Thank you to those who completed the survey. Here is a sample of the most instructive replies.
Some Examples of Creative Minorities
Sewing Circles in Kabul, Social and emotional learning in the Cairns Diocese in Australia, School of St Jude, Tanzania, Indigenous/white relations in Australia, The Maori political party in New Zealand, Marist Youth Care in Sydney. Respondents rated the effectiveness, leadership and importance of a particular creative minority as follows:
Some Purposes
Education, empowering the locals, effecting change, helping those in need, improving living standards, sporting orphans, looking after the planet and helping homeless youth.
Aspects of the 'Creative'
- Starts with a dream, the dream is affirmed, new life emerges;
- Individuals stand out against popular thought;
- Youth are directly involved with shaping and sustaining their own future.
Duration of Creative Minorities
Respondents had differing views about how long creative minorities last.
The Experience of Establishing Creative Minorities
Example 1. ‘Any original activity begins with an IDEA. Sometimes the idea can be generated in different places at the same time. It seems to me that the idea doesn't get immediate support; on the contrary there are forces that rise up to quell the idea. It requires persistence. It may take time to get others interested. Generally the first ones interested fall by the wayside. Author of the idea is persistent. In time others more attuned to the idea give support and the idea gets off the ground. It is always a minority, and yes, participants of the minority are creative.’
Example 2. ‘It is a historical fact that in social justice terms, someone who identifies such a need will really be urged by the experience of those with this particular need to help. If the person has the necessary personal skills, much will happen to address the need. If the person has the gift of the Holy Spirit as support, that will help it blossom into a network of those who are willing to help!’
Conference Presentation on the Findings
I gave a presentation at the recent Australian Catholic University Catholic Educational Leadership Conference in Sydney on the findings of this survey. This presentation can be accessed
. The video describing what began as a 'creative minority methodology' Reggio Emilia which is mentioned in the presentation can be accessed below