This is a CTP of initiative: Transition Norwich (UK)
The public "unleashing" of Transition Norwich was a critical turning point in that it made very clear and visible to the public that they had launched a long term initiative. Following the specified Transition model, it involved a public meeting where Transition Norwich was formally launched.
This moment is defined by the widespread expression of local energy and momentum for transition activism - drawing together lots of people who were already involved in a number of related initiatives.
The official launching of Transition Norwich in October 2008 was well attended. Whilst the core group hoped to get circa a couple of hundred attendees, and against their initial worries, around 400 people attended the event – and, thus, St Andrews Hall was pretty full. Hence, this gave them a lot of publicity – including but not limited to a press release they subsequently prepared.
Importantly, this launch event was in the making for circa one year from the core group of activists. For they had long discussions on how to go about introducing the initiative. After some rational calculation and consideration of possibilities, they decided to:
Over the course of the launch event (in the first half of the event), speakers Ian Gibson and Ben B (substituting for Rob Hopkins) gave talks on climate change and peak oil. Furthermore, there was a Q and A session with a roving microphone – supported by a core group of volunteers wearing easily identifiable sashes and who were assigned various responsibilities in a professional manner.
They were closely following the launch steps introduced in the Transition towns handbook - in seeking to ensure that they had a good quality and good size unleashing. The most important thing fo the interviewee was making sure they had a plan for making the most of this event – hence moving beyond a simple briefing on the ideas of Transition. Whilst the organizers were very pleased with the attendance to the event, they primarily wanted to ensure that: a) people went away with something, and b) specific and practical future projects would begin to emerge to emerge. Not surprisingly, then, seven or eight theme groups formed in the immediate aftermath of the public unleashing of Transition Norwich.
At core, they wanted to energize and activate people to do some practical work during the event that would help shape how the initiative would be taken forward (especially in the second half of the meeting). This affected the physical planning of the event. Subsequently, they resorted to implementing a World Café format – with each table discussing around a specific theme or around open issues where people could put forth their own themes.
Effective planning and ongoing support of the emerging thematic groups was, thus, essential – even though his was a bit of an unknown at that time. Furthermore, being clear about what they were hoping for and that people could bring their own skills and knowledge to the thematic groups when they were formed was crucial in delivering the event. Inevitably, then, quite a lot of thought went into this. Hence, as well as considering the practical issues and logistics of the launch event (e.g. times and dates of meetings), they were also planning for core group members to go to the first few meetings of each theme group. Press releases were also a crucial element of this CTP – in terms of making Transition Norwich visible to the broader local community.
Unfortunately, though, the organizers were mostly disappointed with the response and media coverage of the launch event. Given the size of the event they thought they might get at least some local radio coverage – to their disappointment. Nonetheless, they persistently followed up and got managed to get more advertising through in print media following the launch event.
Preceding events:
Events in the aftermath of the launch:
The interviewee doesn’t recall much contestation. There might have been the odd minor thing about logistics but, apart from that, they were all pretty clear about what they wanted: a sizeable event in a big venue.
It did feel like a significant turning point. They got someone to film it and interview people. From the footage, you got the impression that people thought that it was significant and something was going to happen. It had a very positive energy about it.
With hindsight, it was also seen as an event of critical significance. The interviewee wouldn’t change anything – as the event and its planning allegedly worked really well, and it remains memorable.
It contributed to Transition’s goals by enrolling people and by creating the space for what the precise forms of expression of Transition in Norwich would be – depending on who got involved in the thematic groups and, thus, on the knowledge they brought with them and the subjective tacit knowledge they would gain in the process. This was especially important given their plan to dissolve the core group - putting the structure in place and initiating this journey into the unknown,
The one important learning point was that they developed their previously underdeveloped understanding of media and launch campaigns – especially in terms of realizing that they didn't really engage the press or the council enough.
Nonetheless, the interviewee remains uncertain as to what they could have done instead. Perhaps, they could: a) set up some meetings or briefings with officers prior to the launch event, and b) have done more press releases.
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