“Exploring the Real Work of Social Change”
A 5-day Writeshop - 18 to 22 November 2013, Johannesburg
A Call for Expression of Interest in Participating.
In a Nutshell
From 18 to 22 November 2013, 40 to 60 social change leaders and practitioners, from around the world, will gather for a 5-day Writeshop to collaboratively write the Barefoot Guide 4 – Exploring the Real Work of Social Change.
This 4th Barefoot Guide will present and illustrate many leading examples of multi-actor social change initiatives in different contexts, exploring how and why they have worked, what the practice is behind each and what we can learn for future work.
The Value of the Barefoot Guide 4
Many social change practitioners, in all walks of life, are wanting to move beyond isolated, project-based change activities. Many “projects” are proving to be short-lived, unsustainable and lacking in life and ownership. We know that the future lies in more integrated, multi-actor programmes requiring very different understandings of change and the strategies, approaches and practices that make them possible.
This Barefoot Guide 4 will share working examples of such integrated, multi-actor programmes and reveal the real work that lies behind them, to inspire, guide and support social change leaders and practitioners. We are looking for ongoing initiatives that contribute to change that is inclusive, co-creative and holistic, that bring diverse actors together (like community, government and business), enabling those who are marginalised to organise and express themselves to meet on equal terms with others, to shape future processes for the benefit of all.
The Benefit of Getting Involved
· Working alongside co-writers who will support and facilitate the writing process, enabling you to better capture your own stories and practice.
· Showcasing your approach to social change in a global publication with wide reach and influence.
· Deepening your understanding of your approach towards social change and learning from others.
· An opportunity to engage with a unique creative, collaborative Writeshop process.
· Building relationships with a variety of interesting practitioners from around the globe.
· A chance to contribute your good experience and insights so that others may be able to grow and learn.
Participate and Support… Who and how?
You are invited to participate in this initiative in one or more of the following ways:
· as a practitioner/writer who will develop a case story, draft a chapter or part of a chapter, based on your own practice (you will not be expected to write this before the workshop but will be supported and enabled through the process);
· as a co-writer, helping other practitioners/ writers to develop their draft chapters;
· as a theorist drawing insights from case studies and authoring these for a more theoretical chapter;
· as a sponsor, either sponsoring a participant or contributing to core costs.
What is a Barefoot Guide?
The Barefoot Guides are freely downloadable books, written in accessible language, focusing on a variety of practices related to social change. They have been translated into several languages: Swahili, Chinese, Bahasa, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Vietnamese and Arabic.
Barefoot Guides are filled with stories, illustrations, questions, discussions, conceptual sections (demystified and accessible) and tips and ideas for social change leaders and practitioners to individually or collectively study or dip into, to stimulate deeper thinking and conversations about their real work, and to enable them to become more effective. Visit our website to find out more:
www.barefootguide.org
Contact us:
Expression of Interest Form
How do you want to be involved?
There are several ways to participate: (Please put X in the relevant box)
/ A. Write a Case Story at the Writeshop 18 to 22 November 2013, as part of a chapter./ B. Write a Conceptual Input at the Writeshop 18 to 22 November 2013, as part of a chapter.
/ C. Participate as a co-writer at the Writeshop, helping to develop the case stories and inputs that others have brought.
/ D. Sponsor partners or grantees to write a case story and/or to participate in the Writeshop. To possibly make a financial contribution to the Writeshop costs.
Name:
Organisation:
Country:
Email:
Please tick (click) which best describes your organisation:
Social movement Community-based Organisation Local NGO National NGO
International NGO Donor, Trust or Foundation Private sector Individual
Other (please describe):
Costs of participation:
This is not a centrally funded process. All participants (or their sponsors) are asked to pay for their own travel, accommodation and, if possible, a “Writeshop Contribution” towards the facilitation, illustrating, editing and publishing costs.
· The food/accommodation fee for all Writeshop particpants is 500 Euros each – for all meals and 4 nights. We are booking a residential venue in Johannesburg for the whole Writeshop.
· We are asking each participant to make a “Writeshop Contribution” towards the facilitation, editing, illustration and layout costs– any amount will be appreciated. (750 Euros from each participant will cover all of our costs, but please contribute whatever you can).
