Report of work groups from the General Assembly in Lakabe, Spain

Group 1: Youth exchange
Group 2: Ecovillages and Politics
Group 3: Community glue
Group 4: Communication and conflict resolution in the ecovillage
Group 5: Sustainability

Group 1: Youth exchange (Teodora Anastasoei)

SWOT analysis:
Strengths:
1. There are several networks and organisations that are interested, have resources, can develop this idea into their own program or have a joint program  (GEN, EYFA - European Youth For Action, SCI - Service Civil International , WWOOF - Willing Workers On Organic Farms)
2. Many Ecovillages have experience with youth summer camps, visitors, volunteers and exchanges with other communities.
Opportunities:
1. Many young people are interested and travelling anyway. Its a new trend to look for more interesting places, rather than youth hostels
2. Many ecovillages are interested in interacting with young people for the possibility of new membership, physical work or simply the fresh energy
3. Funding opportunity from EU/Council of Europe Youth Programs
Weaknesses:
1. Different hospitality policies in ecovillages, high fees
2. Language problems
3-  Very committing job from the ecovillage side
Possible Solutions:
1- Involve the communities in the preparation, agree on a common policy and get some funding to cover the difference
2- Prepare the communities adequately

Group 2: Ecovillages and Politics (Martin Kirchener)

Questions:
- How do we come in conversation  with the power?
- How does change happen to politics? -> politicians react to the awareness of the public
- How do we raise awareness of the general public? -> use media

Concrete suggestions:
- Open house in all ecovillages on UNs „World Habitat day"
1st of October (always first Sunday in October)
GEN does a press release
Every single ecovillage announces it in its region
- Email list on housing issues
Collecting problems in getting recognised, getting loans, building regulations
Collecting solutions and best practices
Identification of the goals - „What exactly do we want"
Create a housing policy manifesto as suggestion for governments to put into law
- Housing Exhibition during Sweden's EU presidency in May 2001
Seminar to decide on manifesto
Presenting best practices, problems and examples to EU ministers
- Housing Exhibition during Habitat II+5 conference in summer 2001
- One person of the GEN council dedicated to political issues - opening as a representative  doors to the politicians (contact to the political system)
- Make an address to the Council of Europe demanding a housing policy worth its name.
- Intensify  co-operation  with the media - bring the ecovillage idea to TV

Useful information:
- Projects in the UK had great difficulties to get information on re: EU funding -> the green party in Brussels was extremely helpful - contact: Tony from EVNUK
- Many projects in the UK could not get permission due to the law situation -> a team of renowned experts have developed a document on „Sustainable Development Criteria" - projects now can refer  to this and if they can show that what they  want to do fulfils these criteria they get building permission - contact: Tony from EVNUK
- In Italy many community projects joined in a national network and there is a new law which gives community projects of  this network a special non-profit  organisation status with a lot of tax benefits, etc. - contact: Alfredo from Bagnaia
- Some communities (Sieben Linden, Alcatraz) have a very good relation  to journalists and can share their experience
Some communities (Bagnaia, Damanhur) work with the local government where they even can get some funds - they can also share their experience.

Group 3: Community glue (Teodora  Anastasoei)

Started with a "gluing song", to get some initial "glue" in the discussion group.
Key Points:
- Terms such as "being present", "turned inside/outside", "flowing with the energy" were mentioned
- Types of interactions inside a community: songs and circle dancing that give a feeling of connection was also discusses
- People sharing intimate feelings and experiences can create some short but very intense feelings of unity and belonging
In the end the conclusion is that:
- Each individual should be  open and pay attention to the present, keeping "tuned" to the group
- Creating the "glue" is an art and not a technique. Although tools are available, it is vital to choose the right one for the right moment and that can be done exclusively by fully living in the present.

Group 4: Communication and conflict resolution in the ecovillage (Amy Katab)

Each  participant  outlined the methods used in their  ecovillage:
Damanhur: art,  game playing, spirituality, are vehicles which permit the individual to realise how he perceives himself and how others perceive him, i.e. coloured water pistol battles, role-playing, sending members out to the woods until they resolve their conflict, have been among the strategies effectively used.
Sieben Linden: uses the Forum, a technique in which an individual sitting in the middle of a circle fully expresses his emotions, thoughts and doubts.  At the end, all members surround him with positive feedback.
La Comune di Bagnaia: Working individually on oneself to resolve personal problems leads to improving  the group communication.

Group 5: Sustainability (Lucilla Borio)

This topic was approached from a theoretical standpoint, analysing the current world trends on a general level. The position of Ecovillages, and of the network in general, regarding alternative energy, consumption patterns, effective research and practical applications was discussed at length. The outcome was that there is a lot of room for improvement  even in the most advanced ecological communities. The role of GEN is to spread the knowledge and help its members build on success of others. Human sustainability (in communication and relations) was also addressed as an important factor in community living, and the basis for the growth and evolution of our experience.