"For me, living in community is a lot about living from my values and having my life be coherent — everything is moving toward the same goals, rather than being pulled in multiple different directions the way I see a lot of people being pulled. My work, my social scene, my spiritual life, my child rearing — all of these things were parts of an integrated life that I feel very good about. And I think that’s a rare thing these days."

~ Ma’ikwe Ludwig

Shared Housing

Additional Pages of Interest:

Sharing Ourselves

Work Parties

Fun & Celebration

There is often a need for specific analysis and strategy about the local area.

Ask yourself:

• What are the vital issues in this town, state or region?
• Who holds the power?
• What is already being done?
• Where do we start?

Doing such an analysis of your own situation with your BUD will often lead to connecting to other like minded people who are working on the same issues you have isolated in your research.

If you have developed a Strategy based BUD and figured out a way to work in your local community and unify efforts please let The Transition know and apply to be a Volunteer/Consultant.

Sources: Building Social Change Communities

Contributors: Peter Woodrow, The Training/Action Affinity Group of Movement for a New Society

Recommended Reading:  Building Social Change Communities

The Facilitator is responsible for leading the meeting openly so that everyone present is aware of the process and how to participate. This means it is important to constantly review what just happened, what is about to happen, and how it will happen. Every time a new discussion technique is introduced, explain how it will work and what is to be accomplished. This is both educational and helps new members participate more fully.

Whether you are a homeowner renting out a portion of your home, or a Home-Mate renting a portion of a home, your costs for housing are significantly reduced. This means you have "extra" income. Extra income that might allow for:

• Travel
• Pursuit of Education or Avocation
• Gifts to Loved Ones
• Retirement Savings
• Critical Expenses
• Luxuries

We all have an inalienable right to express our own best thoughts. We decide for ourselves what is right and wrong. Since Consensus is a process of synthesis, not competition, all sincere comments are important and valuable. If ideas are put forth as the speaker's property and individuals are strongly attached to their opinions, Consensus will be extremely difficult. Stubbornness, closed-mindedness, and possessiveness lead to defensive and argumentative behaviour that disrupts the process. For active participation to occur, it  is necessary to promote trust by creating an atmosphere in which every contribution is considered valuable. With encouragement, each person can develop knowledge and experience, a sense of responsibility and competency, and the ability to participate.

Modern living requires a range of services unknown to many as recently as 100 years ago.

• Heat
• Electricity
• Water
• Cable
• Internet

are all now often considered essentials in the average household. Two or more people splitting the bill will spend less than one alone.

This is a very useful technique when ideas need to be solicited from the whole group. The normal rule of waiting to speak until the Facilitator recognizes you is suspended and everyone is encouraged to call out ideas to be written by the Scribe for all to see. It is helpful if the atmosphere created is one in which all ideas, no matter how unusual or incomplete, are appropriate and welcomed. This is a situation in which suggestions can be used as catalysts, with ideas building one upon the next, generating very creative possibilities. Avoid evaluating each other's ideas during this time.