senior synthesis

When Women Gather

Facilitating Empowerment through Dialogue

Kari SolbergMarch 4, 2010

Antioch University SeattleSenior Synthesis Presentation

Kari SolbergMarch 4, 2010

Antioch University SeattleSenior Synthesis Presentation

Opening Exercise

“Setting Your Baggage Aside”*

*From Cool Tools for Hot Topics by Ron Kraybill & Evelyn Wright [Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2006]

The Women’s Group

A multi-generational group of women that meet to discuss cultural and community related topics.

The learnings that inspired this project

What sustains the group?

The future of the group

What has my role in the group taught me?

Inspired by studies in…

Storytelling for collaborative action

Dialogue

Group Facilitation

Narrating Change: Stories for Collective Action

Winter 2009

“Oral Testimony

can give

communities more

power to set their

own agenda for

development.”

Hugo Slim and Paul Thompson Listening for a Change

Reading that demonstrated the effect of narrative practices in a

community

The book The chapter

Chapter 11

“HealthPromoting

Conversations”

by Bev McKenzie

Individual Stories for Change:Women and Money

When: February 8, 2009 Participants: 12 (women aged 16-72)

The First Meeting of

The Women’s Group

The Power of Storytelling

Support, validation, collaboration, reframing of experiences, healing, restoration of

confidence, enthusiasm…

The Circle Process

“The circle is a

mechanism for

empowerment

and action, and

the organizing

power within us.”Christina Baldwin

Calling the Circle: The First and Future Culture

The Circle ProcessThe 10 Constants*The 10 Constants*

1. Honor the circle as sacred time and space.

2. Create a collective center

3. Be informed

4. Express gratitude

5. Create a container for full participation

6. Listen from the heart

7. Speak from the heart

8. Make room for silence

9. Empower each member

10. Commit to an ongoing relationship* From http://www.wisdomcircle.org/format.html

The Art of Dialogue

“Dialogue is about

expanding our

capacity for

awareness and

learning with and from

each other.” - Glenna Gerard

Group Facilitationincluding active listening, strategic questioning and group decision

making

fa·cil·i·ta·tor

• one that facilitates; especially : one that helps to bring about an outcome (as learning, productivity, or communication) by providing indirect or unobtrusive assistance, guidance, or supervision.

• a content nuetral guide to the process of group work.

1. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/facilitator2. Ron Kraybill and Evelyn Wright Cool Tools for Hot Topics

What sustains the group?

1.Democratic participation

2.A sense of community

3.The engagement of participants

4.A belief in the ability to create change

How does this result in empowerment?

em·pow·er  

•To invest with power.

•To equip or supply with an ability.

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/empower

The Rules

Just kidding!

•We will speak for ourselves and from experience.

•We will not criticize or judge the views of other participants.

•We will respect each others opinions.

•We will challenge each other!

•We will participate within the time frames suggested by the facilitator.

•We will not interrupt each other.

•We will hold each other accountable.

•We will “pass” if we don’t wish to speak.

•We will respect the confidentiality of the group.

EMBRACE ANXIETY!

“We must

acknowledge that

confusion, anxiety

and digression often

precede clarity,

excitement and

focus.” - Marvin Weisbord, Sandra Janoff, Jack MacNeish

Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There!