OpenSpace is a celebration of life and its challenges. We help make life a celebration, specially for those whom such celebration seems distant and human rights remains a dream.

Work is an integral part of celebration when no one is an extra and all are valued. In some celebrations some are more prominent, but within the cycle, everyone comes to the centre—be it gods or people, children, women or men. It has space for each person to utilise and express their talents, and be acknowledged. It even has space enough to remain unseen.

A celebration is made possible by sharing skills and resources, each supporting and reinforcing the other. The celebration of life is a fundamental human right that we endorse.

At OpenSpace, we support the celebration of life by sharing information, resources and solidarity. We provide support in institution development, documentation and training, publishing, human rights education, advocacy and campaigns.

Institution development
• Process support and strategic planning.
• Policy analysis and position papers.
• Systems design and development.
• Sustainability of communities and institutions.

Documentation and training
We help organisations document their work, and also conduct regular trainings in documentation. These intensive courses span the entire range from the basics to process documentation.
• Case study writing.
• Proposals and reports.
• Documentation for communication and fundraising.
• Creating a management information system [Institution Development]
• Process documentation and support.
Specific courses are conducted on request.

Sharing information
It is now possible to get information to the grassroots and back in near realtime. We collect and share information electronically, word-of-mouth, telephony and cacophony. There are four free egroups for the purpose:
• anitaandedwin@yahoogroups.com sends out one email a day.
• invites@yahoogroups.com carries information on events in Bangalore and events of interest to Civil Society in Bangalore.
• peoplesvoices@yahoogroups.com to share case studies of communities and people who celebrate life, despite challenges.
• NgoJob@yahoogroups.com to share career opportunities in the voluntary sector.

Book reviews
People and groups working at the grassroots need more information of the advances in the knowledge base of society. The free egroup goodbookz@yahoogroups.com shares book reviews. The print version of goodbookz is a monthly priced at Rs 300 per annum in India, and Euro 30 abroad. It carries information about books on development and human rights and freely downloadable e-books.

Publishing
We have authored over 20 books on Dalit and Adivasi empowerment, sustainability of organisations and communities, human rights and NGO experiences, and edited several more. We support those who would like to publish in:
• Research.
• Editing.
• Layout and design.
• Printing and distribution.

Forthcoming
• Postcard information service.
• State of the nation reports.
• Conferences of practitioners.
• Fair trade exhibitions and sales.

Join us!
We invite you to join us by
• Sharing this idea with your friends.
• Posting information on events to invites@yahoogroups.com
• Sharing book reviews in goodbookz@yahoogroups.com
• Subscribing to the print version of goodbookz.
• If you would like to come for any courses, or want us to come over, do contact us.
• … and many more of your choice.

Openspace has space for you… tell us how you would like to be involved, and you can!