Community Glue

Suggestions
trust, like muscle, needs to be exercised in order to be strong; it can atrophy and decay without it below is a recommended exercise regiment for all communes:

1. get to know each other

a. transparency tools

b. dinner dates: randomally assigning people to one-on-one dates on a certain dinner night (let's say once a week) where nobody eats a lone, or as a group. everyone is coupled off.

2. have fun together

a. parties are a given, but if possible, ad spice to them, like themes, costumes, games, or make-beliefs (e.g. each person is told two clues for a murder mistery, and they try to solve it by sharing information selectively, since everyone wants to be the one that solves the mistery. )

b. collective art project

3. maintain a sense of vision

a. have a day of reflection: "why are we here?" could take from of conversation or could take the form of silent wall painting. focus both on "what's wrong with the world" and "what's right about communes"

4. gratitude: practice mutual appreciations. they can be silent love notes that once a month people need to write eachother, or say a sentence every dinner before you start eating that give thanks to people, place, or experiences.

5. do not let bad stuff fester.

general disclaimers: every hour you spend on building relationships, trust, and glue will save you several hours later of preventable conflicts.

it takes time, quorum, and good space to create the strength of those intentions. sad attempts are worst than no attempts. whatever you do make it successful.

Related Pages on this Wiki
((Culture))

((Member Acculturation))

((Communication and Conflict Resolution))

((Mental Health and Neurodiversity))
 * ((Clearnesses))
 * ((Transparency Tools))

Existing Resrouces
|Acorn's Communications Covenant

|ACDC's draft Communications Convenant

|Acorn's Clearness Process

|Acorn meeting notes on Clearness improvement

| "Social" section#2D2D2D,#FFFFFF:of the FEC's resource library

The | "Communication and Feedback" tag of the FEC's resource library

The | "Process" tag of the FEC's resource library

The | "Support" tag of the FEC's resource library

| "Starting a Diversity Committee" #2D2D2D,#FFFFFF:from NASCO's shared resource library

| "Nonviolent Communication"#2D2D2D,#FFFFFF: from NASCO's shared resource library

| "Building a Cohesive Co-Op Home"from NASCO's shared resource library

| "Tools for Building Community in Your Co-Op" from NASCO's shared resource library#2D2D2D,#FFFFFF:​

| "Facilitation Games"#2D2D2D,#FFFFFF: from NASCO's shared resource library