Hey there!

As far as I know, most circles are taking time off. I’ll be taking a break for a week, and I hope you are also taking some time off in the next weeks. Rest is important.

The most exciting thing to me is that Mission Circle slightly changed SoFA’s mission and vision statement, and I love them! Here they are: 

Vision

A world in which people engage together to meet their individual and collective needs in an equitable way, with respect for all living beings.

Mission

To promote sociocracy locally and globally as a sustainable way of governance. We do this by generating communities of practice and innovating by making decisions together, sharing what we learn, and inspiring each other through accessible and transferable materials, training, and resources.

See you in 2022!

Circle reports

Mission Circle

• Reviewed Mission and Vision and did a sensing session.

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General Circle

• Started to review compensation policy
• Welcomed new Ecosystem delegate Hope.

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Content Circle

• Decided to remove the paywall on conference recordings from the past — a decision that has been appreciated by SoFA followers.
• Talked about language justice.
• Annual Conference will be on April 27, 2022!

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Ecosystem Circle

• School conference January 15!
• Sector content is being created
• Pati Beaudoin is new leader of Intentional Communities Circle!

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Membership Circle

• New energy in logkeeper role!
• Reviewing membership framework and doing improvements. Special focus on members’ contribution and working time.

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International Circle

• Had a meaningful discussion about language equity.
• Welcomed Enrica as a new circle member (SoFA Italia delegate)!

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Language Equity Helping Circle

Seeking members

In November, the General Circle created Language Equity Helping Circle; Andy Grant and Lea Shani were selected to start the circle.

We are seeking up to 4 additional circle members. In eight (8) meetings, we aim to develop a language equity recommendation for General Circle. 

Qualifications:

• SoFA working membership 
• passion for language equity/justice
• sufficient English; preference for being bilingual
• some experience with technical solutions is preferred but not required
• representation from different language and location circles; language authorities are especially welcome

Context: SoFA is a global organization that operates in English as the primary language but has members from diverse languages and cultures. We identify a need coming up in different SoFA circles to have more tools for language equity for everyone’s voice to be heard and needs to be met.

What does language equity look like? See the Language Justice Organizational Continuum.

Sociocracy in Schools conference

January 15 via Zoom — register today!

We’re excited to announce registration is open for the first Sociocracy in Schools Conference: Empowering Youth in Education! Join us on January 15, 2022, to hear from alumni, school leaders, consultants, and advocates sharing real-life examples of sociocracy in schools and with youth of all ages. Visit the conference page to see the line-up and register.

If you would like to volunteer at the conference, please take a moment to complete the volunteer application form.

Our newest members!

• Ahmed Avais (US) supporting member
• Deb Cooper (US) – coop circle
• Laine Evans (US) Web Content Publishing Circle
• Thomas Marshall (France) – SoFra
• Ramón García (Spain) – SoPra

Latest blog posts

Policy and Operations by Ted Rau — 12/21

Summary: Collaborative decision-making can be fast and efficient if we have clear guidelines what decisions are made by groups, and what decisions can simply made by a designated person in a role.

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Gerard Endenburg: founder of Sociocratic Circle Method and pioneer of self-management by Hope Wilder — 12/13

Where did sociocracy begin? The term was first coined in 1851 by French philosopher Auguste Comte to mean “the rule of the associates.” Kees Boeke, a Quaker school founder in the Netherlands, wrote about sociocracy, “Democracy as it might be,” in a booklet in 1945 after applying the principles of sociocracy in his school. However, one of Boeke’s students, Gerard Endenburg (1933-) is the founder of the Sociocratic Circle Method, what is largely referred to as sociocracy today. He formalized principles of sociocracy to be widely applicable to all kinds of organizations…

Meeting Template 2022

Template Helping Circle seeks feedback

The SoFA meeting template is being updated for 2022. Please comment in the document to let them know what is working and what could be improved. 

Additional notices from role holders or circles are welcome. Upcoming due dates:
Jan 4 | Jan 18 | Feb 1 — all Tuesdays. 

Your feedback about SoMBu is welcome, too!

Email: [email protected]