An Update on the Future of Training for Change

[Training for Change is getting ready to celebrate its 15th year and the retirement of founding director George Lakey. In preparation, TfC's Board and Training Associates teamed up to prepare for this change in leadership, survey some of its stakeholders, and consider possible next steps. 2006 is shaping up to be a full year of programming and celebration. In 2007 we'll be taking a year of rest and regeneration, a time when new energy and ideas for TfC's future can take root. And 2008? Stay tuned!]

The following is a review of our process and a more detailed look at our plan for the future. We offer this to more fully inform those with a vested interest in the organization. It may also be a useful resource for other organizations in a leadership transition.

Planning and Preparing for a Change in Leadership

Since it was founded in 1992, Training for Change has been led by George Lakey, activist, trainer and author. George announced his decision to retire at the end of 2006 and TfC's strategic plan for 2003-2006 called for the Board of Directors to initiate a planning process for this transition. As the Board began to discuss possible new directions for TfC, they realized that input from the organization's Training Associates would be essential in developing a viable plan for the future. Through a series of meetings and phone calls, the idea of a "transition task force," to be comprised of two board members, two TAs and one additional stakeholder was born.

Transition Task Force Gets to Work

Over the course of the fall of 2005, the transition task force identified and completed interviews with 15 key stakeholders and friends of the organization. This group included nonviolence trainers, campus-based faculty, organizers and activists committed to a range of issues and tactics. The interviews were useful and revealing. Key noticings from these conversations include:

• TfC has a unique niche, particularly as a methodology that includes personal transformational work, nonviolence theory, anti-oppression analysis and facilitation – all in direct relationship to social change.
• People are using the training in a myriad of ways. People have become better trainers, teachers and activists as a result of TfC's workshops.
• People want more mentoring; there is a hunger to move to the next level of development in the direct education.
• There is a call to raise visibility. Many feel TfC is too low key and could use better advertising. In addition, there is a need to clarify options for scholarships and work study.
• Stakeholders value their relationship with George a great deal; at the same time, people are very open to and excited about working more with the Training Associates. Everyone we talked with expressed a desire that TfC continue past George's retirement.

The Board and Training Associates Consider Possible Next Steps

In January of 2006, we held a joint meeting of the Board and TAs to consider what needed to happen next. We reviewed the interview highlights and the possible scenarios presented by the transition task force. In particular, we took a close look at three options:

1. Hire a new Executive Director, continue programming and create a more sustainable organization.
2. Solidify a formal partnership with and fold into an existing institution that would provide a venue for TfC programming.
3. Become an informal network.

And, in TfC fashion, we used a number of learning "channels" or modalities to investigate the strengths, risks and "worst case" possibilities for each of these three scenarios. We used analysis, small group work, theatre and even a tug-of-war between the three. We realized that while success would require a concentration of "entrepreneurial spirit" – that is, a handful of people who shared a similar vision of the future and the energy and skills to bring that into being – there is a strong foundation to build on. TfC has built a lot of capacity internally over the past few years; all of us (Board and TAs) feel a strong commitment and a readiness to contribute. And, we know that there are others in the TfC network that also have energy and ideas to lend to manifesting the next phase of the organization. Finally, we recognize that George's retirement is a significant leadership transition that will impact the organization as well as many of us who have worked closely with him over the years.

As a result of our explorations and reflections, we enthusiastically agreed on the following:

2006: A Year of Programming and Celebration

TfC has a full year of programming planned for 2006, including training trainers here in the U.S. and overseas; workshops on strategy; workshops on race and class; and expanded publications. The Training Associates are carrying on TfC's mission of direct education in a seamless fashion, with plans to deliver at least 45 workshops in 2006. This includes the "Super T" which will take place in Toronto and involve five of the TAs. The Board is committed to strengthening the retirement fund set up when George turned 60 to support him and other activists.

We are also planning a big celebration of TfC's work and George's retirement for August 18-20 - mark your calendar!! This will be an opportunity for friends and fans of TfC to gather in Philadelphia, honor 15 years of hard work, celebrate George's transition, and brainstorm about the future.

2007: A Year of Rest and Regeneration

We envision 2007 as a year of reflection, rest and rejuvenating ourselves for the next phase of TfC's work. We take inspiration, in part, from the biblical idea of "fallowness." We expect it will be a time of germination for some. There will be a base level of administrative support and infrastructure – we'll keep the website going, answer the telephone and respond to training requests as we are able. This will be a time when new creative energy and ideas about TfC's future can emerge and take root.

2008: Stay tuned!

Interested in adding input to the discussion? Give us an e-mail: peacelearn@igc.org