We have put together this frequently asked questions document to help you access and enjoy the summit.
What is the What Next Summit?
The What Next Summit is a 3 week online event exploring how we can build community power to respond to the major challenges of our times.
Who is the summit for?
The summit is for anyone in the Britain interested in creating a positive future for their communities. You don’t have to be in a Transition Group to attend, in fact we would really like to see a wide range of different people and groups at the some summit..
Who is organising the What Next Summit?
The Summit is being organised by Transition Network and CTRLshift. But in the spirit of collaboration we have teamed up with the Losing Control network and are using their platform to host the event and enable conversations to take place. The platform is called Nudj.
This is a new collaboration / networking platform for people involved in social change. Think of a one stop shop for connecting and collaborating that provides a space for networks of people to come together. We are doing this because we have consistently had feedback from people that it would be great to be able to connect and carry on conversations after workshops / presentations etc.
We are also working with Losing Control (a peer led network of over 500 amazing people committed to sharing power to create social change) as we wanted to bring these networks together so that people can make some great new connections. You can find out more about losing control here: https://www.losingcontrol.org/about/ We are also hoping that other groups / networks will join up to Losing Control Network so we can all become much more interconnected.
Where is the summit?
This year, we are running the Summit on-line. All you need is you, a computer, the internet and a working mic and speakers. All the talks and seminars will be hosted mainly on zoom and the debriefs and discussions after the seminars will be held on the Losing Control Community platform. It is organised by Transition Network and CTRLshift, in partnership with Losing Control and is hosted on the Losing Control NUDJ platform.
We have also produced a short video that gives you an overview of the Losing Control platform here.
I am not in Britain, is the Summit suitable for me?
The summit is aimed at groups in Britain, so the majority of the participants will be from there. There are some sessions that will be more widely relevant and we hope to record them and they will be available on our youtube channel after the summit.
How do I register?
You can register here by filling out the registration box at the bottom of the page, you only need to do this once (make sure you complete the full process where you setup a password):
https://tbf.transitionmovement.org/what-next-summit/
This creates an account on the Losing Control platform that we are using for delivering the summit.
I am having problems registering?
If you have any problems registering on the Losing Control platform then please contact mikee@thesocialchangeagency.org
How do I login once registered?
Once registered you can then login to the summit here (do not re-register):
How do I register for sessions?
Once you have registered with the platform here you can go to the calendar and click RSVP and select going for the sessions you’re interested in. Once we have all the events setup we will then send you an email with all you need to know to attend, such as the zoom links etc. these details will also appear on each event on the Losing Control calendar.
Can I connect with other participants at the summit
Yes, you can chat to any other participant at any time during and after the summit through the platform. We have added you to a group based on the region you choose when you signed up so you can chat with people who live nearby to you. It is also possible to create your own group at any time to chat about a specific issue or to discuss a project etc.
To help this connection to happen it’s important that you use the same name you have registered with on Losing Control platform when you sign up to zoom sessions so people can connect with you on Losing Control.
We have also produced a short video that gives you an overview of the Losing Control platform that we are using to host the summit here.
How much does it cost to attend, who is funding the summit?
The summit is completely free to attend. This has been made possible because of a grant from the The National Lottery Community Fund. Also this summit would not be possible without the generous support of the speakers, facilitators and tech support many of whom are giving their time for free as they are committed to creating a positive future for all of us.
Do I need to attend all the sessions or can I pick and choose?
We have programmed the summit so that you can just come to the sessions that interest you. That being said there is a definite flow to the summit based around What is, What if and What Next, so to get the most out of it, attending throughout will give you the richest experience. Of course we realise that time is a precious resource so we have attempted wherever possible to make the sessions stand alone so you can drop in at any time. One session that we would really recommend coming to is the 2030 day on the 13th March, a day long session exploring what a positive 2030 could be like and how we can get there.
What equipment / software do I need to access the summit?
You wi/ll need a computer with a stable Internet connection.
We will be using Zoom for the sessions.
For a beginners guide to using zoom, please read this: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362193-Joining-a-Meeting
We recommend that you download Zoom Client for Meetings ahead of time, you can find it here: https://zoom.us/download
You do not need to download the Zoom application as you can run the meeting in your browser by clicking “join from your browser” at the bottom of the page—the viewing experience is better through the app.
