Round-Up
1. Room-wide discussion on what SayYesMore and the YesTribe means to each person. Aim was to solidify understanding of the main benefits of the community and ethos, as well as creating a definition to be used online and when members are elevator pitching to others about SYM.
2. Discussion on what members want from SYM going forwards?
3. Agreement on setting up consistent meet-ups and a formula for YesTribe gatherings
4. Conversation about gatherings outside of London and finding/ helping leaders of these groups
5. Online etiquette: How to share and invite people to events and meet-ups.
6. Group shares Yestival Babies/ YesStories
7. General Points
8. Next Gathering
9. Yes HQ
1. Definition of SayYesMore and YesTribe
SayYesMore is the overarching message and ethos of the community, and the umbrella that sits over YesTribe, Yestival, YesHQ and future YesThings.
The YesTribe is the community.
Both are open to all and an all-inclusive SuperTribe for all similar communities, tribes, cults (!) and organisations striving to make the world a better place through community, positivity, skill sharing, adventure, support and professional and personal development.
Here’s a word cloud of key words used when the group described why they’re a part of SayYesMore.
2. What Members want from SayYesMore going forwards
Agreed is that a continuation of organised gatherings is necessary, but with more structure and an accepted consistency from now onwards. Events with a recognised format (see Outline for SayYesMore Meet-Ups below) including speakers, skill sessions and open-mic sessions allowing all members to share their latest news and projects.
3. SayYesMore Meet-Ups
DC is abroad on expedition from end November to early March. In his absence Danielle Marchant (who runs The Pause and used to lead Tribewanted Bali) to organise weekly events (probably Thursdays) until Christmas. Kate Davis to organise from Christmas into the Spring. Other members are encouraged to get involved to help. From Spring onwards a collective effort should be designed to keep meetings consistent without placing burden on individuals - suggestion is to have four ‘event’ teams, each one looking after organisation of one event per month.
4. YesTribes outside of London
It’s natural that London has become centre of the community, but our hope is to include everyone. Growth outside of London will be slower, but leaders in regions are the first step to allowing this growth.
Suggestion that DC/ Other Tribe members do a tour in 2016 to raise awareness.
David Ardill (Manchester) and James Hinchcliffe (Harrogate) agree to begin YesTribe North by inviting people to regular events.
Rob Young is doing something in Somerset.
Perhaps Jessi Tucker to organise events in Bristol (as well as connecting with Rob for the south west)
DC to draw up Outline for SayYesMore Meet-Ups to allow all regional groups consistency in their events.
5. Sharing Events and Group Activities Online
a) Facebook events to be created (and linked to group if relevant) for any gathering or event worth inviting YesTribe members to. All posts on YesTribe group to link to the event page.
b) Henry Blanchard to set up calendar of SayYesMore-related events, including retreats, individual adventures, festivals and gatherings. Facebook event pages can be linked into calendar?
6. Yestival Babies/ YesStories
a) David Ardill plans to pedalo down the Mississippi in a swan-shaped boat. Likely to start in 18 months.
b) Jessi Tucker to cycle to every county in mainland Britain, blogging and interviewing along the way. Committed to start on April 25th and sharing the journey via www.thestorycollector.co.uk. Help needed to tighten up aims and logistics.
c) Elise Downing continues her round-Britain run. Julia Wickham agrees to find out what’s happening with Elise’s tracker. Follow and support Elise via www.elisedowning.com
d) Dave Finch offering an affordable spare room in Bow.
e) Pete Kohler plans to to take a Land Rover and drive it down the coastline collecting plastics along the way. Plenty of ideas like decorating the vehicle in plastics, liaising with schools, give them plastics to do sculptures with. Exact route and plan not yet determined but idea for a simplified warm-up in the UK possibly on the cards. Asking people to get involved and share ideas. Suggestion is that waste > electricity companies and motorhome sponsors could be easily found. Contact peter.l.kohler@gmail to let him know you’re interested.
7. General Points
a) DC asks for volunteers to help at SYM desk and with social media at RGS Explore weekend on 13-15 November. First hands to go up are Jessi Tucker and Adam Sultan. DC encourages everyone to go regardless.
b) Danielle Marchant explains what the Wild Pause is, which is planned to be run with DC on weekend of July 22nd 2016
c) Who wants another Yestival? Everyone raises hands.
d) DC raises possibility for a SayYesMore weekend/ digital detox in Umbria, Italy at Tribewanted Monestevole in late April, early May. Cost per person (not including flights but including everything else inc. wine) will be between 250 and 300 EUROS. Only 22 spaces available. Write to dave@davecornthwaite.com if interested.
e) Andy McLean continues Tribewanted theme by pointing people to the new TW project in Papua New Guinea. They’re always looking for new Tribe members - see www.tribewanted.com and Tribewanted PNG Facebook page.
f) Best ongoing solution to provide accountability for the YesLists everyone began at Yestival is to find one or two YesList buddies. Everyone to write/ complete their YesList and pick at least two items as priorities. Share these and prospective completion dates with buddies and start ticking.
g) Request for a campout at least once a month. Kate Davis and Andy McLean amongst the forerunners to organise these. DC encourages anyone wanting to organise a campout to do it, set date, time and meeting place and if people can join, they will.
h) Sophie Dubus suggest tapping into similar groups, Escape the City, Project Awesome and Explorer’s Connect to encourage the overlap. Unanimously agreed that there’s no competition here, all of these communities house overlapping members.
i) DC gives heads up for a possible impromptu gathering/ campout on 17th November as he will be filming with KEEN Footwear and wanted the YesTribe to be a focus of this.
8. Next YesTribe Gathering
Thursday 12th November at Escape the City, for an event called Tribes Collide. Henry Blanchard is organising on behalf of the Uganda Marathon and says that places must be pre-booked via website. Rob Symington, Danny Bent and Dave Cornthwaite to be speakers.
9. YesHQ
Plans for YesHQs both just outside of London and a Live/Work space in London are ongoing. Crowdfunding has been chosen as the best way to initiate funding for this to allow total ownership by SYM and not have any outside investors swaying the direction of the project. Crowdfunding campaign to begin in Spring 2016. DC encourages everyone to sign up on SYM mailing list via www.sayyestival.com to get ongoing news about this.
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Outline for SayYesMore Meet-Ups
Frequency:
One meeting per week.
Venue
Space for gatherings between 20 and 50 people with Projector + Screen OR Flat Screen TV with HDMI connection. Sound to speakers to output from laptop microphone slot.
Schedule:
Opening speech. 5 minutes. Update on latest SYM news. Pointer to events. Keep mood light and funny.
Open Mic for 20 minutes (Maximum 2 minutes per person)
15 minutes chat/ beer.
Main speaker or Workshop/ Skill-Session Leader
Thirty minutes in total (recommended 20 mins + Q&A)
More Beer and chat
Sleep
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Summary and How to Join the Tribe
All members of tribe to continue to invite each other to official Yestribe events or other relevant opportunities for members to get together. Consistence of meet-ups is essential to create a permanence for the vibe conjured up by Yestival and the Summer Series, and now the ongoing gatherings of the Yestribe.
Calendar of Events: yeshappenings.com
Social Media Links:
Website: www.sayyestival.com and www.sayyesmore.com (they will soon be the same website)
SayYesMore Facebook: www.facebook.com/sayyesmore
YesTribe Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/theyestribe
SayYesMore Twitter and Instagram: @YesIsADoingWord
Big hugs everyone. Let’s keep saying yes.
Dave