CoCo Interactive Journal - web site

J. P. Hoogma, CoCo Interactive Journal - web site, 2002. .

The web site does not exist anymore,
as it didn't really take off.


Abstract

Introducing COCO JOURNAL and the role it can play in the development of CCI Co-Counselling theory world-wide. It explains how authors can be supported and it provides an overview of the proposed aims, editorial policies of COCO JOURNAL.


Introduction

COCO JOURNAL links articles with an e-mail discussion platform. Readers and authors can respond to each other, and to articles, at times that suit them. COCO JOURNAL provides the opportunity to publish articles in a much more open, responsive and dynamic way.

Open and fast Peer Discussion

  • Once an article has been published in COCO JOURNAL, people can respond immediately. They don't need to wait up to three months for their response to be published in the next issue
  • Authors have the right of reply and can do this almost immediately instead of six months later in a subsequent issue
  • The audience can read the article and all its responses in one go. They don't need to collect previous issues to see what all the fizz is about.
  • The discussion platform has been set up in such a way that all contributions are attached to an original article. No one need to hop around trying to follow a discussion.

Private peer support for authors...

Co-Counsellors who have written a draft article can submit it to COCO JOURNAL without having it published to the general public. The author(s) will get the web-address of their article and a password to access it. In turn they can forward these to friends and supporters who can use the COCO JOURNAL for reading the draft and giving feedback and suggestions to the author(s).

When the authors feel ready they can submit their article to the editorial board for publication.


1. Aims of CoCo Journal

All the above mentioned potential offers the opportunity for COCO JOURNAL to serve the world wide Co-Counselling community with the following aims:

    • To foster an open-minded and inquisitive debate
      on the theoretical and practical aspects of CCI Co-Counselling.
    • To clarify the practical, social and cultural issues
      raised by the use of Co-Counselling in daily life.
    • To radically improve teaching and learning
      of Co-Counselling.
    • To link Co-Counsellors concerned with theory, to teachers and practitioners
    • To provide Co-Counselling authors with a world-wide support system
    • To publish international research
      related to the theory, practice and experience of Co-Counselling.

Submission criteria

It follows from the COCO JOURNAL AIMS that

1. Submissions are expected to have a clear focus on CCI Co-Counselling theory and practice, and to seek to advance Co-Counselling knowledge in some way, by

    • gathering previous discussions into a new article or
    • developing new theory or summarising existing theory, or
      questioning existing work, or
    • providing an analysis or framework for understanding experiences with Co-Counselling.

2. A submission should ideally illuminate the special contribution it can make to

    • an individual's understanding or skills in Co-Counselling or
    • an individual's capability to be in charge of their own life or
    • the teaching of Co-Counselling or conversely how new co-counsellors can be supported to make better or greater use of co-counselling or
    • Co-Counselling workshops, networks and communities

Suggestions for submissions

Ideally, we are looking for integrated submissions that present the diverse theoretical bases of CCI Co-Counselling, its implementation in sessions, daily life, workshops and organisations -- and if this weren't enough -- its evaluation and theoretical implications. However, one or more of these aspects may form the basis for a submission.

  • Personal Experience: describe the application of Co-Counselling principles, methods, theory, or (teaching) tools to Co-Counselling practice and daily life.

    Review criteria include the value of the reflections abstracted from these experiences and their relevance to other Co-Counsellors, teachers and people who support the functioning of the Co-Counselling network.
     

  • Teaching Articles: describe (parts of) co-counselling fundamentals and workshops teaching programs. Authors should be clear as to what extent and how their teaching approach has been implemented and evaluated. It would be helpful if they would make explicit any educational theory underlying their program if this is not the focus of the submission.
     
  • Literature Reviews and Theoretical Analysis: describe the literature relating to a particular issue; identify key theoretical issues that need to be resolved; propose ways forward. Review criteria include the conceptual framework (if any) used to write and structure the literature review, justification of the importance of a theoretical issue, and potential of the theoretical approach proposed.

2. Editorial board

The role of the editorial board is bridge-building. On the one hand to support an author to write an article and on the other hand to ensure the article meets the COCO JOURNAL AIMS.

The editorial board decides which article will be made public eventually.

Its members ideally represent or are rooted in the national networks of Co-Counselling International,

  • England
  • Germany
  • The Netherlands
  • New-Zealand
  • Scotland
  • USA

This board should make their decisions independently of CornuCopia Co-Counselling, the latter only providing the platform and the technology.


3. Submitting articles

Articles submitted to COCO JOURNAL are first published in a private folder, only accessible to the editorial board and supporters of the author.

The six members of the editorial board review the submitted article and post their reviews and suggestions to the discussion section belonging to the article. Their contributions are attributed.

Authors are encouraged to respond to these comments, and reviewers (who may not necessarily agree with each other) likewise. This discussion forms the basis for coming to an agreement for publication.
If the editors judge the article to be of sufficient quality -- that is, broadly readable, acceptable and fitting the aims of COCO JOURNAL -- the (revised) article will be made available to the general public. This final publication will be freely accessible on the COCO JOURNAL site.


