organizing community-wide dialogue for action and change

STUDY CIRCLESR E S O U R C E C E N T E R

Helping People Work Together For Creative Community Change

A S T E P - B Y - S T E P G U I D E

Organizing

Community-wide

Dialogue

For Action

& Change

Organizing

Community-wide

Dialogue

for Action

and Change

S T U D Y C I R C L E S R E S O U R C E C E N T E R

O R G A N I Z I N G C O M M U N I T Y - W I D E D I A L O G U E F O R A C T I O N A N D C H A N G E

Organizing Community-wide Dialogue for Action and Change:A Step-by-step Guide was developed by the Study Circles Resource Center.SCRC is a project of the Topsfield Foundation, Inc., a private, nonprofit,nonpartisan foundation that is dedicated to advancing deliberative democracyand improving the quality of public life in the United States. SCRC carries outthis mission by helping communities to organize study circles – small-group,democratic, highly participatory discussions that give everyday people opportuni-ties to make a difference in their communities. We provide advice, networking,and how-to materials (including study circle guides on a variety of issues).

Managing Editors: Sarah vL. Campbell, Amy Malick, and Martha L. McCoy

Writers: Sarah vL. Campbell, Amy Malick, John Landesman, Molly Holme Barrett,Matt Leighninger, Martha L. McCoy, Patrick L. Scully

Editing: Molly Holme Barrett

Production: Francine Nichols

Design: M&M Design, Columbia, Connecticut

We would like to help you organize community-wide study circle programs.Please contact us for assistance at SCRC, P.O. Box 203, Pomfret, CT 06258.Phone: 860-928-2616. Fax 860-928-3713. E-mail: [email protected] our web site at www.studycircles.org

The companion piece to this guide is:A Guide for Training Study Circle Facilitators

Permissions Policy

YES: Photocopying portions of this book is encouraged for the purpose oforganizing community-wide study circle programs.

MAYBE: Reproducing portions of this book for fee-for-service situations,or incorporating study circle materials into other publications, requires ourwritten permission.

Organizing Community-wide Dialogue for Action and Change:A Step-by-step Guide

Copyright @2001 Topsfield Foundation, Inc.

$30

We dedicate this guide tothe hundreds of peopleacross the country whohave invented, applied,and refined the practice ofcommunity-wide dialogueand problem solving.

Special thanks to Roberts& Kay, Inc., of Lexington,Kentucky, and the BestPractices Team for helpingus understand andhighlight the best practicesorganizers have developedto produce successfulcommunity-wide studycircle programs.

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Sample Documents, Illustrations, and Charts ...................................................... v

Introduction – Using This Guide ............................................................................ vii

Part 1 – An Overview of Community-wide Study Circles ......................................... 1

The basic principles of study circle programs ...................................................... 2

How do community-wide study circle programs work? ....................................... 3

Community-wide study circle programs around the country .............................. 4

The impact of community-wide study circles ....................................................... 5

Part 2 – Organizing a Community-wide Study Circle Program ............................... 7

The basic steps of organizing ................................................................................. 8

Glossary of study circle terms .............................................................................. 10

Step 1 – Get Started .......................................................................................... 11

Step 2 – Clarify Your Issue and Think about Discussion Materials .............. 13

Step 3 – Build Your Team ................................................................................. 19

Build a strong, diverse working group and organizing coalition ................ 19

Identify a coordinator and establish clear areas of responsibility ............ 27

Step 4 – Develop a Plan .................................................................................... 31

Step 5 – Share the Work of Organizing Study Circles .................................... 37

Plan and Carry Out Communication ............................................................. 39

Develop a Budget and Plan for Fund Raising ............................................... 55

Document and Evaluate Your Program ........................................................ 63

Recruit Participants and Form Diverse Groups .......................................... 83

Plan for Action, Including the Action Forum ................................................ 89

Recruit, Train, and Support Facilitators ....................................................... 99

Plan the Kickoff .............................................................................................107

Find Sites and Handle Logistics ...................................................................111

Table of Contents

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Step 6 – Hold a Round of Study Circles ..........................................................115

Step 7 – Sustain Your Program and Expand the Impact of Your Work ....... 119

Part 3 – Community Profiles

Decatur, Georgia ...................................................................................................123

Fayetteville, North Carolina .................................................................................125

Guilderland, New York ..........................................................................................127

Inglewood, California ............................................................................................129

Springfield, Illinois ................................................................................................131

Part 4 Appendices, Resources, and Index

Appendix A Involving Public Officials in Your Program .....................................133

Appendix B Involving Young People in Your Program ........................................137

Appendix C Involving the Media in Your Program ..............................................139

Resources ..............................................................................................................143

Index ......................................................................................................................146

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Sample Documents, Illustrations, and Charts

Sample Documents

1. Invitation to Coalition-Building Meeting ..................................................... 242. Agenda for Coalition-Building Meeting (Annotated) ................................ 253. Sign-up Sheet for Sponsors/Coalition Members ...................................... 264. Press Release .................................................................................................. 495. Public Service Announcement ...................................................................... 506. Media Advisory ................................................................................................. 517. Flier ............................................................................................................... 52-538. Talking Points on Education – Student Achievement ............................... 549. Participant Questionnaire ........................................................................ 71-74

10. Report on Program Implementation....................................................... 75-7711. Report on Program Outcomes ................................................................. 78-8112. Form for Participant Registration ................................................................ 8813. Agenda for Action Forum (Annotated) ........................................................ 9814. Invitation to Potential Facilitators.............................................................. 10515. Form for Facilitator Registration ............................................................... 106

Illustrations and Charts

1. The Democracy Tree ......................................................................................... 62. The Basic Steps of Organizing ..................................................................... 8-93. Glossary of Study Circle Terms..................................................................... 104. Work Sheet: Developing a Plan ..................................................................... 365. Selecting Communication Tools ................................................................... 426. Targeting Media ............................................................................................... 457. Possible Budget Items ................................................................................... 618. Action and Change in Study Circle Programs ............................................. 92

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C

Introduction – Using This Guide

The purpose of thisguide is to help youorganize a large-scale,community-wide studycircle program. In such aprogram, many studycircles meet at the sametime across a community,to examine an importantpublic issue and developstrategies to address it.Community-wide studycircle programs are usuallycarried out by a broadcoalition of communityorganizations and people.They are often staffed by acoordinator and assistedby many volunteers.

vii

ongratulations! You have just taken onthe task of organizing a community-wide studycircle program. You may be starting a programfrom scratch, reinvigorating a stalled one, orjoining the program in mid-process. You arean experienced organizer, or you are fairly newto community work. You know your mission:Recruit and organize a large number of peoplefrom diverse backgrounds, viewpoints, andexperiences into community-wide studycircles. Now what? This is a question askedby many people and the impetus forwriting this guide.

