JJ Mismo

Here is what 07 members had to say about Providence & Beyond:


“Providence and Beyond is a roadway for the future for visionaries and realists. All of us need to be there.”
Natalie Carter
Blackstone Valley Tourism Council

"The first thing I realized upon seeing the group gathered for Providence & Beyond was 'This is going to be Powerful'. With the energy of the people collected, things will happen. I am very excited about the opportunity of being part of this group and what we will accomplish." Margaux Morisseau
NeighborWorks® Blackstone River Valley

 

What is Providence & Beyond?

providence? Providence!

Providence & Beyond is a network of  decision makers who deliberately aim to re-image our places by embracing two interpretations of the word providence:

providence – creating possibility and a destiny through foresight and timely preparation, and,

Providence - a place, a possibility, a portal, a protagonist and practitioner for local and global insight, foresight, thinking, networking and change.

Providence & Beyond as an initiative embraces the need to create a new conventional wisdom, for unconventional times.

We focus on critical topics that are shaping communities–locally, regionally and globally – and unfolds timely strategy ‘in action’ where, as its logo suggests, insight, thinking, networking and activation are simultaneous acts of a whole process.

We achieve this through convening and stimulating collaboration within diverse groups of people drawn from local communities from around the world – in action-based learning café’s, online media and global learning networks. Each year it adopts a focus and unfolds a well-informed and innovative platform for strategic change – known as the charter. Providence & Beyond also provokes public dialogue and acts as a catalyst for shifting and uplifting public perception

Click here for:  Upcoming Events

 
2009 Program

Providence & Beyond Program for 2009infor-icon.gif


FREE April 30th Social - 4:00 to 6:00pm at 545 Pawtucket Ave - the new home of New Commons
We will share our new studio space and briefly preview the 2009 and 2010 program.  Food and refreshments will be served.  You are welcome to come without being a formal member.  Click here to register

You must be a member to join us at the following 5 Cafes: Join Here (pay what you can!)

May 14 and July 16 learning cafés - 8:30 am to 11:30am at 545 Pawtucket Ave
Robert Leaver will present some provocations for you to consider in café conversations.  These provocations will be drawn from other next economy practitioners as well as his writing.  The objective is to get us thinking about the essence of what has to be in place to evolve local and regional economies.

We will use a slightly different cafe format. It is modeled after what I experienced last June at the James Hillman symposium in Pittsburgh.  Instead of a movie, some slides will be shown with content you can confirm, challenge or add to.  All cafe tables work with the same material. Each round would have no more than few slides.  For the two upcoming cafés there would be 2 topical rounds:

May 14, 2009 Cafe:

  • What is the next local and regional economies/why they matter?
  • What needs doing: a list of requisite innovative products and services to create the next economy?


July 16, 2009 Cafe:

  • What composes a healthy ecosystem to unfold the next economy such as entrepreneurs, provocateurs, network leaders, and so on?
  • What new tools will be used: self-employment or1099's, business cooperatives, shared resource units, sweat equity (more than cash is the norm)?


In each round all tables have 6 minutes to confirm, challenge or add to the content.  After each round, then there is an open discussion in the whole room.  Live blogging by John Speck of course. And we will extract the nuggets that most linger in your hearts and minds.

September 24, 2009 learning café with John Abrams on Re-inventing Small Business

John will talk about the role of business in shaping communities such as Martha's Vineyard and the emergence of business cooperatives as a step toward economic democracy.  This is John's new passion.

John is the CEO of South Mountain a design/build business cooperative on Martha's Vineyard and the author of: Companies We Keep: Employee Ownership and the Business of Community and Place.

Sometime in November 2009 -  Learning Café with Doug Hammond and Michael Shuman of BALLE
Doug is the new CEO of BALLE and Michael is now the Director of research at BALLE and author Local Economies and Small Mart Revolution.  We will be examining for application some of the requisite practices for the emergence of the system to birth local living economies.  

Sometime in December 2009 -  Retrospective and Social
A look back in 2009 and forward to 2010 with a short movie by John Speck of what stands out in our thinking, linking and doing.  And of course we will have food, libations and hang out.  

 
In 2009 Join Us

Providence & Beyond

In 2008 Providence & Beyond was a year long discussion on whole places, with folks signing on for a membership fee.  See Focus on 2008 for more information about the program

In 2009, we have expanding the Program and inviting all to join in both online and in person.   We basically are making this more "open source" with members coming in from all different areas, both in and around Providence, the region and beyond!

Our 2009 fee is up to you! 

This  is a "pay what you can' because we know times are tough and we really want you to experience this unique conversation about our local economy.  There is no minimum, yet our suggested subscription fee is $50 for the 2009 year, and we will accept less if you can't do that amount and of course accept more if you can give more!

Regardless of whether you attend all our cafes or just online chats, register on our site and we'll continue the conversation in 2009 and beyond!

Two ways to join:
 
Pay online (via paypal): Click on the "Join Now" and pay what you can!
 
 

Or Mail in a payment:

New Commons
545 Pawtucket Ave, Mail Box 116
Pawtucket, RI 02860

 

Providence & Beyond operates only with the cash it collects from memberships, sponsors who sponsor talks, and volunteers. If you would like to sponsor us please feel free to contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it