FAQs

The practices and philosophies of the Work That Reconnects  are open source and anyone is welcome to use them as long as they acknowledge the source. Many people have contributed resources such as practices, books, songs, poems and more. If you are interested in using a particular resource or practice, we recommend that you check with the author.

The Network doesn’t have an office. Our team members live and work remotely from many different parts of the world.

Donations by mail can be sent to our fiscal sponsor, Inquiring Systems at the following address:

Organizations usually have a more traditional hierarchical structure, while networks are open systems. A network serves as a collective. There are no managers or leaders; we are all accountable, and responsibility and engagement goes more than two ways. In a Network, we are responsible to each other as well as to the vision and mission and the foundational values of the Work.

Joanna turned 90 in 2019 and is mostly retired. She occasionally appears in interviews, webinars and events.

Joanna lives in Berkeley, California, in the USA. To contact her, please use the contact form on her website.

Once you have some experience facilitating the Work That Reconnects you can apply to become a Facilitator Member of the WTR Network. Some basic requirements were established by Joanna Macy and a small group of experienced Work That Reconnects facilitators to assure that the facilitators listed on the Work That Reconnects Network website have a strong foundation in Work That Reconnects facilitation.

The main benefit of being a Facilitator Member of the Work That Reconnects Network is becoming part of a growing global network, where you can connect with others, as well as propose and lead projects that contribute to and carry forth the values of the Work and the vision and mission of the WTR Network.

Other benefits include:

• Your facilitator profile listed on the Map & Directory of Facilitator Members
• Access to list your workshops and offerings in the Events Calendar
• Promotion of your workshops and offerings through the Work That Reconnects Network newsletter and social media channels.
• Your blog posts and accompanying resources featured on the Network website.
• Opportunities to propose and lead webinars and conversation cafés.

Learn more about additional benefits of becoming a registered facilitator.

Because the Work That Reconnects is open source, there is no official certification to become a facilitator. Until recently, most Work That Reconnects facilitators have gained their skills by taking part in and assisting in as many workshops and longer intensives as possible and/or by organizing and practicing with groups on their own.

However, several experienced facilitators around the world have begun to offer facilitator development programs to guide and support emerging facilitators on their journey.

Work That Reconnects Network Facilitator Members are experienced in the foundations of the Work and have an in-depth understanding and demonstrated ability to articulate and incorporate the core teachings and worldviews for workshop participants. Some of them have additional experience in ecotherapy, mindfulness, grief circles, and related fields.

Work That Reconnects Network Facilitator Members are listed in the WTR Network Map & Directory.

We recommend checking the Event Calendar for online workshops, webinars, and cafes and signing up for an event that feels like a good fit to you.

Some of our WTR Network Facilitator Members are available for mentoring emerging facilitators who are Community Members of the Network. Once you become a Community Member you will find guidance for finding a mentor in your member portal.

Additionally, experienced facilitators around the world have begun to offer facilitator development programs, some of which provide mentoring opportunities.

Please check the Map and Directory to find a WTR Facilitator in your region of the world. With the support of a local person to organize logistics and publicity many of our Facilitator Members would be delighted to travel to facilitate a workshop outside of their immediate vicinity.

A number of our Facilitators Members offer workshops in languages besides English. You can use the search and filter features in our Map and Directory to find a facilitator that offers workshops in the language you prefer.

Some of the facilitators listed on our website offer workshops for children or youth. You can use the search and filter features in our Map and Directory to find a facilitator that offers Work That Reconnects experiences for young people.

Here are some suggestions for experiencing the Work That Reconnects in regions without facilitators or events:

• Various facilitators offer online webinars, workshops and cafes. We recommend checking the Event Calendar for these offerings.
• Start an Active Hope book group. Visit the Active Hope website to learn more about the book, receive tips on how to start a book study group and find study guides. When starting, we recommend that participants share facilitation of the group and practices.
• Start a study group to follow the core text, Coming Back to Life. Training videos and other materials in our Resource Library provide an excellent way to digest the interactive wisdom of the Work. Take turns leading and participating in practices to build compassion, understanding and confidence.

If you have special needs and are planning to attend an event, you should communicate directly with the facilitator of that event. Most facilitators should be able to accommodate your needs. Although most facilitators work hard to find good venues and make their workshops accessible, we cannot guarantee all needs will be met. As a Network, we don’t have any control over things such as location, venue, meals, accessibility, or affordability, as each event is designed and led independently by a different member of the Network.

Facilitator Members pay an annual membership fee on a sliding scale and receive a variety of benefits to support their work. Facilitator Membership fees help to support the Network’s activities, staff, website, and journal.

As a Community Member you can create a profile highlighting your interests and be listed in the WTR Network Map & Directory as well as participate in the WTR Network Community Forum. Community Members are also eligible to volunteer for a WTR Network committee and connect with a WTR Facilitator mentor (a great opportunity for emerging facilitators).

