Roisin Markham

Last year for the Senior Cycle Economic Curriculum Submission I mapped the educational stakeholders I’d worked with as part of that process – I was astounded when the number reached 12 academic institutions over 3 years.
In an interview for an innovation manager role in November I was asked how Universities find me. To be honest I’d never really thought about it. But once a question is asked it changes the system, right, so I’ve been paying more attention.

The academics tell me – “we want something different, your name came up”. I now know they have seen me talk, a colleague or associate has recommended me or they have been in rooms I have facilitated. Without knowing I’ve built an academic network that spans across Galway, Maynooth, Cork, Dublin, Waterford, Belfast and Derry. 
Trinity is emerging as the one University that is hiring me across business, science and education. My second lecture with them in the business school on organisational change & doughnut economics is coming up next week.

Also in February I’ll be working with the Ad Astra Academy in UCD.

I was in Trinity last week in the Business School facilitating an open space session within a full day pre-conference for the Curioss Network. I really enjoyed presentations from Sarah Novodny and Sayeed Choudhury.

In the afternoon I ran an even more unconventional Open Space session, the network are used to using this approach of setting their own agenda and we’re just getting on with it. I do love the laws of two feet. I shared a little of what the methodology is about on tiktok.

I love facilitation work. Supporting people to get the best out of coming together to listen, learn, collaborate, have healthy discourse and leave.

At the end of one very intense session I suggested the group take a minute before ending and departing to reflect on one thing that

• made them curious
• important for their work
• they will take action on

often after intense session the energy dissipates. In my experience if you capture one thing it supports your brain in remembering, momentum and in taking an action. Not 14 actions just one.

So at the end of conferences, events or facilitated sessions I design I like to create space for people to reflect. Take a minute, literally, and consider what I describe as one thing.

In the wider scheme of things you might say it’s part of my practice of care. For me well held spaces is just that, a practice of respect and care.

This week I’m excited to finish some research and get to the insights contributing to a strategic client workshop and report. I feel a lot of ownership on this piece of work as I can see a vision for the programme that this enterprise has no experience of. Trying to shepard them towards the best outcome which needs to map and match their ambition.

Last week I participated in two PPN sessions one national, one local. Good sessions and excellent to connect and hear of other PPNs work and experience in a broader democratic structure ~ when it’s working and established well. Still finding my feet there.

As part of Wexford Environmental Network, I sit on the Wexford County Councils Economic SPC (Special Policy Committee). I am learning as I go and hope to be able to be pro-active and deliver on my environmental mandate there.

On the 24th February I am hosting an IDEN session on bioregion work in Ireland looking in particular at dynamic local models of finance – participatory budgeting and Irelands first UBI for a farmer.

This weekend I visited Lady’s Island to meet the creative group giving voice to the lake. We wanted to see the cut. This is a tradition where a channel is cut out of the sand dune to release the lake or lagoon water out to the sea and let the sea back into the lake. An initial cut of 3m by digger widens to 15m in a material of days. Heavy storm winds and rain change the patterns of the cut. The morning we went to look it was more like a shingle beach and the channel had been redid that morning.

It was not as violent as I had thought but felt like a relief channel for the lagoon to release toxic water and replenish itself. I am told that when it was cut the large sea waves had green algae that was visible.

Alan and Deirdre read a little of what they had written, both spoken word artists I’ve really enjoyed the depth of their work. Until now witnessing and thinking about what I will write or make in contribution to this waterbody and her ecology.

Lady’s Island Lake is extremely polluted it is an important site for birds, migratory feeding and nesting, for recreational sports and a place of religious pilgrimage.

As I get to know the Lake, place and people I have some ideas for a sound walk, resonate with Alice’s idea for an immersive experience of colour, text, sounds and depth – I can see it and experience it already. I’ve suggested a sound walk. I’m also now starting to document our meetings which I’m imagining towards making a map of some sort. This weekend my first writing came to me, here’s a piece of it:

toward home

flocks mesmerising shimmer 

turning on transparent cues 

flexing mid air 

through the ghost of wild grey dunes 

empty shells 

More to come.

I spent most of Sunday in my polytunnel and garden. Turned the compost bin, finally got that alder tree out from it being wedged at edge of the tunnel wall, preparing for growing food. It was so lovely to see crocuses and spring buds.

This week it’s official I’m also excited to be kicking off my first Community Engagement Lab with a client, deepening my work with them.

Back to my research.

Have a great week.