[AfH-Chapters] Get-Togethers. Afterthoughts

[Tobias Polzin]

Sorry, the correct URL is http://www.grossnationalhappiness.com/

Am 11.02.2020 um 19:28 schrieb Tobias Polzin:
> Dear all,
>
> as we were speaking about the "get togethers", I was thinking of my
> experience in the two get together groups (Hannover (10 months, I
> attended approx. 6 meetings) and Heckenbeck (18 months, I attended
> approx. 6 meetings). Sometimes we used some translated AfH-"get
> together" materials, sometimes not. Mostly we used videos, from the
> suggested materials, or other TED or similar talks (there are TED talks
> in German). The number of participants dropped from nearly all course
> members in the beginning to 6-9, some new people came in.
>
> As people are so busy, I have the feeling that the "get togethers" must
> have some really valuable thing to offer, so that people "crave out
> time" (Kabat-Zinn in the course talk) to meet.
>
> What could this be?
>
>  1) Having a pleasant evening (necessary condition, but not sufficient :-))
>
>  2) Connection, meeting friendly people in a safe and supporting setting
>
>  3) Self-help, getting reinforced in giving priority and action towards
> happiness
>
>  4) Spreading, being part of something bigger then yourself
>
> I feel that aspect 4 is something that could be a further glue and
> purpose for such a group. Yet, I think it is difficult to support. I
> don't know if you address the "Spreading" aspect in your local groups.
> Are you, Mark? It could range from actively working with friendlyness
> cards (kindspring.org), happiness flash-mobs, free hugs (our course did
> this at a marathon), supporting local caring activities, addressing
> schools, even to local or national politics.
>
> In my village, independent of the AfH group,  a second happiness group
> was founded, naming themselves fake "Ministry of Happiness and
> Wellbeing". Their starting point is the "4) Spreading" aspect for our
> village. Aspects 1-3 are secondary (but also existing). They are
> thinking about doing Happiness Surveys in the neighbourhood, inspired by
> the Gross National Happiness Institute in Bhutan
> (http://grossnationalhappiness.org/). The surveys have different
> functionalities: 1) get an impression on the status and development of
> the Happiness competences and predeterminations, as well as the felt
> Happiness level, 2) identify areas for improvement, 3) educate about
> connections between behaviour and happiness, 4) by giving happiness a
> relevance, put an intention into the neighbourhood's cultural field.
>
> The group has just started, so I don't know, if this will go beyond the
> "funny idea" phase...
>
> Anyway, I think it would be interesting to collect and share elements
> and activities of thriving "get together" groups.
>
> What do you think about the "Spreading" aspect of "get togethers"?
>
> Best wishes
>
>   Tobias
>
>
> Am 11.02.2020 um 14:02 schrieb Tobias Polzin:
>> Dear all,
>>
>> thanks that you took time for our discussion. As Gaby said "it was a
>> great WE-feeling and lot of energy for our team."
>>
>> Attached you will find minutes that Gabi and Alex have noted (thanks!)
>> and the zoom recording link.
>> https://zoom.us/rec/play/usctfrqt-mk3SICXsASDAvEoW9XpL6Os2nVI-_ILzkrnBnQHOlahN7YQNuavsE5dlcWhxNalf8bmN92k?continueMode=true 
>>
>> Reminder: You can reach us all by using
>> "AfH-Chapters at lists.ourproject.org" to send a mail to us and
>> additionally to Mauriza from Italy, Zoe from Australia and AfH in Brasil.
>> info at afh.org is also part of the list, but not Mark und Alex directly.
>>
>> @Tegan, would you like to share some links regarding your HAPPTIVIST
>> T-Shirts?
>>
>> For me the most important take aways:
>>  * Focus of current work: Face to Face contacts in local communities,
>> using breadth and depths activities
>>  * 85000 people use the app (Tobias: although it has so limited
>> functionality)
>>  * 90% of the leaders lead only once (although they liked it). Although
>> it is fully appropriate if leaders inspire participants to become
>> leaders, I still find this astonishing and worth investigating.
>>
>> Not new for me, but good to remember:
>>  * Support for national chapters is a long term aim for AfH, but as AfH
>> is in the "we are making it up, while we go" mode, at current it is
>> probably not the right timing and incoporating non-uk processes adds a
>> lot of work (Thanks Mark, for making the comprehensible again)
>>  * Although it's not clear, how translation-friendly the new course
>> concept will be, it's definitely welcome by all of us that AfH tries new
>> concepts, and it's welcome by AfH international to continue to use the
>> translated versions of the old course.
>>
>> Best wishes
>>   Tobias

-- 
Ich werde versuchen, mehr Glück und weniger Unglück in der Welt um mich herum zu stiften.
(Action for Happiness Deutschland. www.actionforhappiness.de)