Organizing community-wide study circles isnot an easy task, but with a little help you canbe successful. Dozens of people – just like you– have organized successful community-widestudy circle programs in communities all overthe country. This guide includes their sugges-tions, experiences, and questions.

This guide can be used in several ways.Read through it to get an understanding of theprinciples of study circle organizing. Use it asyou develop an organizing strategy, and keep itwith you to refer to questions, tips, and sampledocuments on an ongoing basis. Share parts ofit with those who are working with you toorganize the program. (Remember, no oneperson can do this alone.)

Organizing community-wide study circlesis more art than science. An effective programis organized to fit the flavor of the communityand the specifics of the issue. Yet many organiz-ers have faced challenges similar to your own;we offer their lessons as a guide. Adapt theirtools to meet your community’s needs.

Using this guideOrganizing a community-wide study circle

program is a complex undertaking. Many thingswill be happening at the same time: coalitionbuilding, communication and publicity,recruiting participants, training facilitators,fund raising, planning for action, and more.This guide is designed to help you understandand carry out the many aspects of community-wide organizing for public dialogue and action.

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We hope that the guide will be particularlyuseful in four stages of your work:

� at the very beginning, when you are gettingan idea of what it will take to organize acommunity-wide program;

� when you have assembled a committedworking group, and are actively working todevelop an organizing plan;

� as committees of the working group areimplementing their piece of the work plan(parts of the guide are designed as stand-alone pieces to copy and share with thesecommittees.)

� throughout the development of yourprogram, as specific organizing challengesarise. For these, we hope that you will usethe guide as a reference tool to help answerspecific questions.

Check our web sitewww.studycircles.org

for additional tipsand suggestions.

Part 1 provides an overview of community-wide study circle programs. What are they?What do they accomplish? What is the scopeof the study circle movement?

Part 2 begins with an overview of the basicsteps in organizing a community-wide studycircle program, including a glossary of terms.It also provides suggestions and advice onall aspects of organizing a community-wideprogram.

Part 3 provides some profiles of actual studycircle programs. These describe varioussuccessful organizing practices.

Part 4 contains appendices – including tipsfor involving the media, public officials, andyoung people in your program – an annotatedresource list, and an index.

Contact the Study Circles Resource Centerwhen using this guide. We offer assistancefree of charge to communities that areorganizing programs, and will share whatwe have learned from many programsaround the country.

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A

Part 1

ll communities – neighborhoods, smalltowns, medium-sized and large metropolitanregions – face a wide array of complexchallenges. Addressing those kinds ofchallenges calls for innovative and inclusiveapproaches to community problem solving.

Most people care about their communitiesand would like to make a difference. Manywould like the chance to work with others inproductive ways. Yet, it can be difficult to knowwhere to begin and how to make progress.Often, when communities try to work togetheron a public problem, communication and trustbreak down between people and groups fromdifferent backgrounds and sectors.

People have different perspectives andexperiences, and so they see the issuesdifferently. The solutions that make sense forone person or group may not meet the needsof others. And, there are usually lots of peopleon the sidelines, not invited into problemsolving or not knowing how to take part.

An Overview ofCommunity-wide Study Circles

1

This is where community-wide study circleprograms come in. These large-scale programsare designed to help all kinds of people workthrough the issues with each other and solvepublic problems through more productiveways of working together.

Many leaders and citizens are drawn tocommunity-wide study circle programsbecause they provide what is usually missingin community life – a process for meaningful,face-to-face give-and-take between peoplefrom different backgrounds and views. Thecommunity-wide scope of study circle pro-grams and the ways they link dialogue tochange help ensure that many people fromacross a community will come to the table, andthat their participation will make a difference.

Community-wide study circles can make aunique contribution to strengthening thecommunity and solving public problems, butthey are not “the only game in town.” Effectivecommunity-wide study circle programs valueand build on existing community work andresources. They help to multiply andstrengthen other community-building efforts.Many communities are finding ways to connecttheir programs to other civic processes suchas strategic planning, visioning, servicelearning, and shared governance.

The studycircle process

The study circle process isnot magic or mysterious.It’s simply a tested set ofdemocratic principles andtools for engaging thewhole community in all itsvariety, bringing peopletogether for public dialogue,and combining their ideasand resources to create andimplement solutions.

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A community-wide studycircle program:

� is organized by a diversecoalition that reflects thewhole community.

� includes a large numberof participants from allwalks of life.

� uses easy-to-use,nonpartisan discussionmaterial.

� uses trained facilitatorswho reflect thecommunity’s diversity.

� results in specificopportunities to moveto action when the studycircles conclude.

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The basic principles of study circleprograms

Community-wide study circle programsembody democratic principles of equality,inclusiveness, and collaboration. Thisapproach to community change is based onthese ideas:

� People care about the communities theylive in, and want to make them better.

� Complex problems call for many kindsof solutions.

� People from all backgrounds and allsegments of society have something tocontribute.

� When everybody is included in public life,everybody benefits.

� When all kinds of people develop trust andrelationships through face-to-face dialogue,new ideas and approaches emerge.

� When people consider different pointsof view on a complex issue, they uncovercommon ground and find better solutions.

� When people have a voice in the publicconversation, they are more likely to takepart in creating and carrying out ideas forcommunity change.

� The more people that are involved, thebigger the impact.

� Community change is more likely to lastand deepen when individual and collectiveactions are tied together.

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Part 1

A study circle:

� is a small, diversegroup of eight totwelve participants.

