Whole Measures: Transforming Communities by Measuring What Matters Most July 5, 2011

Whole Measures – A Tool for Creating Change

Whole Measures offers a flexible approach to describing and measuring the relationships and impact we seek to create in our communities and organizations. It helps us to understand how to evaluate our work in a holistic way that aligns with our values and communicates that we are making real and lasting change. Whole Measures provides the foundation for a highly integrated, whole systems approach that effectively embraces a wide variety of issues such as social equity, biodiversity, human rights, ecosystem health, civic engagement, and economic vitality.

The Center for Whole Communities and the Interaction Institute for Social Change collaborated and created a workshop that explores the ten values-based practices detailed in Whole Measures. The workshop provides the practical and transformational skills needed to collaboratively implement these practices in your organization or community. This experience is particularly well suited to those charged with engaging diverse stakeholders in a community or organizational change initiative.

Knoll Farm is a beautiful learning center in central Vermont, which is about one hour from Burlington and the nearest airport, or a four hour drive from Boston. The workshop is residential, in a retreat center setting. Accommodations are in private tent cabins or small yurts and meals are served communally in a timber-frame barn. Food is all local, organic and mostly vegetarian. The workshop starts at 3 p.m. on the first day and ends at 11 a.m. on the last day. We strongly encourage participants to stay in residence the entire time in order to have a full experience and help create a community with others during our time together. Also, for that same reason, we encourage you to leave your laptops at home and to use your phones only in case of emergency. Tuition for the Vermont workshop is $750 including accommodations and meals.

Official Website: http://www.wholecommunities.org/workshops/wholemeasures.shtml