We will also be raising funds in various ways, including Kickstarter crowdfunding, to cover the costs of the facilitating, editing, illustrating and DTP costs. We hope that several donors will support their partners to contribute and attend the process. If you have any ideas to help us, or if you wish to volunteer towards organizing the process, please come forward –
Your Role in the BFG4
A. If you wish to write a Case Story for the Writeshop:
We are looking for a social change Case Story that you can show is successful in its purpose to contribute to the focus of the Barefoot Guide 4 (as stated above). Please briefly describe:
1. The Case Story or concepts that you would like to write about. (150 words)
Click here to enter text.
2. What you think is particularly interesting about your approach or concepts (50 words)
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N.B. We can provide writing support to you for your writing process before the Writeshop.
3. Please put X in the box if applicable:
/ I am able to make a Writeshop Contribution to the facilitation, illustrating, editing and publishing costs of EurosB. If you wish to write a Conceptual Input for the Writeshop:
We are looking for conceptual/theoretical inputs that help us to better frame social change practice. Drafts could be written before the Writeshop. Please briefly describe:
- A brief description of the concepts that you would like to offer. (150 words)
Click here to enter text.
- What have you found is particularly interesting or helpful about these concepts (50 words)
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- Please put X in the box if applicable:
/ I am able to make a Writeshop Contribution to the facilitation, illustrating, editing and publishing costs of Euros
C. If you wish to participate as a co-writer at the Writeshop Conference:
1. Some of your experience, and interest, in working on social change that you would bring to the Writeshop (100 words).
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2. What writing experience do you have? Can you send us a copy of, or reference to, something you have written?
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3. Please put X in the box if applicable:
/ I am able to make a Writeshop Contribution to the facilitation, illustrating, editing and publishing costs of EurosD. If you wish to sponsor partners/grantees of yours to write a case story for the Writeshop or to participate as co-writers:
1. How many partners can you sponsor?____
2. Please provide some information about potential partners/grantees you can sponsor, and how we could invite them on board.
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3. Please put X in the box if applicable:
/ We are able to make a Writeshop Contribution to the facilitation, illustrating, editing and publishing costs of Click here to enter text. EurosPlease email this form to
Contact / Enquiries
If you have any questions you can write to
We can also arrange to have a Skype chat to discuss your contribution.
The website will have regular updates regarding the Barefoot Guide 4: www.barefootguide.org
Published Barefoot Guides
The Barefoot Guide 1:
Working with
Organisations andSocial Change
This is a practical, do-it-yourself guide for leaders and facilitators wanting to help organis-ations to function and to develop in more healthy, human and effective ways as they strive to make their contributions to a more humane society. It has been developed by the Barefoot Collective. The guide, with its supporting website, includes tried and tested concepts, approaches, stories and activities. Its purpose is to help stimulate and enrich the practice of anyone supporting organisations and social movements in their challenges of working, learning, growing and changing to meet the needs of our complex world.
The Barefoot
Guide 2:
Learning Practices in Organisations and Social Change
The Barefoot Guide 2 is a free, down-loadable, practical resource for leaders, facilitators and practitioners involved in social change who want to improve and enrich their learning processes.
This book is the joint effort of a group of development practitioners from across the globe. We have created something that will help us and others to start, and continue, the journey towards learning and social change. We (the writers) are all passionate about learning and have brought our different experience and expertise to the book. It includes topics as diverse as community mobilising and development, adult learning, funding, evaluation, facilitation, and creative writing.
The Barefoot Guide 3: Mobilizing Religious Health Assets for Transformation
Martin Luther King, who fought and died for political rights, could say that “of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane.” Health is one way to describe our capacity to be alive and to play our role as members of families and neighborhoods, indeed as citizens. But how does one choose life for the community? How do we as leaders make sure that our lives are about life and health? The journey this Barefoot Guide will take you on is a response to those questions! The connection between religion and public health is important. This is not just an opinion but a fact. For example in Africa, depending on the country, anything between 20-70% of public healthcare is delivered through religious institutions or groups. This BFG focuses on understanding and working with that reality. Religious assets for health are everywhere, they matter to a lot of people, and they can be mobilized for the health of all.
These Barefoot Guides are offered free to the world and can be downloaded on this website: WWW.BAREFOOTGUIDE.ORG. The website also contains an online community, called the BarefootGuide Connection, holding a Resource Centre, Forum Discussions, Blogs and other things of interest. It contains translations of the books into several languages… Swahili, Chinese, Bahasa, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Arabic.