� meets regularly overa period of weeks ormonths to addressa critical public issuein a democratic andcollaborative way.

� sets its own groundrules for a respectful,productive discussion.

� is led by a facilitatorwho is impartial, whohelps manage theprocess, but is not an“expert” or “teacher”in the traditional sense.

� considers the issuefrom many pointsof view.

� does not requireconsensus, butuncovers areas ofagreement andcommon concern.

� progresses from asession on personalexperience of theissue, to sessions thatexamine many pointsof view on the issue, toa session that considersstrategies for actionand change.

3

How do community-wide study circleprograms work?

In a community-wide program, people allover a neighborhood, city, county, schooldistrict, or region meet in study circles overthe same period of time. A “round” of studycircles usually takes about two months, andcan include from ten to fifty circles, dependingon the size of the community.

All the study circles work on the same issue,and seek solutions for the whole community.At the end of a round of study circles, peoplefrom all the study circles come together ina large community meeting to work togetheron the action ideas that came out of all thestudy circles.

No single organization or person can createan effective program like this without help. Toensure diverse community-wide participation,the program organizing must be driven by agroup of community leaders and organizationsthat represents the diversity of the wholecommunity, not just one sector, constituencyor group.

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4

Community-wide study circleprograms around the country

The Topsfield Foundation created the StudyCircles Resource Center in 1989 with themission of finding ways for all kinds of peopleto engage in dialogue and problem solving oncritical social and political issues.

Since then, SCRC has worked with manykinds of communities, on many differentissues, to develop a process for bringingpeople together for creative communitychange. Hundreds of communities across thecountry have organized community-wide studycircle programs. SCRC works directly withthese communities, to refine and improve theprocess for organizing large-scale communitydialogue that leads to action and change.

From neighborhoods to large cities, broadcoalitions of community groups are bringingtogether hundreds (and sometimes thousands)of people from all walks of life to deal withimportant issues.

These coalitions are addressing suchissues as: racism and race relations; educationreform; crime and violence; immigration;diversity; youth concerns; growth and sprawl;police-community relations; building strongneighborhoods; and neighborhoods support-ing families with children. In addition, manycolleges and high schools are organizing studycircles to engage young people in dialogue andproblem solving.

As SCRC works with regional, state, andnational organizations interested in activecitizenship, study circles are becoming a morewidely known and well-tested process forlarge-scale citizen involvement. Throughoutthe country, study circles are increasinglyrecognized as a dynamic part of what many areheralding as a new movement for strengthen-ing democracy and community building.

For more information aboutSCRC and Topsfield – our

history, partnerships, publica-tions, and services – please

contact us, or go to ourwebsite: www.studycircles.org

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Study circle outcomes

� New learning (partici-pants see a morecomplete picture ofthe issue and of othersin the community)

� New relationships andnetworks (across typicalbarriers)

� New ownership of theissue (the issue is nolonger “someone else’sproblem”)

� New leadership

� New collaborations

� New policies

� New processes forcommunity problemsolving

Part 1

The impact of community-widestudy circles

Organizers of community-wide study circleprograms and others in their communities areseeing the powerful results of people reallytalking with each other and finding ways towork together to solve public problems.

The most immediate kinds of change happenwhen people gain new understanding of anissue, and form new relationships – across thebarriers of race, background, political ideology,income, and geography. These changes canreadily translate into new individual or small-group commitments to action. Some peopletake their new ideas and approaches back totheir organizations, and sow the seeds ofinstitutional change.

Sometimes, people envision and createsolutions that take the form of new communityprojects or collaborations. Or, they decide toadd their energies and ideas to efforts alreadyunder way in the community. When govern-ment is part of the organizing, and electedofficials take part in the study circles, thispaves the way for more effective policy makingand collaborative work.

Still other kinds of change that come fromstudy circles are more complex and can takelonger to take shape. These include changessuch as new policies, new decisions, changesin the allocation of resources, and newprocesses for involving the public in solvingproblems. (For a description of the differentways in which study circle programs lead fromdialogue to action, see “Action and Change inStudy Circle Programs” on page 92.)

One study circle organizer recently summa-rized the impact of the process by saying, “Acommunity that talks together is alive!” Peopleare finding ways to lend their hearts, hands,and minds to solving public problems andbuilding stronger communities.

To read stories about theimpact of some community-wide study circle programs,

see our website:www.studycircles.org

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A tree is an organism of manyparts – roots, bark, leaves, trunk –joined together to make a whole,living thing.

The source of the tree’s strengthis the root system, and everythingthat comes after, as the tree grows,is supported and anchored by theroots. In study circles, the rootsare the inclusive community-wideprocess for linking large-scaledialogue to change, and the strengthof democratic, face-to-face dialogue.

As the tree grows, it develops,enlarges, and expands beyond theroot system. In large-scale studycircle programs, citizens moveinto complex problem-solvingand community-building efforts –through new relationships, newleadership, new collaborations, andstronger community change efforts.The success of these efforts isrooted in both the community-wideprocess and the experience of eachindividual circle.

A fully developed study circleprogram is substantial – it providesa way for large numbers of commu-nity members and institutions tocombine their ideas and energy forcreative community change.

The Democracy Tree

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P

Part 2Organizing aCommunity-wide Study Circle Program

art 2 walks you through the steps of organizinga community-wide study circle program.

� Each step builds on the one before it.For example, successful recruitment andaction results depend on how well youdefine goals, build your coalition, anddevelop a plan.

� Sample documents appear in somesections.

� Sections can be pulled out, copied, andgiven to committee members to helpthem work more easily as a team.

� Steps can be revisited. Most organizersfind themselves going back to various stepsfrom time to time.

Visitwww.studycircles.org

for the latest news from community-wide programsand updated information for organizing

your program.

The information in this guide should helpyou to do most of the work without directassistance from SCRC. It shows you how toimplement most of the strategies you need tolaunch a community-wide study circle program.Whenever you do need our advice or assis-tance, we encourage you to call us.

