORTANT TO PUT FORWARD CLEAR AND EFFICIENT MECHANISMS TO CONCRETIZE THE VISION • Here are some examples of mechanisms we put in place after more than two years of trial and error. These mechanisms are always improving, and it may well be that these mechanisms do not suit your vision, your needs, and so on:

Decision-making mechanisms and mechanisms for preserving the vision – Hierarchical or non-hierarchical? – Decisions taken by majority, consensus, consent, sociocracy, etc.? – Does seniority play a role in decision-making? – Do new members have the same decision-making power? – Objective: Preserve the direction of the community or adapt to members? – Do founding members have more to say than those who are passing by? – And who decides all this?

Intervention Mechanisms in case of downhill trends – If the community “goes downhill” or changes its direction, what can some members do? – How is a “going downhill” defined? – According to who? And is this definition subject to change? – Are some people more legitimate to "take power" in these cases? – And if these people take power and defend their legitimacy to do so, what can other members do?

Movin’ In Mechanisms – Where to find new people to join the community? – Is there a form to fill? – Is there pre-selection (before meeting people face to face) – What are the selection criteria for new members? – Is there a minimum stay length for new members? – How much in advance should someone announce their departure?

Integration mechanisms of new members • Is there a probation period for new members? • How do new people understand the workings of the community? • Are there documents that new people can read to become familiar with the community? • Is there a celebration when a new person moves in? • Is there a go-to person for each newcomer who joins the community to help them familiarize themselves?

Mechanisms of distribution of tasks and responsibilities • Are tasks distributed evenly or fairly? • Is there a rotation of tasks? • How to make sure that it is not always the same people who do the housework? • Are tasks organized organically, on a schedule, or when people like it? • Do some people take on more responsibility than others? • Is it recognized? Is it problematic? • Does the division of labor reproduce systemic oppressions?

Budget Management Mechanisms

• How to make sure money is not a problem?

Mechanisms of stress management

• How to manage stress and defuse conflicts?

Group cohesion mechanisms – How to develop bonds of trust with each other? – How to learn to be authentic and vulnerable? – How to develop a community spirit? – How to make each person want to get involved? – How to create a friendly and warm environment? – How to ensure the well-being of everyone?

REALISM OF THE PROJECT The moment finally arrives to come down from the world of ideas and make some final checks before launching the project forward. • Is the project realistic? • Do members have the capacity to embark on such a project? • Are all the necessary resources available for such a project? • Are all members aware of the commitments that such a project represents in terms of time, money, and energy?

• Creating a community requires a meaningful commitment to action in its infancy to allow it to emerge. We could call it the sprint of creation. • Then, months, years, or decades later, the community requires a different kind of commitment: commitment to maintaining the community over time. We could call it the marathon of perpetuity.

• The sprint of creation and the marathon of perpetuity are both necessary for the emancipation of a flourishing community: without the first, the second would never see the light of day, and without the second, the result would be short-lived. • Are all members aware of these two types of commitments?

• Other dynamics to consider are implicit or explicit power hierarchies that may be due to seniority or level of commitment. • Are all members aware of these power dynamics? • Are they unhealthy, or do they have the potential to become unhealthy? • IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES IS ACCEPTED COLLECTIVELY AND IS DONE IN A HEALTHY MANNER.

OUR BEGINNINGS • The Collectif Masson was born after ten weekly five hour meetings before even finding the place where we would live. During these ten meetings, we explored the various questions addressed in this presentation, as well as developed strong bonds of trust between us through games and moments of connection and authenticity. • Several factors that seem to have favored the creation of the Collective are the regularity as well as the number of meetings, the periodicity of the engagements, as well as the time between each meeting. In our opinion, it has given people time to become aware of their own needs, desires, and limitations, and to leave the project if it did not suit them before embarking prematurely on a project that is too big for them.

Recap – How to Create a 101 Community: 1. Jumping Straight In 2. Find interested people. 3. Location and type of space. 4. Dreams. 5. Vision. 6. Needs. 7. Mechanisms of realization. 8. Realism of the project. 9. Our beginnings 10. Live in community! Congratulations! You have just completed your introductory Community course 101!

• We are organizing a potluck to continue discussions Wednesday March 28th at 5pm during the event: • “How to create a Community 102” http://bit.ly/potluck-communaute • Registration for the event "Speed ​Dating of Intentional Communities”: http://bit.ly/community-speed-dating • Link to this Power Point: http://bit.ly/starting101 • Link to the French Notes (more throughout): http://bit.ly/communaute101 • If you have any questions, you can contact us at [email protected]