Glocalising DA – launching Deep Adaptation Groups Network

Today a new initiative is launched to support people coming together to help each other as we face the unravelling of normal life in the face of the climate crisis. Twelve local or language-specific initiatives, that are using Facebook to convene dialogue, have joined forces with the rapidly growing and global Positive Deep Adaptation group to launch a system for mutual support and guidance.

The Deep Adaptation (DA) framework can support us to explore with open hearts and minds the implications of a likely near-term collapse in our societies due to disruption from climate change. Five months ago we launched a Facebook group and a Professionals’ network to enable interaction and promote collaboration on deep adaptation. In the Facebook group over 6,000 participants are sharing information and support on outer and inner deep adaptation, focusing on its emotional, psychological and spiritual aspects, as well as practical means to support wellbeing ahead of (and during) social breakdowns. In the Professional’s Platform, more than 1600 people have joined to collaborate in the creation of resources to support the transformation of fields such as food and agriculture, education, community action, coaching and counselling, government and policy, business and finance and others.

Our efforts to support local gatherings have thus far been limited to financial support for community dialogues that use the Open Space method. Today we can announce a more significant step towards this ‘glocalisation’ of the new movement. We are introducing the Deep Adaptation Groups Network as a way to promote, support and provide space for cross-pollination between groups in different locations, languages and related topics. Our goals for the network are to:

1. Raise awareness of our predicament, while promoting the Deep Adaptation culture, values and principles at a local level in thousands of communities around the world;
2. Foster engagement on Deep Adaptation related topics via local online and offline communities, discussions, gatherings and projects;
3. Create a common frame of guidelines, resources and online spaces to facilitate alignment with Deep Adaptation (DA) values and goals, as well as cross-pollination and co-creation between affiliated DA groups.

Some of the benefits of becoming affiliated currently include promotion of the member groups through our channels, access to a specialised group for peer support, ability to contribute and access useful resources for growing DA groups and communities, monthly video meetings, trainings, opportunities for small grants and more. In return, member groups agree to follow a set of guidelines that ensure alignment with our philosophy and one another – and to help evolve those guidelines over time.

Our current estimation is that there may be hundreds of local groups being formed to address the individual and collective need for community in the face of our predicament. It is our intention that the network we are establishing will grow to include as many of them as possible.

Coming up next, we’ll be looking at ways to support local groups that do not use Facebook. If you are a creator or member of such a group, we recommend checking out the Gathering Principles including formats we have found useful for hosting online and offline DA spaces. If you choose to create a Facebook group for your community before we roll out support for non-Facebook groups, we’ll be happy to have you join our network. If you are interested in that, you can read our Affiliated Group Guidelines before reaching out to us at zori@deepadaptation.info.

If you are a grant-maker or potential donor, we would welcome support for us to help disadvantaged or under-represented communities to organise Deep Adaptation groups. If so, please email Zori.

The list of the Founding Members of the Deep Adaptation Groups Network includes:

Adaptación Profunda Positiva #APP (Positive Deep Adaptation – Jem Bendell) For the Spanish speaking community. Contact: Aline Van Moerbeke

Adaptation radicale : un guide pour naviguer dans la tragédie climatique For the French speaking world. Contact: Julien Lecaille

Deep Adaptation Discussion and Action Group A space to discuss the four “R’s” and how these questions may be used to redesign our individual lives, livelihoods, etc. and how they may apply to us, our households and communities. Contact: Silvia di Blasio.

Deep Adaptation Hungary – Készülj & Alkalmazkodj – for the Hungarian community, to share, support, plan and move ahead, together. Contact: Balazs Stumpf-Biro

Deep Adaptation Ireland For those located on the island of Ireland. Contact: Cian Langan

Deep Adaptation Parenting A safe and nurturing place for parents to share their thoughts, emotions, ideas, and resources on the topic of raising children in this challenging time.

Positive Deep Adaptation UK Local group, focused on the concerns of people based in the UK, who have shown an interest in the Deep Adaptation paper written by Jem Bendell in 2018, and the issues it throws up. Contact: John Cossham

Deep Adaptation | Wie leben im Angesicht der Klimakrise? For German-speaking people, mostly from Germany.

Dyp tilpasning Norwegian group, open to Swedes and Danish people as our language is understandable across borders. Contact: Sigrid Haugen

PNW Positive Deep Adaptation For the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Contact: Jim Chastain

Positive Deep Adaptation Oceania – Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand etc For the respective region. Contact: Aimee Maxwell

Positive Deep Adaptation: Santa Cruz County and Monterey Bay, CA For Santa Cruz County and Monterey Bay, California, US. Contact: Ami Chen Mills-Naim

Practical PDA Focusing on practical adaptation. Contact: Sarah Bittle

In the future, you will be able to find an up-to-date list of affiliated groups here.