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The Basic Steps of Organizing

Step 1: Get Started

➲ Build an initial working group, and hold a pilot circle

➲ Talk about what study circles could accomplish for your community

Step 2: Clarify Your Issue and Think About Discussion Materials

➲ Clarify your issue

➲ Decide whether you need to create your own discussion materials

➲ Set up a guide-development committee

➲ Contact SCRC for advice

➲ Recruit outside help if you need it

Step 3: Build Your Team

Build a Strong, Diverse Working Group and Organizing Coalition

Identify a Coordinator and Establish Clear Areas of Responsibility

Step 4: Develop a Plan

➲ Talk about why it is important to engage the community in dialogueand problem solving on this issue

➲ Define the goals of your program

➲ Decide on geographic scope

➲ Consider how you will achieve diversity in the circles

➲ Decide what support you will provide for action ideas

➲ Talk about resources – what you have, and what you need

➲ Develop a written work plan

➲ Make sure there is effective communication among all thoseinvolved in the work

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Part 2

Step 5: Share the Work of Organizing Study Circles

Plan and Carry Out Communication

Develop a Budget and Plan for Fund Raising

Document and Evaluate Your Program

Recruit Participants and Form Diverse Groups

Plan for Action, Including the Action Forum

Recruit, Train, and Support Facilitators

Plan the Kickoff

Find Sites and Handle Logistics

Step 6: Hold a Round of Study Circles

➲ Hold the kickoff

➲ Conduct the study circles

➲ Have the action forum, and support and track action efforts

Step 7: Sustain Your Program and Expand the Impact of Your Work

➲ Refer back to your initial program goals, and have a conversation about the future

➲ Share ownership of the program

➲ Support the coordinator

➲ Make sure to communicate your successes to the larger community

➲ Take care of yourselves and support one another

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Action forum – the large-group meeting at the end of a round of study circles designed to poolthe action ideas from individual study circles.

Coordinator – the staff person (sometimes two to three people) at the hub of the organizingeffort, who keeps track of, supports, and manages the overall program.

Facilitator – the person who acts as an impartial guide for a single study circle. Many programsuse co-facilitators.

Facilitator trainer – the person or group with responsibility for training and preparing othersto facilitate study circles.

Organizer(s) – people with primary responsibility for organizing the program. This oftenincludes the coordinator and members of the working group.

Participants – the community members who take part in the study circles.

Pilot study circles – a small number of study circles used to acquaint people with the process,provide practice for the facilitators, and expand coalition membership. Some organizers conduct apilot round of study circles to try out organizing strategies before taking the program to full scale.

Sponsoring coalition – the group of organizations committed to recruiting participants andsupporting the program in many ways. The coalition includes the working group.

Task force or action group – a new group that forms following an action forum to carryforward an action idea.

Working group (some communities call this the core group, or steering committee) –the close-knit group of five to fifteen people who are most actively involved in making theprogram happen.

Glossary of study circle terms

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E

Step 1Get Started

ven the most extensive community-widestudy circle programs begin with small steps.This section will help you take those steps.

What to do

� Build an initial working group, and hold apilot study circle.

� Talk about what study circles couldaccomplish for your community.

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� Talk about what study circles couldaccomplish for your community.

At the end of the sample study circle, talkabout the process, and about the potentialfor a study circle program in the community.As a group, share your ideas about why it isimportant to engage the whole community inaddressing the issue you’ve been talking aboutin this study circle.

It’s important for those of you who areinterested in carrying forward the idea of a studycircle program to discuss what the broad goalsof a program would be. This conversation willlead you directly into the work of Step 2. In thebox to the right, you will find a few questions toguide your decisions. You may revisit them fromtime to time.

Questions for initial goal setting:

➲ What is happening in our communitythat concerns us?

➲ Is this issue relevant to a large portionof the community? Would all kinds ofpeople come out for study circles onthis issue?

➲ What is the geographic area we aretrying to impact?

➲ What are we trying to accomplish?Why would study circles help?

➲ How could we describe the issue and theprogram so that it will interest lots ofdiverse people?

➲ What are the broad and specific goalswe are aiming to achieve?

➲ Who should lead the program?Who else should be involved?

➲ Who is already working on this issue?Who else is affected by the issue?

➲ What is the right timing for thisprogram? Are there other thingsgoing on in the community that wouldhave an impact on the timing of thestudy circles?

➲ What kinds of resources will it taketo organize the program?

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� Build an initial working group, andhold a pilot study circle.

Make a list of ten to fifteen people who wouldagree that the issue you are working on is animportant one facing the community. In this list,include people from diverse backgrounds, andpeople with different views about the issue.

Make personal invitations to the people onyour list. Invite them to try out one or two studycircle sessions. Find someone who can serve asa neutral facilitator. This pilot study circle willacquaint you with the process, help you examinethe issue in a facilitated discussion setting, andstrengthen the relationships among key people.After this, you will have a much better sense ofthe potential for change if study circles like thiswere happening all across the community.

A note aboutdiscussion materials:

Obviously, you’ll needsome discussionmaterials for this firstsession. If you will bediscussing an issue forwhich SCRC has a guide(see the list on page 15),you are welcometo photocopy our guidesor download themfrom our website atwww.studycircles.org.If you are discussing anissue for which there isno pre-existing studycircle guide, see Step 2.

How to do it

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L

Step 2Clarify Your Issue andThink About Discussion Materials

ike most people who organize community-wide study circles, you have probably identifiedan issue (or set of issues) that you think yourcommunity needs – and wants – to address.While there are many important issues andcauses, not all of them lend themselves tolarge-scale community-wide dialogue andproblem solving.

This section helps you think about how to:

➲ make sure that the issue you select hasbroad appeal and is important to allsorts of people.

➲ find – or write – a study circle guide.

What to do

� Clarify your issue.

� Decide whether you need to create yourown discussion materials.

� Set up a guide-development committee.

� Contact SCRC for advice.

� Recruit outside help if you need it.

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How to do it

� Clarify your issue.

Have a discussion with your working groupabout the issue that brought you together.Does it have broad appeal? Does it feelimportant to all sorts of people in thecommunity? To find out, do some “grass-rootsresearch” about the issue:

➲ Talk to everyday people – for example,neighbors, kids, grandparents, librarians,shop clerks, taxi drivers, and waiters.