You can run a test zoom meeting to check your video and audio here: https://zoom.us/test
What if I have problems getting into a session?
If you are having problems accessing any of the sessions then please contact: twnsummithelp@gmail.com
Can we share a login between more than one person?
Yes, but we would recommend everyone signing up, so you can connect and chat to other participants on NUDJ.
I have a hearing impairment, what are my options?
The Summit organisers have been exploring ways to make the event more accessible to those with hearing impairments, however we are operating under extremely tight budgets for this event and have not yet been able to find an all-purpose solution.As a minimum, we have activated auto-closed captioning in Zoom for those with hearing impediments, please see here for how to use this: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/207279736-Closed-CaptioningWe are exploring other captioning options and would appreciate your getting in touch if you have specialist knowledge or any suggestions. Please email our technical event manager, Dan Hurring, via events@permaculture.org.uk
Will the sessions be recorded to view later?
Some sessions will be recorded and available on our youtube channel afterwards. This will only apply to sessions that are appropriate for watching again, those that are mainly presentations rather than interactive sessions. If there is something you are really interested in then we would recommend trying to attend as we can’t guarantee they will be recorded.
Can you walk me through the summit experience?
Here is a brief overview of the summit, check out the calendar on Losing Control for more information on each event.
The sessions are a mixture of live presentations and workshops. Groups will be set up for each session on NUDJ so you can carry on chatting and connecting after sessions.
What is?
3rd March: The summit begins with an evening webinar highlighting a blizzard of stories from community led movements from around the world.
4th – 7th March: We have 13 workshops/presentations throughout the day and evening focusing on a range of different themes – you can drop into the ones you find the most interesting to you.
What If?
10th – 12th March: We have 3 evening webinars exploring a different element of imagination from the personal to the community to the whole of society. We have some great speakers in these sessions that will feed and inspire your own imagination.
13th March: 2030 day, this is a whole day session (you need to be there from the start) exploring what 2030 would look like if we were able to shift to a more positive future.
16th – 18th March: Open Space sessions, this is a space for summit participants to propose sessions on topics they would like to discuss, so keep an eye on the NUDJ calendar closer to the time to see what emerges, of course you could also propose a session.
What Next?
19th March: Connecting the threads is an evening session exploring how everything we are doing in the community links to larger scale change and what that means for our communities.
20th March: What Next organising for change is a day session of workshops and we are leaving the afternoon free at the moment so we can respond to what emerges from the conversation, but have no doubt it will be interesting.
Making connections:
Throughout the summit you will be able to connect with participants through the NUDJ platform through group conversations and directly through the chat function.
The summit fringe (Open space sessions):
During the 16th to 17th there will be opportunities for people to put on their own open space sessions to discuss certain themes, topics or questions or to present ideas that have not yet been explored. Keep an eye on the calendar for them.
What else will I be able to do on the Losing Control Platform after the summit?
After the summit, you can use Losing Control as a collaboration space to organise activity for your group, you can put your events on the calendar, you can continue the discussions started in the summit. There are also lots of exciting new features being planned, so please continue to use it. Most importantly we really want it to be a space for you to connect with people to create the change we need for a positive future.
What is the summit’s personal conduct policy?
As in the real world, we will not tolerate abusive, threatening or discriminating behaviour at the summit and anyone breaching this will be excluded. We are committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for everyone involved in the summit. We should all treat each other with respect and consideration to create an inclusive, welcoming and empowering environment. This is not to say that healthy debate is not allowed and it is fine to disagree as long as it is done in a respectful way. A healthy mindset to have is accepting that you will never have all the answers and that there is always something to learn from someone you disagree with.
If you experience any negative behaviour like this then please report it to michaelthomas@transitionnetwork.org
Will I be recorded in sessions and then shared online?
Some sessions will be recorded, this will be stated at the start. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can turn off your video and use a pseudonym for your name.
What happens after the Summit?
The main summit programme will end on the 20th of March, but you will be able to carry on using the platform. We are really hoping that a wide range of activities will begin to emerge here. Transition Network is also waiting to hear about a funding bid that if successful will mean that we will be undertaking a new programme of work in Britain.
My question is not listed here. Who do I contact?
michaelthomas@transitionnetwork.org