Creative Dialogue - Posible Actions v2 WSC Bali

Preamble: Subud activities are a spontaneous and loving expression of our living the Subud life. We hope that this aspect of Subud is the source of the following plans. These possible actions are a list of the proposals from the different creative dialogue groups and are not decisions of the WSC as a whole.

A. THE NEED FOR QUALITY GROUPS

1) WSA to initiate a program of group improvement in partnership with national committees which could include training for local committee officers, a handbook for local and national committees, information on what has worked well in groups around the world. This program must be sensitive to local culture.

2) WSA to initiate an annual survey of all groups to have clear information and feedback directly from members about our services.

3) Some recommendations regarding groups:

  • to form local support groups to share work and life experiences
  • groups should encouraged to multiply and form new groups
  • groups should have libraries with information about Subud
  • group helpers and committee should have monthly meetings

    B. THE NEED FOR THE RIGHT LATIHAN SPACE

    4) The WSA to initiate a handbook to guide groups in buying, managing and using their Subud house to include such points as:

    • how to rent out your Subud House,
    • the Subud House as an activity centre,
    • the need and management of a social area in the house,
    • guidelines and success stories concerning how Subud groups have interfaced with the local community
    5) This handbook can be supplemented with:

    • teams of experts to advise on how to buy and manage a Subud House as a resource for local groups
    • an information base on the world wide situation re Subud premises
    6) Recommendation: Subud national bodies to identity specific local groups willing and able to buy their own Subud house ( ie to set national objectives or targets for the forthcoming period) and to help those groups financially nationally, zonally and internationally to acquire part of the necessary funding.

    C. THE NEED FOR GOOD HELPERS

    7) WSA to produce a helper’s handbook or checklist to guide helpers in the more outward aspects of their work

    (like talking with applicants..)

    8) The WSA to encourage more kejiwaan days or workshops, with the recommendation that these not be focused exclusively on testing problems, but also on sharing understanding through discussion.

    9) Proposal; to change the name ‘helper’

    10) Proposal: all helpers should have a limited term of office like chairpersons

    11)Alternative proposal: all helpers should test on a regular and periodic basis (eg every two years) whether to become inactive or not

    12) WSA to produce an applicants booklet and a new members’ kit

    13) Recommendation:

    • Applicants meetings should sometimes be attended by the committee, sometimes by members, sometimes by helpers from other groups.
    • Helpers should refrain from giving talks to applicants
    • Helpers groups should consider ‘buddying’ - specific helpers being more close to specific applicants
    • Helpers can do special latihans with new members (say once a month)
    14) WSA to strengthen the helpers infrastructure by more frequent and better coordinated visits between groups and countries and by national and international helpers.

    D. THE NEED TO BE OPEN TO THE OUTSIDE

    15) WSC to improve the existing WSA web site for content and internet links to other web-sites, and to register "subud.org". The WSA should use the web as public source of information about Subud.

    16) WSA to develop and produce materials to explain Subud to the public, for use internationally

    17) WSA to check the cult check-list on the world wide web in order to demonstrate that Subud does not satisfy the criteria for being a religious cult

    18) Recommendation: Groups can

    • have open days and events of quality open to the public
    • test to self-evaluate their attitude and action towards making Subud more open
    • use their Subud house as a space for the local community
    • place books in public libraries
    19) General recommendation: there is a middle path between propaganda and hiding Subud

    20) The WSA can help countries which have political problems regarding being completely open about Subud

    E. THE NEED FOR A NORMAL FAMILY LIFE

    21) SYAI to promote young people having an active role in the organization and forums for younger members in the countries.

    22) WSA and SYAI to publicize inter-generational issues and information about Subud for young people

    23) Recommendation: Group helpers be aware of the need for special latihan times for members with families

    F. THE NEED TO CONNECT TO SUBUD BEYOND THE GROUP

    24) WSA to promote or publish:

    • group twinning between countries
    • an up-to-date international publication on the internet
    • a colour magazine or year book for the WSA to be circulated to all individual members free of charge once a year
    • a new member packet
    • a youth stop-over directory
    25) Recommendation:

    isolated members should be attached to a group for purposes like being on a mailing list, receiving notice of meetings and publications and isolated members who do not have a national committee should receive information directly from ISC.

    26) WSA to publish important international publications in at least four languages: French, Spanish, Indonesia and Russian

    G. THE PERSONAL NEED FOR RESULTS

    27) WSA to publish information for Subud members about success stories in all aspects of Subud

    H. THE NEED FOR ACTIVITIES

    28) The WSA can help groups engage the community around the Subud House, in an appropriate way given the skills of the group

    29) The WSA can help groups and committees set goals and priorities so as to work together on meaningful activities which answer needs.

    I. THE NEED FOR ENTERPRISE

    30) WSA can facilitate and prepare the ground for an entrepreneurial culture by:

    • the formation of SES support groups
    • micro-credit training
    • programs to help and train unemployed Subud members
    • workshops to find creativity and meaning in work
    • by using ISC and the census as an information centre
    31) WSA can help Subud members better understand the real meaning of ‘enterprise’ :
    • to include all forms of work, and not just businesses
    • to include ‘Energising yourself based on your talent’
    • to include the harmonious working of the inner and outer
    32) SYAI and SESI to develop a mentorship program for young people

    33) SESI has proposed to develop a commercial web site on enterprise

    J. CONNECTING TO WIDER NEEDS

    34) WSA can support social development programs and cultural and youth programs by establishing a working group of experts who help programs improve their project proposals and find the right funding agencies around the world

    35) WSA can promote workshops for interested experts to provide idea incubators in various fields ( eg. education, economics, town planning)

    36) WSA can promote the invitation of experts, who are Subud members, to give lectures, conferences and workshops in different countries

    37) The WSA can work with other NGOs and Governmental agencies to develop programs which answer needs;

    when required to state a position ( for instance at UN meetings) on a sensitive issue, testing is possible