➲ Read the local paper, and follow the localnews. The opinion and editorial pages canbe a great resource. Also, consider talkingwith journalists or the editor of the localnewspaper, and ask them about the kindsof views they hear on the issue.

➲ Talk to local leaders – for example, publicofficials, business people, religious leaders,activists, and teachers.

Issues that work bestfor a community-wide

program….

� relate to the concernsand daily lives of manydifferent types of peoplein the community.

� capture widespreadpublic attentionbecause they are timely.

� relate to the welfare ofthe whole community –that is, they are publicissues.

� connect to institutionsand public policy.

� provide possibilities formaking an immediateand visible impact.

� have the potentialfor making long-terminstitutional andpolicy change.

Defining or naming the issue is essential.For example, does a large cross section of thecommunity want to look at racism and racerelations, or are people actually searching forways to address how immigration and diversityare affecting schools, language differences,and competition for jobs? All sorts of issuesare important, and many of them lend them-selves to large-scale organizing. When you firstmeet, take the time to come up with a defini-tion of the issue on which you can all agree.Decide how to describe the issue so peoplefrom all parts of the community will know thatthe study circles will address their concerns. Ifyou are having trouble with defining your issue,please contact us.




Step 2

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� Decide whether you need to createyour own study circle materials.

If SCRC has published a guide on your issue,we recommend that you consider using it.These guides for public dialogue and problemsolving are designed and field-tested to appealto a broad and diverse cross section of people.SCRC discussion guides are available for manyissues, including:

➲ racism and race relations

➲ education and schools

➲ growth and development

➲ immigration

➲ criminal justice

➲ building strong neighborhoods

➲ building strong neighborhoods for familieswith children

➲ community-police relationships

➲ crime and violence

➲ diversity

➲ youth issues

Some of these discussion guides are availablein Spanish.

Most community-wide programs use SCRCguides because they have been proven towork, and because using them saves valuabletime and resources. At the very least, try touse an SCRC guide in any pilot study circlesyou hold for your coalition and working group.This will give you a much better feel for howstudy circle guides should work before youmake a decision about whether or not to writeyour own materials.

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Good study circlediscussion material

should...

� cover a broad range ofviews, and present eachviewpoint in the voice ofa reasonable person whosupports the view.

� encourage people toexamine the basicassumptions and values thatunderlie their own views,and help people under-stand each other’s views.

� connect personalexperience with publicissues, and give peoplea sense that theirexperiences count.

� provide a baseline ofinformation about theissue, while being carefulnot to overwhelm peoplewith too many facts.

� follow a multiple-sessionsequence that starts byallowing people to talkabout how the issue affectsthem, then considers someof the larger questionssurrounding the issue, andfinally discusses ways totake action on the issue.

� convey the idea that,by talking and workingtogether, we’ll gain a moreaccurate picture than wecan by ourselves.

� help people find commonground.

� help people move to action.

As you think about whether to create yourown discussion materials, consider thefollowing pros and cons:

Pros:Why it can make sense to create yourown study circle guide

➲ You have not been able to find a publishedguide that meets your community’s needs.

➲ You have found a published guide thatmeets most of your needs, but you couldstill use a new session (as an add-on orsubstitute) that speaks more directly toyour community’s unique circumstances.

➲ Your sponsoring coalition and/or workinggroup will not feel “ownership” of theprogram unless they have had a strong handin creating the discussion materials.

Cons:Possible drawbacks to creating yourown study circle guide

➲ The process can be much more difficultand time-consuming than it first appears.Creating your own materials will add at leasttwo months to your start-up schedule. Youmay also need to find additional money topay for researchers, writers, editors,graphic artists, and printing.

➲ The time spent by your coalition in creatingmaterials could otherwise be spent onessential tasks such as strengthening thecoalition, recruiting and training facilitators,recruiting participants, fundraising, etc.

If you decide that you need to create yourown materials, move on to the following steps.




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� Set up a guide-developmentcommittee.

At a minimum, you will need at least oneperson with strong writing skills. The bestwriters of study circle guides are people whocan translate complex ideas into clear, simplelanguage without using jargon. Journalists,for example, are usually good at this sortof writing.

It is also important that the main writer hasa few people to help “frame” the issue andreview the materials as they develop. Try notto make the group too big, or the process willbecome unwieldy. The committee membersdon’t have to be experts on the issue, but itis helpful if they are quick learners who canappreciate different perspectives andapproaches, even ones they don’t agree with.(In fact, issue experts can have troublecreating study circle materials because itcan be difficult for them to look at the issuefrom the perspective of everyday people.)

If you are creating a single discussionsession or fact sheet to supplement anexisting study circle guide, your task will bemuch simpler than if you are creating an entirediscussion guide. If you are creating a wholeguide, you may also want to recruit someoneto help with research, and someone to provideeditorial support.

Focusing on thelocal issues

Supplementing oradapting an SCRC guidemay help you focus thediscussion on your localsituation, and helppeople see how the studycircles will lead tocommunity change.

Fact sheets or briefcompanion readings canprovide basic informationon the issue and how ithas affected the commu-nity, what local govern-ment is doing about it,what businesses aredoing, what serviceorganizations andnonprofits are doing, andwhat volunteers can doto help.

Step 2

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� Contact SCRC for advice.

SCRC staff are available to provide adviceand editorial guidance. We would be happy tobrainstorm with you as you try to outline thematerial and frame the issue. We can also readand comment on any drafts that you send us.

Also, feel free to borrow ideas and actualwords from our published guides. We encour-age you to use them. We request, however, thatyou ask for our written permission and creditthe source. Our main concern is that the finalproduct is consistent with study circlesprinciples; for example, your study circlediscussion guide should not advocate aparticular point of view or solution.

It may be that another community hasdeveloped its own study circle materials on thesame issue you have selected. If so, we wouldbe glad to share a copy of their materials withyou. Though these are often tailored to theconcerns of a specific community, the struc-ture of the guide may help you as you developyour own.

� Recruit outside help if you need it.

