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Claire Harvey

Reflection as radical

In the sixth, and penultimate, ‘How do we connect each other for good?’ blog series by Act Build Change and Connecting for Good Cov, Steph and Mel introduce a lesson on how we reflect as the movement moves and also the issue of boundaries.


If we imagined community organising as a three-legged stool, reflection would more often than not be the shorter leg next to listening and action. While listening and action demand our attention, reflection can fall by the wayside as a ‘nice to do’ when it is in actual fact crucial.

Flowers reflected in a puddle on the road
Image credit: Gary Ellis on Unsplash

This week’s blog works patiently through the reflection process, making space to discover and uncover how we and others in the movement are feeling (especially when spirits are high but also in moments of difficulty), and five lessons on reflection from Mel.


There’s also an opportunity to understand reflection as a tool for boundary setting against the sheer enormity of what our communities are facing. Frequently hard for organisers, especially in the face of our challenges today.

Stages of butterfly development from pupae to adult
Image credit: Suzanne D Williams on Unsplash
“We have a big vision. Being agile and able to adapt is key. This feels even more important right now as we continue to face uncertainty, we are working with what emerges and learning constantly by doing and reflecting.” (Mel Smith, Grapevine Deputy CEO)

Read the blog in its entirety here. We have just one more to go in this series of seven – a collection of essays aimed at gathering together our learnings on community organising since Connecting for Good Cov launched in late summer 2018.


Click this link to discover more of the topics covered and more about the movement as a whole.


Collaboration Station next week

Connecting for Good Cov’s monthly Collaboration Station event takes place on Zoom one week today on Wednesday 19 May, 5.30 – 7pm. If you haven’t yet heard of it, it’s an open ideas night where people can come together to create change in Coventry.


This month’s breakout rooms of choice are: Belgrade Friendship Group, Mindful Walking, local business and community recovery and Lift Me Up by Stoke Aldermoor Social Action Partnership. Join us!

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