An Action Plan for the Australian Nonviolence Network This plan was produced at the Nonviolence Gathering at Common Ground, Seymour, over the five days from the 12th to the 16th of March 1992. The list of attendees appears at the end of this article. We used a process involving five phases of: * Visions and Goal setting - What do we want for the Nv network? * History and Evaluation - What lessons have we learnt? Where are we at? * Identifying Problems * Proposing Solutions * Developing an Action Plan [Eds note: We have a transcript of the 'proceedings' from the wall-charts. Copies are available by email, disk or paper on request.] We discovered that our broad concerns could be condensed to three aims or directions (in no particular order): * Culture - To develop a culture of nonviolence which integrates theory, practice and spirituality (see the 3-in-1 symbol on the cover) * Network (internal communication) - To build and improve the Australian nonviolence network * Outreach (external communication) - To spread understanding of, support for, and involvement in, nonviolent action Time line The above objectives were then further refined and placed on a time line and people volunteered to see particular projects through. There was some confusion over whether objectives were placed on the time line according to start date or finish date. In general, tasks which did not have an obvious finish (most of the culture related ones) were placed according to a start date and others were placed according to a finish date. Each task description is preceded by the aim which it addresses and is followed by a list of people who volunteered to see that it is carried out. Beginning Immediately Culture - Take personal responsibility to examine our lives in relation to the principles of nonviolence Kate, Lee (immediately), Wendy, Isabel, Alison, Brendan, Glen, Margaret (only if you insist) Culture - Develop a calendar of cultural events consistent with Nv philosophy - prepare a calendar of events Brendan, Lee (will contribute info if available) Culture - Form local and bioregional affinity groups of Nv activists to support and develop theory, practice and spirituality Isabel (local), Commonground (bioregional by end 1992), Marg & Wendy (when?) Network - To produce and publish a contact list and skill and resources directory to contain name, address, phone, fax and email to be published as a supplement to NvT and on Pegasus. Lists of relevant information will also be included. Dave, Jan, Wendy (will send some info) Network - Promoting Nonviolence Today - People at the 1992 gathering to undertake to promote NvT in local magazines and workshops Glen, Dean, Dave, Marg, Rob, Brendan, Keith, Lee (to ethnic groups as well) June 1992 Culture - To ensure that the Nv network uses nonpatriarchal structures and processes in all organised activities - to clearly define nonpatriarchal structures and processes - A repeated cycle of define, implement, monitor, evaluate Miriam, Glen, Marg Network - Regular national phone conference - first one in June 1992 Brendan (to initiate) Outreach - Each group to have at least one joint activity with another progressive organisation per year - each group appoints someone or a sub-committee who makes sure it happens eg. meetings parties, action, conferency thing Dean (East Timor Sydney) & Lee (East Timor etc. etc.) Beginning 1993 Outreach - There's a news journalist in each mainstream outlet. Subtasks: A workshop for journos - Rob A media kit - Anthony Support from journalists - Miriam Article to AJA newsletter - Dean Feedback to journos - Lee Outreach - To have twenty people in the network who write or produce for "alternate" media - encourage affirm, ask others, give assistance to people thinking about it (workshops) Brendan, Dean, Wendy, Margaret, Sue, Miriam Outreach - Education - That there are nonviolent action courses conducted - Workshops in major centres associated with groups - Isabel Money for travelling workshops - Workshops for teaching skills - Glen, Isabel, Miriam Increasing resources - Anthony Easter 1993 Outreach - twenty alternate media regularly print, broadcast, telecast accurate nonviolent stories Media kit - Anthony Workshop for journos - Rob We encourage someone (?) to get involved in the network - Dean (public radio and TV) Network - Trainer training - National 1 to 2 week residential Nv facilitators training workshop at Common Ground by mid 1993 Glen, Dave (maybe), Isabel (not a large part of organising), Jan, Marg & Sue (but different) Outreach - There is one action group, with commitment to Nv, and part of nonviolent culture, for every 250,000 people - Create new groups - Work within existing groups Dean, Peter, Allison, Keith Outreach - To develop a sense of