Some study circle programs may hireprofessional writers and researchers todevelop their discussion materials. If yourprogram decides to do this, contact SCRC foradvice on where to start looking.

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1. Do we really need formal discussion materials? Can’t we just develop somequestions and some readings? We wouldn’t advise this. One of the main reasonsstudy circles are effective is because they are guided and informed by materials that helpmove the discussion from the personal connection, to the larger issue, to action. Thediscussion materials should offer enough structure that people feel as if they are gettingsomewhere in the conversation.

2. How can we make the SCRC guide fit our community? Provide a fact sheetwith information that is specific to your community. Include statistics, demographics,graphics, news stories, etc. Or, develop a session to be used in conjunction with an SCRCguide. For example, many communities addressing education-reform issues have addedsessions on parental involvement or closing the gap in minority achievement to SCRC’seducation guide.

Frequently Asked Questions - and Answers

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T

Build Your TeamBuild a Strong, Diverse Working Group and Organizing Coalition

Step 3

he purpose of community-wide study circleprograms is to address community issues bybringing together large numbers of peoplewho represent the diversity of viewpoints,backgrounds, and experiences in your commu-nity. To successfully recruit diverse partici-pants and then move to action, a community-wide study circle program needs to besponsored and led by a strong, diverse workinggroup and organizing coalition.

Building this kind of collaboration takes timeand effort, but it’s worth it. There’s lots ofevidence to suggest that the most effectivestudy circles are initiated and sustained bybroad-based, cross-sector coalitions that keeplearning and growing.

This section will explain how to develop acoalition that will:

➲ recruit the different kinds of people andgroups you want in your study circles.

➲ provide resources and skills to helporganize the program.

➲ help the program move fromdialogue to action.

What to do

� Establish a diverse working group.

� Identify key people and organizations torecruit into the sponsoring coalition.

� Recruit coalition members – explain whythey should get involved, and how.

� Conduct pilot study circles among new andpotential coalition members.

� Help your coalition work as a team.

Recruiting fordiversity

A diverse coalition isessential to recruit adiversity of participants. Anevaluation of one programshowed that although agreat deal of publicity hadbeen done, most of theparticipants took part instudy circles becausesomeone they trustedasked them to take part.

Laying thegroundwork

Before you proceed withprogram planning, it’sessential to start bybuilding a strong, diversecore coalition. The successof your program willdepend on how well you’velaid that groundwork.

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How to do it

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� Establish a diverse working group.

In most cases, there is a working group(sometimes called the steering committee orcore working group). Typically, representativesfrom five to fifteen community organizations,businesses, government or institutions makeup the working group, with many moreorganizations – sometimes as many as 100 –in the broader, organizing coalition. It is thissmaller group of individuals within thecoalition who take more direct responsibilityfor the effort. Diversity within this core groupis key, since this group is the most visiblerepresentation of the program to the community.

� Identify key people andorganizations to recruit into thesponsoring coalition.

➲ Keeping your program goals in mind, createa list of the kinds of people and groups youwant to include in the study circles. (Con-sider race and ethnicity, income, religion,age, gender, views, geography, old timers/newcomers, political affiliation, occupa-tion.) For each category, create a list ofpeople and organizations that can help youreach this constituency. Consider informalleaders, grass-roots leaders, and highvisibility leaders in the community. As youare making your list of potential coalitionmembers, keep asking yourselves, “Whois missing?”

➲ Again looking at goals, create a list of thekinds of resources you will need in order tocreate your program. (Consider staffingneeds, administrative assistance, meetingsites, trainers, facilitators, public relationsexperience, evaluation assistance, andfundraising experience.) For each categoryin your list, think about groups and peoplewho might provide these resources andconsider their work on the study circlecoalition a natural part of their own mission.

➲ Think about who can help implement thekinds of action ideas that are likely to comefrom the study circles. Considerpolicymakers, people from governmentagencies, and leaders from key communityinstitutions.

� Recruit coalition members –explain why they should get involved,and how.

➲ Create a simple “pitch” that explainswhy the people or organizations you’retalking to should get involved, and whatyou’re asking them to do. A good pitchdescribes the program in brief andsays what you believe the program willaccomplish in the community. Think abouthow you will communicate this to differentkinds of community groups.

Informal leaders

Many people in acommunity are leaders inan informal sense. Theymay not have a title, oreven be affiliated with aparticular group. Yet theyare trusted as goodcommunity members,and people in theirneighborhood often turnto them.

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Leadership “mapping”

In Decatur, Georgia,program planners chartedthe location of keyorganizations, institutionsand associations on a mapof the community. Eachcategory was representedby a different color to reflectthe type of asset it providedthe community. This helpedthe planners see where theyneeded more communityconnections, and alsohelped them to envisionthe variety of leadershipassets. They used the mapin community presentationsto build interest in the studycircles. The map helpedpeople all over Decatur geta better sense of the entirecommunity working together.

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Make sure that you explain the study circleprocess – and the program – in a way thatthe people you are talking to will understandit. To do this, think about their mission andtheir goals. What do they care about? Helpthem see how getting involved in thestudy circles will help them advance theirorganization’s mission or meet theirconstituents’ needs. (See “Develop talkingpoints” on page 40 for additional tips.)

Your letters and any other written materialsshould send a clear, straightforwardmessage that people from all parts of thecommunity will understand. Be sure toinclude contact information.

➲ Develop a task list for coalitionmembers. Make a list of the many wayscoalition members can be involved in theprogram. Provide a variety, so they can findsomething that fits their available timeand resources. (See the sample sponsorsign-up sheet at the end of this section forthe many ways that sponsors can supporta program.)

➲ Use a variety of recruitment methods.The most effective method of recruitmentis a personal invitation. Consider one-on-one meetings, phone calls, and letters(a combination works best). (See a sampleinvitation letter at the end of this section.)

Ask members of the working group to usetheir connections to help reach a broadcross section of the community. Wheninviting people you don’t know very well,send information on the program, butdon’t count on a letter alone. You’ll needto make follow-up phone calls so peoplewill know you’re really interested in theirparticipation.

