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Camphill moves forward – the families’ voice and perspective
Camphill Families and Friends, as the voice of families, would like to present a special families’ perspective on the way in which Camphill is moving forward amid the current changes and challenges. Our recent series of very well attended meetings on the challenges facing Camphill have produced a sympathetic understanding of these developments. Our meetings have also revealed the truly vast amount of family support and enthusiasm that can be harnessed to benefit Camphill. Families are a positive, independent and powerful voice that can be used to represent and articulate to the world at large the successes of Camphill intentional community living. It is after all we families who place so much trust in Camphill and want our relatives to continue to lead such enriching lives within Camphill communities. Armed with this knowledge and commitment, we are now in a position to present our own perspective on the essential question -‐ How to retain Camphill’s principles, practices and activities in a time of transition. We present our perspective to all stakeholders in Camphill – to residents, trustees, co-‐workers, managers, employees and families, to all charities, communities, groups and individuals who hold Camphill dear. We shall continue to do so in further meetings and forums at all levels. There are several crucial issues which are key to Camphill’s future. We acknowledge that the many Camphill charities and communities are at different stages in responding to the challenges. Some have already developed extensively the sort of changes which we support – for which we thank them -‐ while others are about to do so. While we recognise that there are many and various ways of reaching the same goals and that much further detailed discussion is needed, our perspective is simple and clear on the following matters and we urge all Camphill stakeholders to help in their successful implementation.
1. Strategic leadership Strategic leadership for the whole of the Camphill Movement is needed within a more clearly structured English and Welsh region. We strongly encourage and support any initiatives that will lead to such a development so that Camphill might experience more effective support and might speak with one voice to the outside world.
2. Management
We would urge that management, while adhering to charity law and social care legislation, should be participatory and inclusive, drawing in all component groups in the community who have so much to offer,
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especially in matters concerning the community-‐based life of the intentional communities in which our relatives live.
3. The role of Camphill co-‐workers
As families we know full well that the close, supportive and motivating relationships between Camphill co-‐workers and our relatives, together with the enriching community life provided by co-‐workers, are the keystones of our relatives’ lives. In this context we would support the following developments:
• The vital role and concept of Camphill co-‐workers should be retained and emphasised in the spirit of the Camphill Memorandum. We are truly concerned about the continuing loss of carrying co-‐workers and we urge Camphill charities and communities to develop innovative and revitalising ways of recruiting and retaining co-‐workers.
• There should be parity between needs-‐based and employed co-‐workers. This will recognise the swiftly increasing numbers and the continuing role of employed co-‐workers. Most importantly Camphill should recognise and emphasise the essential similarities between different types of co-‐workers, particularly their anthroposophical intent and their commitment to the intentional community.
• The concept of community should be extended to incorporate
other groups such as employees, families and local people who might wish to be associated with the community in a variety of ways. This has already started to happen through the Camphill Essentials project and we strongly urge its further development.
4. Personalisation We believe in the personalisation and human rights agenda but believe that it is essential that it be implemented in the context of a Camphill intentional community.
5. Communication We strongly encourage the start already made in several charities and communities in increasing all round communication. Families, as stakeholders and partners, need and value regular and full information about what goes on in their individual community and also at a wider charity level and Camphill level.
6. Family Partnerships As families we realise how exceptionally supportive and helpful we can be as stakeholders and partners in the on-‐going development of Camphill. We would like to support the formation of Family Partnerships
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in each Camphill community or charity. Families are a force waiting to be harnessed. On the wider level we provide an independent voice in the public arena and, at a local level within each community, we could set up effective partnership working.
7. Cross-‐Camphill co-‐operation We urge Camphill communities and charities to work together because they have so much to learn from one another. Communities that are now embarking on change can learn much from the experience of those communities who have found practical ways to keep alive the spirit of Camphill. CFF can provide a vital forum for the cross-‐pollination of ideas.
To our members
We encourage all our members to help to spread the word of our campaign among families and others who hold Camphill dear. We urge you to attend our next meeting in London on 23rd June to develop practical ways of retaining Camphill’s principles, practices and activities amid the current changes. To all stakeholders in Camphill who receive this message Our message and our campaign are addressed to all stakeholders in Camphill and to all who hold Camphill dear. Please would you pass this on to others who might be interested and able to help us. WE WILL BE DELIGHTED TO HEAR ANY COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT OUR CAMPAIGN, PARTICULARLY ANY POSITIVE SUGGESTIONS ABOUT ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE – TO RETAIN CAMPHILL’S PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES IN A TIME OF CHANGE AND CHALLENGE. PLEASE SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO EVAN DAVIES, CFF SECRETARY ([email protected]; 6 Raisdale Road, Penarth, CF64 5BN) WHO WILL PASS ON YOUR THOUGHTS TO THE TRUSTEES.