attractive, nonalienating behaviours concerning Nv - Each group has an evaluative discussion about our behaviour, emotions and relationships with other groups (avoiding the cringe) Marg (to organise for Melbourne), Isabel Outreach - To support research Brian (1992->), Miriam, Lee (case studies in Asia) Network - gathering 1993 Friday night 22nd of April to Monday evening 25th of April at Commonground (Cg as place for N.V. activists to come and rest and recuperate). Culture - recognise and include activities like ritual, symbol, song, (Marg) dance, art/theatre, music i.e. fun in all activities!!! To meet in bioregional affinity groups quarterly for cultural development. Include culture in next year's gathering. Gather resources - song book, artists, etc., ideas book and include them in resources manual. Culture - wimmin's movement adopt NvA as the primary strategy for social change. Writing for feminist mags - Sue & Marg History reclaiming Start affinity action group - Margaret 1994, Miriam "Push" Nv in workshops with women - Glen Network - Improve use of Pegasus network Establish a private Nv e-conference/bulletin board Encourage people to obtain an account Decentralised Nv Pegasus network Publish e-mail addresses in existing publications Dave, Brendan & Lee - set up Pegasus by May 1992 Wendy to use Network - annual visit by overseas activist from the Asia/Pacific region where possible. 1993 someone from wimmin's WRI conference 1994 Howard Clark WRI London Peter Jones Murray Street (?) Lee & Brendan - house to stay in & use resources Outreach - Prepare "Resource manual" Wendy ?, Margaret Network - Australian Resource manual case studies, interpersonal and organisational skills, by 1994, co-ordination and editing Lee & Brendan contribute info Network - Library, resources etc. union catalogue (electronic?) Jan & Dave By 1994 Outreach - There will be ten radical caucuses that have accepted the Nv stance. Each action group to establish links with local unions, (shop stewards) Distribution of At Ease in Australian military Anthony & Lee continue with existing commitment Network - more NvA groups Contact key people e.g. W.A., Adelaide Roadshow use Visitors/ travellers/workshops Jan - Brisbane Network - Signal groups Emergency response to crises One contact point in each state Brian 1992 Wollongong, Lee & Brendan 1992 Melbourne, Miriam Sydney By 1995 Outreach - Every year in Australia there are at least five activities that promote cross-movement links i.e. festivals, simulations, roadshows 1993 Voices of Dissent - Keith & Miriam 1993 Simulation - Brian 1994 Roadshow (clear idea) Festival/gathering - Alison 1992 By 1996 Network - National Facilitation Group office phone fax etc., staff, library, advice, support Commonground by 1993 Jan, Miriam National Facilitation Group to facilitate activity, be a clearinghouse for information, that has centralised resources e.g. library, directories, acts as accessible, consistent first point of public contact: provides practical and emotional support for existing groups, has paid staff and office. Advantages are stability, accessibility, consistency. Enables development of financial resources. Good coordinating point for national campaigns. Reduce duplication of activities/resources. Getting beyond individuals to an organisation. By 2000 Culture - to have 200 at Nv gathering in year 2000, 80% of whom live in communities/households with articulated Nv philosophy and practice. (including 10 communities) Margaret & family, Lee and husband Transcribed by Dave, Jan & Miriam Full-time authors of this plan Miriam Solomon 27 Junction St, Woollahra 2025 Ph: 02 387 5306 Isabel Shapcott 24 Beach Rd, Bondi 2026 Ph: 02 365 3837 Sue Casey & Wendy Orams 19 Murray St, West Brunswick 3055 Ph: 03 383 5785 Margaret Pestorius 4 Linda St, Coburg 3058 Ph: 03 386 5305 Kate, Glen, Phil, Ed Commonground PO Box 474, Seymour 3660 Ph: 057 938 257 Brian Martin 40 Euroka St, West Wollongong 2500 Ph: 042 287 860(h), 042 213 763(w) Jan McNicol PO Box 5292, West End 4101 Ph: 07 844 4679 Dave Keenan 116 Bowman Parade, Bardon 4065 Ph: 07 366 2660 Dean Jefferys c/- Bowraville PO 2449 Part-time authors of this plan Anthony Kelly & Stuart McQuire 19 Murray St, West Brunswick 3055 Ph: 03 383 5785 Robert Burrowes PO Box 167, North Carlton 3054 Ph: 03 387 3398 Kay Websdale 171 Ascot Vale Rd, Ascot Vale 3032 Ph: 03 376 7281 Peter D. Jones PO Box 451, North Hobart 7002 Ph: 002 346 566, 002 782 380 Diana Pittock 38 Yackatoon Ave, Aspendale 3195 Ph: 03 587 1704 Lee Tan & Brendan Condon 50 Moor St, Fitzroy 3065 Ph: 03 417 7448 Alison Kennedy c/- Rainforest Info Centre PO Box 368, Lismore 2480 Ph: 066 218 505 Fleur Ruane 22 Moor St, Fitzroy 3065 Ph: 03 419 0430 James Langley c/- 1/4 Murray Av, Newcastle E. 2300 Ph: 049 265 405