🌿 Governance for Liberation: Between Solidarity & Sociocracy

🌱 About This TrainingThe goal of governance is simple: improve our connection and our clarity.Who decides what? How do we share power? What do we do when we don’t agree?Sociocracy (also called Dynamic Governance) offers a practical, proven set of tools that distribute decision-making so that everyone becomes a decision-maker. It provides a clear, inclusive process for consent-based governance—where every voice matters from beginning to end.This training is a repeat and evolution of the widely attended virtual session originally facilitated by Ted Rau of Sociocracy for All—now facilitated locally by Mike Tekh Strode as the first 6-hour public-facing, in-person Sociocracy training of its kind in Chicago.If you are part of a worker cooperative, grassroots collective, nonprofit board, mutual aid network, or community initiative seeking a more equitable and effective governance model—this training is for you.🧭 What You’ll LearnOver six participatory hours, we will explore:Part 1 – Foundations of SociocracyHow to decentralize and distribute power in your organizationThe principles of consent-based decision-makingThe role of circles, double-linking, and clearly defined domainsPractical facilitation tools for inclusive meetingsPart 2 – Practice & ApplicationRunning a real consent decision-making processWhat to do when someone objectsClarifying roles (facilitator, delegate, operations lead, etc.)Mapping sociocracy onto your current organizational structureFirst steps for implementationYou will leave with concrete tools you can apply immediately—not just theory.👥 Who Should AttendWorker cooperative members and foundersCollective leaders and circle facilitatorsNonprofit staff and board membersMutual aid organizersNetwork weavers and movement buildersAnyone tired of “consensus confusion” and looking for a clearer wayWhether you are brand new to sociocracy or have experimented with it before, this training will ground you in shared language and lived practice.🛠 Training FormatThis is a highly participatory workshop. Expect movement, small group work, practice rounds, and real-time facilitation exercises.We will:Sit in circlesPractice real decision-makingExperience rounds and consentDesign example circle structuresLunch break included (bring your own or explore local options).🎤 About the FacilitatorMike Tekh Strode is a Chicago-based cooperative developer, governance designer, and facilitator working across worker-owned cooperatives, solidarity economy networks, and community-based organizations.Through the Kola Nut Collaborative, he advances timebanking, cooperative development, and decentralized governance in Chicago’s frontline neighborhoods. He is active within the VOLTS ecosystem and has supported numerous organizations in transitioning toward sociocratic and consent-based models.This offering builds on training lineage from Sociocracy for All while rooting the work in Chicago’s cooperative and solidarity economy context.🤝 About the Host and Sponsor OrgsKola Nut Collaborative supports solidarity economy infrastructure through timebanking, cooperative development, and community resilience practices.VOLTS (Village of Leaders Thriving in Solidarity) is a cooperative ecosystem cultivating shared leadership, mutual accountability, and democratic governance across member organizations.🎟 TicketsSliding scale options available. Please reach out if the ticket options offered still present a barrier.🌍 Why Now?Chicago’s cooperative ecosystem has grown. More collectives are experimenting with horizontal leadership. And many groups are discovering that traditional consensus processes can stall momentum.Sociocracy offers a structured yet flexible way to:Share power without chaosMake decisions without burnoutBuild clarity without hierarchyJoin us and help strengthen Chicago’s infrastructure for collective self-governance.