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This is extracts from the first of my contributions to the study year, from the September session. My theme is situation analysis and development work.
Situation Analysis and Development Work
This section of the Study Year will help you analyse your situation and respond to it. Central to this will be the Portfolio exercise and this part of the course will equip you with some approaches to analysing, planning and implementing action in your place, for your portfolio.
Over the year we will explore:
- Situation Analysis
- How to understand non-numerical data
- Development Work
- Consultancy
- Prayer and Spirituality
Whilst much of the information and ideas might seem technical, this section of the course leads naturally into prayer and contemplation. It is profoundly about how we perceive the world. The Christian faith does not take us out of the world but leads us into deeper commitment. As our faith deepens we learn to see more and how to respond to what we see.
The View from the Balcony
“I had a fantastic time last night at the dance. I danced all night and everyone had a brilliant time.
“Later, I heard your experience was not quite the same as mine. Although you danced all night too, it took you longer to enjoy yourself until you learned to avoid my crashing feet and frenetic direction changes. But yes, you agreed, despite your injuries, we had a good time.
“Had we taken some time out to climb into the balcony however, we would have seen things quite differently. The band was far too loud and so everyone sat a long way from the band. Also the numbers dancing reduced as the night went on partly because of the noise and partly because of the mad couple barging their way round the dance floor.”
In any situation we can learn more by viewing it from a series of different perspectives. There is my personal view, the views of other people and the view from the balcony. It is not that any view is better than any other. When we learn to consider all three perspectives we begin to have a fuller picture of what is happening around us.
We will spend a lot of time considering the views of others at future weekends. The situation analysis is one way we obtain the view from the balcony.
Pitsmoor Walk
This walk is part of the study year and so, please take the opportunity to discuss what you see as you walk. We will pause at various places to describe what we see, tell some stories, etc. Use all your senses and reflect upon what you see. You might also think about how you would plan a similar walk in your own place.
The walk will break at the Rock Street community house for refreshments and worship. It will resume for the short distance back to Burngreave Ashram. The worship will be a further opportunity to reflect upon and respond to the walk. Here are some questions you might like to discuss:
1. How does the physical geography of this place form the lives of the people who live there?
2. How does the purpose of buildings change throughout their history? How does the built environment form the lives of those who live there?
3. Are there issues or people you would pray for, insights or stories you could share in the context of worship?
Portfolio Outline
Your portfolio will be the material you gather for your situation analysis plus the other material you accumulate from other sections of the course. It covers your reflections on experiences, papers written for the study year, pictures, souvenirs, anything you wish to keep to help you reflect on what is happening around you.
How you present your portfolio is open to you. Here are a few ideas:
We have provided folders and you could keep all your notes in one place. You will need to bring the folders to meetings in any event, so that you can keep all the papers together. The simplest option would be to expand your notes into your situation analysis.
You may find this folder too much of a constraint and so feel free to develop other means of doing your analysis. Photographs, audio and video recordings are all practical these days if you have the equipment. You do not have to write formal essays and could use other formats such as stories, poetry, prayers, meditation or liturgy.
You might consider starting a blog. This has a number of advantages. It means a wider group of people can read your reflections on the course. Each post has its own url and so can easily link to other posts, other blogs or websites. Photos, audio and video can be included. The main disadvantage is that not everyone has easy access to broadband. It costs nothing to start a blog, so long as you have broadband. Simply go to https://www.blogger.com/start , let everyone on the course have your blog address and start writing. I will certainly follow and comment on any blog started as a result of this course, as well as other material you produce. Blogging is a good way of receiving tutor support.
Portfolio Task
Your main task over the period of the study year is to write your own situation analysis. We will share progress, during these sessions, in October, January and June. The UTU Situation Analysis will provide you with guidelines that have served many people over the decades. The Journey books may also be helpful. Remember, you do not have to do everything. Decide on a piece of work you are confident you can complete over the year.
For October, prepare a brief presentation of the situation analysis you plan to carry out over the rest of the year. During the Ashram Weekend you will have a few minutes to share your plans. Remember, this is your response to the whole study year, not just this section.
If you have time, you might like to attempt a rich picture. This is a drawing that summarises your current situation. The only rule is that you must include yourself in the picture. Some people find this quite difficult to do, I know I do. However, if a few people are able to attempt it, it will be helpful to have some examples later in the year.
We didn't quite get together in October and so this coming weekend will be an opportunity to find out how people have responded.
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