Most communities find that coalition-building meetings are an effective way toreach large numbers of potential coalitionmembers at one time. Be sure to invitepeople who represent a range of views onthe issue. In the meeting, give an overviewof what the study circle program might looklike. Give people a chance to participate ina brief sample study circle if time permits.(See the coalition-building meeting agendain the sample documents at the end ofthis section.)

Step 3

Remember to includepublic officials, youngpeople, and the mediain your working group ororganizing coalition. (SeeAppendices A, B and Cfor specific suggestions.)

Making your pitch

Include these basic ideas:

� This is a nonpartisan effort– you are not pushing oneview over another.

� You are working toinvolve people fromdifferent backgrounds,views, and experiences.

� The dialogue will moveto action.

Making cold calls

� Call to introduceyourself. (It helps ifsomeone who knows theperson calls first to laythe groundwork – or letsyou use his or her name.)

� Explain why his or herparticipation is important.

� Ask if you can sendinformation about theprogram.

� Follow up with a phonecall to answer questions.

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� Conduct pilot study circles amongnew and potential coalition members.

It’s a good idea for new coalition membersto go through a pilot study circle together. Thiswill help them build strong working relation-ships and a commitment to the program, andwill make them better prepared to recruitparticipants. A pilot circle also gives potentialcoalition members a chance to decide whetherthey want to join the effort.

If key members of the coalition can’ttake time to do all the sessions of a guide,consider setting aside some time to do severalsessions. Find people in the community withfacilitation experience to lead these discus-sions. (Consult SCRC’s Guide for TrainingStudy Circle Facilitators, or see any SCRCstudy circle guide for facilitation advice.)

� Help your coalition work as a team.

Remember to incorporate study circleprinciples of inclusiveness, collaboration, andactive listening in all your planning anddecision making. Consider what makes aneffective coalition and think together abouthow you will do the following:

➲ develop trust

➲ set common goals

➲ develop clear expectations of each other

➲ provide for ways to fine-tune the wayyou work together throughout the life ofthe program

Collaboration and team building are importantto all kinds of community initiatives, and thereare many excellent resources on these subjects.(For a listing of some of these, see “Resources”on pages 143-145.)

Here are some suggestions for making yourcoalition meetings productive:

➲ At the first meeting, establish a schedule forthe remainder of the meetings.

➲ Keep the meeting agenda focused. Stick tothe tasks that involve the whole coalition.Many tasks can be assigned to committees,who can report back to the whole coalition.

➲ If many new coalition members havejoined the program since your last coalitionmeeting, you may want to consider holdinga brief orientation before a regularlyscheduled meeting to explain the programand bring newcomers up to speed.

➲ Send minutes out right after the meeting;be sure to summarize the decisions andremind people of the tasks they havetaken on.

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Be sure the coalitionaddresses:

� Roles andresponsibilities

� Decision-makingprocesses

� Internalcommunication

� “Turf” issues

� Fiscal management

� Sharing credit forthe work




1. How big should the coalition be? In most cases, representatives from five to ten communityorganizations, businesses, government, or institutions make up the “working group,” with manymore organizations – sometimes as many as 100 – in the broader, sponsoring coalition. Thediversity of the working group is crucial to attracting a diverse coalition.

2. How long does it take to build a strong coalition? It pays to take time to establish trustand build strong relationships. It may take several months to hold pilot study circles and get keyorganizations on board.

3. How do we involve organizations whose views on the issue differ from ours? Putyourself in their shoes. Help them see how participating in this program will advance the missionof their own organization and/or meet their constituents’ needs. It’s also important to make it clearthat this program is for everyone, and that bringing in different views will lead to more lasting,workable solutions. Emphasize that it is important for their voices to be part of the conversation.

4. Who will facilitate pilot study circles for the coalition members? Find someone withfacilitation background. (Those with conflict resolution or mediation training would be well suitedto the task.) To understand the differences between study circle facilitation and other types offacilitation, she or he should read the issue guide you will be using and study the facilitator guide-lines in that guide.)

5. What is the best way to organize pilot study circles for coalition members? Thereare many ways to do this. If you don’t have much time, hold a sample study circle in forty-fiveminutes. This will give people a sense of the process. If you can convince people to come for ahalf day, they’ll get a better idea of how the sessions progress. Some groups want to experiencethe entire process. This means setting aside eight to ten hours, either in one block of time, orover a period of two to four weeks. In any case, experiencing the study circle is the point. Itleads to better understanding and more commitment from coalition members.

6. How do we know when our coalition is complete enough to move forward withprogram planning? Take a good look at the central members of your working group andcoalition. Are they strong organizations with a real commitment to your project? Do they comefrom different sectors and parts of the community (government, business, nonprofit, neighbor-hood organizations, etc.)? Do they include diverse points of view and diverse populations (race,income, age, and gender)? As a group, do they have the resources to advance this project? Ifyou’ve answered yes to these questions, you’ve brought the right people together. Take time toexperience a study circle, and build strong relationships among these key players. Rememberthat coalition building is an ongoing process, but success will depend, in part, on these connectionsthat are established early in the life of the program.


Step 3

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Sample Document: Invitation to Coalition-Building Meeting

This is a sample of a letterinviting potential coalitionmembers to an introductorymeeting.




Use this outline as a guide fordeveloping your own agendaand for thinking about howyou will lead this meeting.

Sample Document: Agenda for Coalition-Building Meeting (Annotated)

Step 3

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Sample Document: Sign-up Sheet for Sponsors/Coalition Members

This is a sample of a formto use for signing upcoalition members orsponsors. It provides a listof ways they could getinvolved with the program.




T

Build Your TeamIdentify a Coordinator and Establish Clear Areas of Responsibility

A key role of the coordinatoris to work with the variouscommittees that carry outdifferent aspects of theorganizing. The challengefor the coordinator is tokeep everyone involvedand informed as the workprogresses, and to maintainthe proper balance amongthe players.

he coordinator of a community-wide studycircle program is central to its success.

He or she helps get the planning going, andoversees all the aspects of the organizing workbeing carried out by coalition members. Notonly does the coordinator deal with the detailsof organizing a study circle program, he or shefrequently represents the study circleprogram in the larger community.

