At a time when the world faces ongoing environmental, social and economic challenges, there is a growing need for community initiatives that move towards a sustainable future. The document "The Essential Guide to Doing Transition” (The Essential Guide to Making the Transition) offers a comprehensive guide for communities who want to collectively rethink and restore our planet through the creation of a healthy human culture.

This guide is designed for communities looking to effectively and quickly implement the transition process in their communities. Transition is a movement that has been actively working to address major challenges at the local level since 2005. Its mission is to foster a culture of care that connects people to themselves, their environment, and nature. The goal is to rebuild the economy, support entrepreneurship, change the way we think about work, develop skills, and create networks of support. With more than 50 countries and thousands of groups around the world, the Transition movement is growing in popularity and influence.

Why get involved in the transition?

People choose to join the transition movement for a variety of reasons. The most common include a desire to get to know their neighbors, strive for positive change in the world, overcome a sense of community disconnect, catalyze new projects and investment opportunities, learn new skills, and create a better story for their place. Transition offers a platform to engage in processes that shape a more sustainable and socially just future.

Transition principles

The key principles of the transition are:

– Respecting resource limits and building resilience.

– Promoting inclusiveness and social justice.

– Applying subsidiarity, i.e. decision-making at the most appropriate level.

– Balance between activity and rest, which ensures the sustainability of the efforts.

– Participation in an experimental, learning network for continuous improvement.

– Sharing ideas and powers, which supports collective solutions.

– Cooperation and finding synergies between different initiatives.

– Promoting positive vision and creativity for innovative approaches.

Head, heart and hands

Successfully implementing a transition requires a balance between rational thinking (the head), emotional intelligence (the heart), and practical action (the hands). This triple symbiosis enables communities to effectively plan, motivate, and implement change.

7 essential components of a successful transition

1. Healthy groups: Learn to collaborate effectively, build trust, and resolve conflicts.

2. Vision: Together, imagine the future you want to co-create.

3. Connection: Actively involve the wider community in the transition process.

4. Networks and partnerships: Collaborate with other groups and organizations to achieve greater impact.

5. Practical projects: Implement concrete initiatives that demonstrate the transition in practice.

6. Be part of a movement: Connect with a global network of people sharing similar goals.

7. Reflection and Celebration: Regularly assess progress and celebrate achievements.

Implementation and consolidation

Starting the transition requires the creation of an initiative group with the necessary skills and a clear focus on the geographical area. Establishing contacts with other groups and organizations is key to building networks and partnerships. Consolidating the process involves moving from an initiative group to an established transition commune, creating thematic groups and supporting projects that meet legal requirements and sustainability.

"The Essential Guide to Doing Transition" emphasizes that a successful transition is not just about creating world-changing projects, but also about building a culture that reflects the vision of the future we want to achieve. Through collaboration, creativity, and commitment, communities around the world can create a sustainable and equitable environment for future generations. Spring