Approaching the end
As they say, one end is just another beginning, so as we get to our penultimate OWR session, I look to the future!
Continuing the DEI conversation
I had a great first meeting with some volunteers who are supporting our DEI efforts. It finally feels as though the ball is rolling! They already made excellent observations about our processes and inclusivity, and are working well together. Although I haven’t looked too far ahead in how we will proceed!
Trying to make a plan
Speaking of which, it still feels as if there’s a lot of research and clarifying to do about what our DEI plan could/should end up looking like. There are no quick wins, as they say, and this is the beginning of a process, which feels unusual from a project management perspective — what can we build in permanently, and how do we ensure it's appropriately monitored, revisited, and refreshed in a timely manner?
I have been feeling guilty about it already, as we have had a request for a follow-up from the consultant who led the initial research at the end of last year — I wonder if she would be appalled at the lack of action, or if this would be standard behaviour that she sees all the time?
I’m hopeful thanks to the support of our volunteer team, but a little overwhelmed about finding the best way to move forward.
Life beyond the Open Working & Reuse course
I’m also amazed at the inexorable passage of time —this course has flown by! It’s been brilliant learning to write and publish a piece in only 30 minutes, and I will miss holding this space. I think most people would be surprised if you told them you wrote and published something within a half an hour time frame.
Although to be honest, I’ll be relieved about not trying to think of what to say each week! It feels as if things move much more slowly in a very small organisation, and that we can’t expect so much of ourselves.
Or perhaps that the pressure to achieve and progress is still so strong, and I’m not yet spotting the low-hanging fruit that we can share more easily instead of full, polished updates. Definitely a perfectionist at heart, and still afraid to fully ‘open’ our communications.
So I may need to question why I have struggled to hold just half an hour a week to do this. And continue to develop that muscle for catching the things worth sharing. I have a lot to learn still, and fantastic resources thanks to this work!
