How can democratic organizations ensure that their meetings and work spaces are places of empowerment? What circumstances promote the greatest engagement and creative input of participants, including individuals with divergent or dissenting views? These are questions that we will explore through a participatory workshop on formal consensus process. Libertie Valance and Julie Schneyer will draw from their years of experience as grassroots activists and worker-owners in a cooperative, consensus-driven workplace to help participants build their capacity for collaboration.

According to the UK-based Rhizome Collective, "Consensus is a decision-making process that, when used with a co-operative state of mind, allows groups to come together and take inspired and creative decisions. It supports individuals to pool their power and work together as equals to produce results far better than they could produce alone. It's a process that can deepen the connection of a group. It can help a group to challenge and transform oppressive behaviour. It values those on the margins of a group as much as (or even more than at times) those in the mainstream of the group."

Sliding scale cost: $5-20. Includes coffee, tea and light refreshments.