A 12 day residential workshop in rural Devon

11th – 22nd May 2015

This workshop offers personal and collective tools to help make our activism more effective. Theworkshop aims to help us stay inspired, nourished, empowered and creative. It offers space to reflect and analyse, helping us to stay involved for the long haul, create personal sustainability and bring continuity to our groups and movements. It aims to explore ways of working which keep our groups sustainable and effective in the struggle against social and economic injustice and ecological destruction.

The workshop provides an opportunity to get away from our busy lives and take stock, taking time to reflect on our activist experiences and history and to identify and draw upon sources of nourishment, inspiration, creativity and resilience, and develop skills that can help us make changes that will support personal sustainability and wellbeing. It also provides an opportunity to develop skills for organising and working in groups that will help avoid a burnout culture in our groups and networks. The workshop venue, on the edge of Dartmoor, provides ideal conditions for this reflection and renewal.

The course is offered by the ecodharma collective (www.ecodharma.com) and Seeds for Change (www.seedsforchange.org.uk). Places are limited. 

Application deadline 27th March 2015. For more information and an application form please call 01865 403 134 or email kathryn@seedsforchange.org.uk

Well Grounded Drop-in support space for activists – sustain your action from the inside –https://wellgrounded.org.uk/

First Sunday of the month, between 2pm – 6pm, at Toynbee Hall Wellbeing Centre, 28 Commercial Street, London, E1 6LS. Directions Below

Drop in for…

Confidential, non-judgemental listening and support

Signposting to other sources of support

A cup of tea and a chat

Sharing ideas on how we could change our groups’ dynamics to make them sustainable

Requests for support on upcoming actions

From time to time we may be able to offer physical therapies.

Whether you’re new to social change and its emotional see-saws, or you’ve been at it for years, and whether you’re stressing/freaking/burning out, or just want to check in, you’ll be very welcome.

Who we are

Well Grounded is a group of activists who are passionate about sustaining activism from the inside out, encouraging a climate of looking after ourselves and each other so that we can keep on the fight for a better world.

We observe that activism is often physically and emotionally exhausting, involves going to boundaries and often beyond them, and can at times feel hopeless, uncomfortable and overwhelming. To be able to carry on doing what we do, we recognise the importance of taking care of our needs, stopping sometimes to rest, finding space for our feelings before they get on top of us, and staying connected with each other and ourselves.

What we do

*On-action support spaces for recovering & re-charging (quiet held spaces for listening, tea, resting, massage etc.)

*“Roaming” support at actions / demos

*Referrals for post-action trauma support (links with trained counsellors)

*Monthly drop-in space in London: support, networking, idea-gathering

*Facilitating post-action debriefing sessions

*Workshops on sustaining activism

Sunday Drop In Sessions, venue directions

Directions to the Wellbeing Centre -from Aldgate East tube station turn up Commercial Street towards Shoreditch, on the right (three minutes walk) is the main external entrance to Toynbee Hall. Walk into the grounds with gardens on your left and turn left onto the raised courtyard with the cafe at your back. Ahead of you, slightly to the right, take the short walkway between Atlee House and Ashby Hall and the Wellbeing Centre is through a green iron gateway on your left (press silver button for access).

For more information, support, or to invite us to an action/debriefing, get in touch at: well-grounded@riseup.net