Collective to Establish an Intentional Nonviolence Community in Melbourne

Collective Members:

Anita McKone, Brendan Condon, Robert Burrowes

Three Phases of Development:

We see the development of the community taking place in three phases. In the first phase, the collective will do the necessary work to set up a clear framework for further physical and social development of the community. In the second phase, which will probably begin at the point where we are ready to consider options for physical design and site location, new members intending to become part of the community will join the collective. At this point we will begin to develop more cultural activities as a group, undertake the practical work of designing and building/renovating the physical aspect of the community and begin to develop specific processes for living together. The third phase will be living in the community, which will involve ongoing refinement of processes and the further development of all aspects of the community.

Aims and Objectives:

1. To develop a clear and radical vision of the nonviolence community we want to live in, and to ensure that our vision is not compromised:

· by working out exactly what our needs are and establishing a framework for the development of the physical and social aspects of the community in clear accordance with our needs.

2. To develop a strategy for implementing our vision:

· by identifying all areas of work necessary to establish the community

· by developing a time line for this work.

3. To carry out a number of initial tasks which will establish a framework for
further development of the social and physical aspects of the community in the second phase of community building:

· by doing research into a number of relevant areas

· by investigating and setting up the appropriate legal structures

· by developing processes for generating funds

· by developing basic administrative and finance systems

· by developing guidelines and processes for membership of the community

· by identifying/developing appropriate group processes for the collective and the community in the areas of support, power relationships and conflict resolution

· by deciding on a name for the community.

4. To carry out these initial tasks in a reasonably short timeframe in order to create the momentum to ensure that the community is established:

· by limiting membership of the collective to the present three members during the first phase of community building

· by meeting weekly and committing the time necessary to complete all tasks.

5. To nurture the members of the collective:

· by providing each other with high quality emotional support

· by supporting each other with tasks
which are difficult for us, and by skill sharing where possible (in areas where we consider this desirable or necessary).

6. To develop ways for future members to feel ownership of the community:

· by developing good processes for new people to become part of the collective/community

· by carefully considering power issues that arise within the group as it changes, before and as they occur, and developing processes to deal with these.

7. To develop and coordinate a network of consultants who can advise on legal, financial, architectural, construction, ecological and other matters.

8. To communicate with other members of the Australian Nonviolence Network (ANN) about the development of the project:

· by reporting where we're up to regularly in The Web, newsletter of the ANN in Victoria

· by writing articles about the project for Nonviolence Today, magazine of the ANN

· by giving brief reports about the project on the phone link-ups of the ANN.

Anita McKone,

Brendan Condon,

Robert Burrowes