6. Long breathing

Success of projects like the IFF Academy depends on ensuring implementation over a period of at least a decade. Change is often slow and capacity to carry transformation is limited. However (as any organisation experiences) new inputs are accompanied by high expectations for early results and success. Maybe this discrepancy is one of the reasons why lots of carefully set up projects in the Feldenkrais Community run into dead ends such as the German Zukunftswerkstatt. Or they revert to ongoing stand-by mode like the ITATA (Trainer and Assistant Trainer Academy).

Examples on discrepancies regarding duration

§       Annual budget approvals by the IFF Assembly are reasonable for legitimacy purposes. IFF Representatives often change. Each Assembly the Academy Process needed to be explained from the scratch. This took time away from elaborating the projects.

§       The Academy Model is designed on participation processes, feedback loops, evaluations, readjusting concepts and practice. Even “products” (Online Research Journal, IFF - CD) are designed to be added to or upgraded. Advertising processes is more challenging than promoting products.

§       Shift in policy: by 2004/2005 the practitioner oriented IFF policy was questioned by some Member Organisations. A new policy focused on the IFF’s role as an organisation for Member Organisations and left the practitioners needs to the national associations. This shift significantly decreased attention and support for the IFF Academy process at an early and sensitive stage of implementation.

Personal experiences

• To stay with the process for several years needs courage, ongoing high motivation and conviction in following a suitable concept, trust in the team involved. We experienced a tremendous shortage of private time and significant reduction of income. This dedication into the Academy was successful: Assemblies 2001 and 2002 resisted recommendations to complete a Quality and Competency Project in a year or two, or finalise a less concise version of the Competency Project in 2006.
• The shift in policy away from orientation towards the practitioner oriented perspective was like taking away the wind but blaming the sailors for slow progress.