The Core Team of the WTR Network is made up of both staff Weavers and volunteer Weavers with a deep commitment to the Work That Reconnects. They contribute their time, energy, expertise and inspiration to the Work That Reconnects Network. They are similar to a board of directors in a non-profit organization.

Before becoming a Weaver you must be a Community Member or Facilitator Member of the Work That Reconnects Network and be engaged as a volunteer on one of our committees. If you are interested in joining the Core Team as a Weaver and are not already volunteering with the Work That Reconnects Network, please begin by applying to volunteer for one of our committees. We encourage you to share your interest in becoming a Weaver in your application.

Even if you don’t have the time and ability to volunteer for the Work That Reconnects Network your support is welcome. Your contributions of donations can help cover the costs of operation and fund future projects. Your engagement within the community forum and participation in events can also benefit the community. If you are a Facilitator Member, we invite you to contribute resources, blog articles and artwork to share with the global community of Work That Reconnects lovers.

We encourage folks who live near one another to create a Community of Practice to connect with each other in person and develop resilience rooted in place, beyond dependence on the internet. You can begin by gathering two or three folks with an interest in the WTR. Take time to get to know each other, perhaps share a meal together, and offer each other the gift of listening from the heart.

If you do start a Community of Practice we encourage you to submit it as a listing in our Map & Directory so others can find you.

We use gift economy practices to radically increase accessibility while allowing generosity to flow throughout our community. All our Webinar & Conversation Cafe events are offered on a free-choice donation basis, with no one turned away for lack of funds. Our Community Member donations and Facilitator Member fees are offered on a sliding scale and we provide payment waivers upon request, when needed.

Since our global community includes people from many different national economies and economic circumstances, we encourage a collective approach to the finances that support the organization. As part of a global community, we encourage you to consider where you exist within the wider spectrum of global economic privilege and give accordingly. As we pitch in together in the ways that we can, we trust that we can sustain our collective work and create a community of abundance.

Additionally, we prioritize channeling financial resources back into our community by uplifting the work of our Facilitator Members and providing opportunities for revenue sharing through the Webinar & Conversation Cafe program and other offerings. Beyond financial resources our work is more deeply focused on increasing social capital, connection, quality of life and resilience for our community in every way possible.

Most of the events listed in the Events Calendar are offered independently by individual Work That Reconnects facilitators around the world. Each facilitator determines the fees for their own events, based on costs of the venue, meals, and the funds they need to receive for their work. Many facilitators offer reduced fees or scholarships, or work on a donation basis when possible. The Work That Reconnects Network does not set any standards regarding fees for these independent events. Please contact the facilitator of the workshop you are interested in to ask about these possibilities.

Events hosted by the Work That Reconnects Network as part of the Webinar and Conversation Cafe program are offered within the Gift Economy for an optional free choice donation of any amount. We invite participants to donate generously within their means and to feel free to join us even if they can’t contribute financially. No one is turned away for lack of funds.

Please communicate directly with the facilitator of the workshop or event you registered for. All financial arrangements for independently offered events listed in our Events Calendar are the responsibility of the facilitator involved.

If you are seeking a refund for an event hosted by the Work That Reconnects Network, please contact our administrative team.

If you are in need of a payment waiver, please do not hesitate to request one. Access to membership benefits is not tied to the amount of money you contribute.

The Deep Times volunteer editorial team is listed on the Committees page.

Anyone involved in the Work That Reconnects may submit materials to the journal, with preference given to materials from Facilitator Members.

Please submit:

• Articles about the work you are doing
• Insights and inquiry into concepts and theory of the Work That Reconnects
• Information about your work with specific populations
• Your poetry, music, artwork
• and anything else you want to share with the larger community that is directly related to the theme of that particular issue.

We are especially interested in featuring writers and artists of color. Submissions are accepted twice a year in the months leading up to the release of each issue. Submissions may be sent six to eight weeks prior to publication. Visit the submission guidelines page for full details.

We do not have funds to pay for submissions. The editorial team is all volunteer and the publication itself is free. Members of the Work That Reconnects community share their work as a contribution to our common understanding and inspiration.

If you are interested in volunteering on the Deep Times committee, please read the requirements for volunteering for the WTR Network and fill out the Volunteer Application. We especially welcome Work That Reconnects Network Community Members from outside the USA and from People of the Global Majority.

We publish Deep Times twice a year in a web-based edition to make the articles more readable and accessible. You can print out individual stories from the web-based issue by using the print button at the top of each story. PDFs of entire issues are not yet available.

Thank you! Please let us know by contacting us here.

We’re sorry to hear this. Please start by contacting the appropriate facilitator with your concerns. If you continue to have serious concerns about a facilitator, please let us know. While we are not responsible nor liable for what facilitators around the world offer, we take seriously the job of protecting the integrity of the Work That Reconnects and the WTR Network.