Electric vehicles industrial cluster (EMIC)

A multidisciplinary initiative group of university lecturers, school leaders, business representatives and institutions  initiated a long-term project that led to the opening of specialised electromobility classes in four high schools in the country. We have prepared and moderated the meetings for the planning, evaluation and improvement of the activities. A key point in our approach was creating space for authentic connection between the participants that allowed to highlight the the available resources, to generate new ideas and to encourage people to take responsibility.

YMCA Gabrovo

The team of one of the most active community organisations in Gabrovo wanted to determine the future of the organisation bycreating a vision 2025. The way we chose to do so is by actively involving different people related to YMCA - from current and former members, through business representatives in the city, representatives of institutions and the municipality. In several consecutive meetings in a different format, we explored what has been successful so far in the work of the organisation and what its main resources and challenges are. In the next steps, we explored the future and it was collectively decided to transform YMCA into a social enterprise. There will be further meetings to set the priorities and the next steps. For the scope of this project we worked in partnership with our colleague Atanas Genkov.

National campaign “Men care”

In preparation for entering in the second stage of the "Men care" campaign, we moderated a strategic meeting of representatives of the eight organisations that form the Board of the campaign. As a result of the meeting we created a sense of teamwork and shared responsibility as well as a shared vision and concrete realistic goals and activities for the next 3 years.

Salvis Pharma

Our client was facing a big change and we used the annual strategic meeting of the team to talk about intrapreneurship instead of the usual sessions for evaluation, planning and teamwork. In the three-day workshop, employees had the possibility to do structured work on concrete ideas for new internal ventures to be supported by the management. One of the ideas is already on its way to becoming an independent enterprise.

Open air ethnographic museum “Etar”

When she contacted us, the director of the museum was searching for a new approach to renew the energy in the team and to unlock the visionary attitude of the employees. To do this, we have prepared and held a three-day workshop with the whole team, in which we explored what ways of work and internal organisation would support people to work better, and what initiatives and internal projects would bring the museum closer to the common vision of the future. We applied approaches such as Storytelling and Appreciative Inquiry. As a result of the workshop, the separate teams, which usually do not work together, have managed to see a potential for synergies beyond the routine duties and to think about ways of working to support the implementation of new initiatives.

EASME, European commission

Together with an international team, we were invited to design and facilitate two two-days laboratories to exchange best practices on how to involve senior professionals in setting up and supporting new businesses. The participants were over 50 representatives of institutions, small and medium enterprises and civil organisations. In two consecutive laboratories, we used methods such as Open Space Technology, World Café and Appreciative Inquiry. As a result, in addition to the relations between the representatives of different spheres from over 10 countries, the participants also created a best practice manual.

The project was carried out in partnership with our colleagues, Odysseas Velentzas and Nikos Rovakis, of Process Makers, and Jon Echanove from Positive Development.

Ecological Association "For the Earth"

In a series of strategic meetings of the team that we facilitated, we helped the team to build internal practices and tools to enhance the efficiency and collaboration. From structuring regular team meetings to defining internal sub-teams and their responsibilities, the process we created allowed the organisation to find the best way that works for its culture.

Parents Association

In two consecutive one-day meetings, we helped the members of the Management Board of the Association rethink their roles, tasks and way of working to meet the needs of the team and the changing mission of the organisation. To do so, we have challenged some of the previous approaches and, in an open dialogue, the team came to understand what works well and what could be improved. In the second part we created the organisation's vision for the next five years and the role of the Management Board in it with concrete first steps for action.

Photos: Aline Alonso and Open Space Collective