4. Frequency of Publication

COCO JOURNAL does not have a chronological concept of publishing an issue, like paper-based journals. As soon as there is an agreement between editors and author, COCO JOURNAL will publish the article.


5. Finally

  • People participating in the discussion are named and accountable for their comments.
  • Authors have the right of reply
  • Authors and readers can post links to point to subsequent work elsewhere and can post comments and links pointing to work which has not been referenced, or did not exist when the article was written.
  • Authors, reviewers and anyone else who has subscribed to an article will receive email alerts to new postings to the discussion.
Onderwerpen

The Challenge of Peer Organisation

J. P. Hoogma, The Challenge of Peer Organisation. Edinburgh, Scotland: CornuCopia Publications, 2001.

or the art of being in charge of ourselves
and still working productively together

Preface

In 1996 friends repeatedly asked me to write down my vision of how Co-Counsellors can organise themselves. How can peership be combined with effective organisation? The reason they gave me was that Co-Counsellors in the Scottish network did not really know and understand what my vision was. Eventually I accepted this challenge and wrote two articles for the Scottish Good&Newsletter, published in 1996 and 1997. This publication contains the almost unchanged version of these two articles.

Chapter 1 "Some facts about Co-Counsellors" describes facts that I think need to be taken into account when Co-Counsellors try to organise themselves. These facts actually pose challenges that are easily overlooked. When not dealt with, efforts invested into Co-Counselling often are wasted and lead to disappointment.

In Chapter 2 "Choices made in Scotland" you will find the decisions we made in the Scottish experiment, e.g How did we meet the above-mentioned challenges in Scotland in the period from 1992-1997?

Consensual peership not only promises everybody to have a voice in decision-making but also the opportunity to block everything what one doesn't like. Therefore each peership organisation is confronted with the challenge to avoid the trap of messy, ineffective democracy and to develop a decision making process that involves as many Co-Counsellors as possible and produces wise decisions and good results as well.

In Chapter 3 "Decision Making" I take a closer look at critical issues in the decision-making of peer and voluntary organisations. I also describe the proposals I made for the 1997 AGM to improve decision making and involvement in the Scottish Co-Counselling network. Many of my proposals are now implemented, though in amended forms.

At the time it was my aim to write a chapter about how the development of a strong Co-Counselling volunteers base can be stimulated. In 1998 however, my priorities shifted and I didn't finalise and publish the draft. A slightly changed version you can read in the Scottish Section of the five Case Studies "How can we support new Co-Counsellors to settle into Co-Counselling."

Finally, the things I have written are not pure theory or speculative fantasy. I am pleased to see that those ideas translated themselves very much into a vibrant Co-Counselling community in Scotland, now already existing for several years.

Thanks for your attention,

JanPieter Hoogma, February 2001

Onderwerpen
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Teaching Co-Counselling - a checklist for apprentices

Co-counseling Teachers of Northeastern USA: Statement of Purpose

We meet together as teachers to gain clarity about what we teach, and to pursue excellence in the way we teach it and to promote the process of co-counseling. As powerful, in-charge beings, we each bring our own safety in creating a supportive space in which to validate, celebrate and energize ourselves. We meet to strengthen our commitment to the creation of our own co-counseling as a vehicle of change and healing in the world.

The following checklist was developed by us as part of our apprenticeship process.


Contents check list

  1. Facilitation Skills
  2. Understanding of Group Dynamics
  3. Class Design
  4. Co-counseling Skills list

1. Facilitation Skills

  1. Leading Opening and Closing Circles
  2. Using humor
  3. Getting and staying present during challenging situations
  4. Facilitating Group Time
  5. Using present situations for teaching and healing
  6. Handling disruptive patterns
  7. Understanding distinctions between client, counselor, and teacher roles.

2. Understanding of Group Dynamics

  1. Creating safety
  2. Creating a culture of validation (positive regard, mutual respect)
  3. Recognizing and managing group energy level & pace and intensity
  4. Confidentiality
  5. Generating enthusiasm, lightness, fun

3. Class Design

  1. Creating a class plan with
  2. The purpose clearly defined
  3. Logical flow of skill-building
  4. Balancing structure and flexibility in carrying out class plan

4. Co-counseling Skills list

  1. New and Goods
  2. Validations
  3. Contracts
  4. Present Time
  5. What's on Top
  6. Confidentiality
  7. Socializing and Sexualizing
  8. Touch/Hugs
  9. Scanning
  10. Discharge
  11. Restimulation
  12. Pattern Identification
  13. I.D. Checks
  14. Life Action
  15. Direction Setting
  16. Direction Holding
  17. Interventions
  18. Random Pleasant Memories
  19. Two Pillow Technique
  20. Role Play
  21. Conflict Resolution
  22. Closure
Onderwerpen