Be part of starting an initiative in your area

Anyone can do it!

Transition Sydney started in the minds of three people who did not know each other existed. We three had each discovered the Transition Towns movement through one means or another and we had each emailed Ben Brangwyn at the Transition Network just to say hullo or to offer encouragement or ask questions. Eventually one of us,  Andrew, had enough initiative to ask Ben who else he was in touch with in Sydney Australia, and for our email addresses. Once he had these, he emailed us and after a few exchanges of emails we three strangers met in a cafe in Sydney's CBD in late March 2008.

We had very different backgrounds, we were different ages, working in totally different fields and none of us had strong connections in the communities we lived and worked in (which also were very different!). Looking back, we didn't have much of an idea of what the Transition model or process was all about either.You could be forgiven for thinking we were going to go nowhere. Yet we had one thing in common which, when we met, was very obvious to each of us, and that was a shared concern for what our communities might become in a changed world post peak oil and a shared passion for doing something positive about it using the Transition model.

Which is all by way of saying to you that if we can, anyone can start an initiative! Everyone has skills and abilities and we are all different and it just takes a few motivated people to get together and start talking about it. None of us individually has to have all the knowledge, skills or contacts. Hesitancy and fear soon diminish when you get together with just one or two other like-minded people. The power of association creates its own power, and everyone finds that their abilties are part of the group momentum.

How to start

The 12 steps of transition are well documented and you might have looked at these already. (if not, they are here)

So if you are to be the initiator, how do you start?

Our suggestion is to think about people you are acquainted with in your own neighbourhood who might have a stake in wanting to create a better future. This could include:

  • Anyone with a young family  who cares about the world their children will grow up in
  • Any local business person concerned about competition from multinational franchises, increasing costs etc
  • Older people who have grown up in tougher times and can see the present lack of resilience in their community
  • People you know are already active in sustainability related groups - cycling, climate change, permaculture, bushcare and so on
  • Teachers in schools, colleges and universities who feel their moral duty to prepare students for future challenges
  • Young people who are well educated about environmental and energy challenges and passionate about  making change happen
  • Professionals in various areas dealing with planning, transport, energy and so on who see the key information and know the challenges.
  • and the list is only limited by your imagination - basically anyone with some awareness who feels sense of civic duty to play their part in creating solutions.

Talk to people you are comfortable with

  • Ask them what they know and what they feel about climate change and peak oil
  • Ask how they think the local community will adapt to the changed circumstances these will bring
  • Ask if they have any favourite or preferred solutions to recommend
  • Ask how they think the community might be able to build its own resilience and adaptability - in the absence of government help?
  • Ask if they have heard of the Transition Towns model and tell them where to find out about it (this website, the Transition Network website)
  • Ask if they are interested to get together with others to toss around ideas of how to mobilise the neighbourhood/suburb to begin "planning for powerdown"
  • and don't get into arguments with climate change skeptics or self-appointed energy experts - move on

 It only takes about three committed people to get the ball rolling

We can help

Transition Sydney exists to help the start up and ongoing support of local initiatives. Contact us and we can work with you to get the ball rolling in your community

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