12. Going with the process

Remaining responsible for the Academy over such long period indicates that working for the Academy was far from being boring. Following the functional approach we adjusted ourselves and the Academy to new conditions. Certainly the shift in policy, resulting in less funding and decreased support for the Academy, was demanding in terms of flexibility.

Examples of adaptability

§       Originally the Assembly decided on a hard copy IFF Academy Research Journal. Planning took time and finally an online version was more reasonable. Digital implementation was far more challenging and time consuming especially for Academy Coordinator Carolin Theuring.

§       The website preview collapsed in March 2006. To ensure presentation of at least some of the IFF achievements in May 2006 to the IFF Assembly and the broader Feldenkrais Community Academy Committee members, and its Coordinator Marie-Christine Schmoetzer, volunteered to produce a professionally performing IFF Info CD (offline & online option) within only two months.

§       For 2006 Assembly’s agenda some Member Organisations questioned prolongation of the Competency Profile Project. To ensure completion of the development phase of the Profile the Assembly Design Team involved IFF representatives in doing one of the Competency profiles particular methodologies (Critical incident Technique) in advance and at the Assembly to enhance their understanding of the project. Building on this preparation three long term Competency project members (Rineke Brinkhof, Markus Riesen, Cliff Smyth), all former IFF Board members and

especially committed, persuaded the Assembly to mandate taking the necessary time to meaningfully complete the profile, translate it and pass oversight of this to a new team.

Personal experiences

• These years on the IFF Board and Academy belong to some of the most exciting years in our lives. None of us would ever have encountered this opportunity to carry the Academy process while staying at home in a cosy corner.
• Experiencing decrease in support for the Academy, although concrete Academy activities were achieved, reports presented, budgets adjusted and hard work done to repair the website, we became less able and inclined to move the Academy forward. Finally at 2008 IFF Assembly all four Academy committee members stepped down, “to allow the Assembly and the Board the freedom to consider forming a new Academy Committee reflecting the new circumstances” (quote resignation letter 3 May 2008, signed by Rob Black).