What is a grassroots retreat?
It is a gathering of individual citizens to
discuss issues related to grassroots social, civic, and/or political activism. These retreats vary in format, but tend
to have these defining characteristics:
SMALL GROUP To ensure that all participants
have adequate opportunity to participate in the discussion, attendance is usually limited to a relatively small number of
people.
OPEN FORMAT
Discussions tend to follow an open format,
in which everyone participates equally, rather
than a presentation format, with speakers and an audience.
OPEN AGENDA
There is considerable flexibility in the scope of the discussion. The retreat might have a single broad
theme, or be structured as two or more half-day sessions defined by broad topic areas; the discussion is otherwise
free-flowing within this framework.
RELAXED AMBIENCE
To promote relaxed and open discussion, a grassroots retreat is usually held in a peaceful and informal location.
GROUP-DIRECTED
One or two individuals may assume responsibility for making basic arrangements and helping the group to stay generally
on topic and on schedule, but
the group is largely self-directed.
