A celebration: Open space on education.

On my 50th birthday I invited friends and family on an outdoor-open-space. I gave the honour to my parents to set the theme on which people could post their burning questions. "Education." was the most important issue for them, even in their old ages. While the 'personal' questions were very diverse; we had 10 conversations at 5 different 'open-fire-places'; which resulted in an harvest of.. a very amicable festivity in the evening.

You can find an impression + questions (in Dutch) on:

http://picasaweb.google.be/Buiten8kans/50?authkey=ruj1_NB_VNA#

This birth-day open-space/World café didn't stay unnoticed.

Shortly I got two quests of different organisations in the sector of youth and education, who want to organise an open-space at a special occasion (end november 2008)  One is a "center for observation and treatment of children with emotional and behaviour-problems"; the other an "education-advice-shop" which works with families and social help. The first one wants to organise -during an intensive learningweek with different workshops- for the entire personnel a world cafe/open space.

The other wants a short (2à3hours) world café connecting stakeholders that normally don't meet; like social workers, teachers, youth-judges, their own personnel etc. 

They both are longing for conversations that matter, but first caller is most convinced of the importance of the openess of space. I have a meeting half october to get things clear.

Another quest may follow from a high-school for youth-educators.

Although this scale is new, I feel quite well with the frame and the spirit of open-space; and the possibility to explain and hold the space for a bigger group. While it may be  useful to have some preparing conversation  with some of you, collegues. And I'm remembering also the idea of connecting everytime someone of us 'steps into the fire'. So I wonder how I could connect.