Crisis, What Crisis?

Skills for Justice is a social profit organisation aiming at improving the skills of workers in security jobs. Facing a big loss of funding due to changing banking strategies, they faced their situation as a challenge for progression and qualitative growth. They embraced Appreciative Inquiry to create a better organisation, determined to meet the future confidently and positively. The affirmative topic was: “When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.” Four key factors seemed to underpin the best of Skills for Justice.

• we are a team delivering great stuff;
• we have a creative environment that fosters great ideas;
• we value relationships;
• we are trusted and have the freedom and responsibility to make a difference.

The AI process transformed the organisation into flourishing more than ever, with people that have joy and fulfilment in their work.

In the workshop they organised, we were challenged to draw and write what our dreams would be for the future of Skills for Justice. We came up with wonderful proposals to transform jails into centres where we can discover unique human value. Like zones of waste these days are reshaped into new places for recreation.

This seems to me the right mission for AI pioneers in the coming years: go to places of darkness and suffering, where oppression and dehumanisation take place; and guide them towards enlightenment, values, hope, healing and compassion, in fact involving them in the life giving mystery.

Thanks to you all for these inspiring days which had sacred value and gave blessing for the rest of my life!

Author: Jac De bruyn, published on the 2012 WAIC website: http://www.2012waic.com/2012/04/28/crisis-what-crisis/