It’s a good idea to find a coordinator as earlyas possible in your planning process. Somecommunities get things started with staff ofworking-group organizations (or volunteers)doing the early planning while searching fora coordinator.

This section will help you:

➲ find the best coordinator for your program.

➲ make the best use of the coordinator.

What to do

� Define the job.

� Decide how the program will be staffed.

� Once you have a coordinator, establish clearareas of responsibility.

� Support the coordinator.

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Step 3

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� Define the job.

The work of a coordinator generally breaksdown into two broad categories.

➲ First, the coordinator often serves as theambassador for the program – doingspeaking engagements; convening andrunning meetings of the coalition; calling onleaders in the community to invite them toparticipate; and acting as the spokespersonfor the program to the media and othercommunity organizations.

➲ Second, the coordinator is often the keyinternal administrator of the program –keeping tabs on all aspects of the workbeing carried out by coalition members, andsupporting them in their work; remindingpeople of their tasks; keeping the coalitioninformed of the big picture; managingcorrespondence, paperwork, and thedatabase. More often than not, coordinatorsend up “filling in the gaps” and doingunforeseen tasks.

The coordinator’s job is challenging. Keepyour eyes open for support staff or volunteerswho can help with administrative details.

� Decide how the program willbe staffed.

Sometimes, one of the organizations in theworking group can donate a staff member tocoordinate the program. It is a real plus if thisis someone who has been involved in creatingthe study circle program from the verybeginning.

If you’re going to hire a coordinator, involvecoalition members in the search – and askthem to help you get the word out.

How to do it

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What makes a goodcoordinator?

The person you arelooking for…

� has excellent communi-cation skills.

� interacts easily with allkinds of people – andknows how to get themto work well together.

� can manage a numberof complicated tasks allat the same time.

� knows how managedetails.

� is flexible and willing towork irregular hours.

� knows the communitywell, and has a goodsense of how thecommunity usuallyworks.

� has strong contacts withcommunity resources.

� is good at planning andcoordinating meetings.

� possesses goodpresentation skills.




Step 3

� Once you have a coordinator,establish clear areas of responsibility.

Consider the work that needs to be done,and then divide it among the coordinator,coalition members, volunteers, and anysupport staff. Discuss the roles and responsi-bilities of everyone involved. Pay specialattention to major program areas – such ascommunication, recruitment, facilitatortraining, fund raising, evaluation, and actionplanning. Make it clear how much oversightand direction the coordinator will be expectedto provide.


An important reminder for your workinggroup: Shared work and shared leadershiplead to a more effective program. If anexcellent coordinator ends up doing too muchof the work, the coalition will become moreof an advisory or figurehead group, and thecoordinator will get over-extended. Theeffectiveness of the coalition will be dimin-ished if its members don’t play an active role,and the chances of sustaining the programwill decline. Work to maintain a reasonablebalance of responsibilities. Use planningmeetings to consider the workload that thecoordinator is carrying and to see whethermembers of the working group can takeon tasks that may be expanding as theprogram grows.

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Staffingyour program

Your staffing needsdepend on the size andscope of your program.For example, 4,000 peoplehave already taken part instudy circles in New CastleCounty, Delaware, andthe program continues toexpand. The YWCA hastwo staff membersdedicated full-time to theproject; other organiza-tions in the working groupprovide considerableassistance. In someprograms that includehundreds of people, it ispossible for one personto coordinate the work.In both cases, otherorganizations in theworking group provideconsiderable assistance.

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1. At what point should we find a coordinator? Many programs run a successfulpilot round of circles with a few organizations coordinating the effort, and then identify acoordinator as they begin to work toward a full round in the community.

2. How many hours per week does it take to coordinate a study circleprogram? It depends on how active the coalition is, how many circles are under way,and how effective your committees are in carrying out specific work. A program in a smalltown could be coordinated on a part-time basis. For larger communities with moreparticipants, this is a full-time job.

3. Should a coordinator be a volunteer, or should we plan to pay thecoordinator a salary? Some small communities may be able to plan a round ofstudy circles with volunteer coordination, but having a paid coordinator is almost alwaysa better option. In most programs, it is essential.

4. If we can only manage a part-time position, how can we get everythingdone? Some communities handle administrative support with volunteers, and call onsponsoring organizations to carry out some of the tasks.

5. Where do most communities find the funds to pay a coordinator? Thecoordinator’s salary represents the largest line item in the program budget. In somecases, one of the organizations in the coalition can donate part or all of an employee’stime to coordinate the study circle effort, while another member might contribute officespace. If there are not sufficient funding resources among the coalition members, theorganizers must develop fund-raising strategies to cover the coordinator’s salary.





B

Develop a Plan Step 4

Use the work sheet onpage 36 to help you structureyour planning meetings.

y this point, you’ve reached out to manydiverse groups in the community, and askedthem to support the study circle effort. Now itis time for the coalition members to get downto the business of real planning.

This section will explain:

➲ how to identify program goals, scope, needs,and resources.

➲ how to create a plan for your overall effort.

Coming together to develop a comprehen-sive work plan will help you lay the foundationfor all your future work. Take as much time asyou need. Some members of the coalitionmay not know each other, or may never haveworked together before. The time you spendon planning will help you build lasting relation-ships among key organizers, and strengthenthe long-term impact of your program. Revisityour plan from time to time, and expand oradapt it as your program develops.

What to do

� Talk about why it is important to engage thecommunity in dialogue and problem solvingon this issue.

� Define the goals of your program.

� Decide on geographic scope.

� Consider how you will achieve diversityin the circles.

� Decide what kind of support you will providefor action ideas.

� Talk about resources – what you have, andwhat you need.

� Develop a written work plan.

� Make sure there is effective communicationamong all those involved in the work.

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How to do it

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Tying goals toorganizing tasks

Every aspect of organizing –communication, fund raising,recruiting participants,recruiting and trainingfacilitators, moving to action,putting together diversecircles, and evaluation –should tie directly to achievingthe goals you have set.

� Talk about why it is important toengage the community in dialogueand problem solving on this issue.

Use these questions to guide the conversation:

➲ What is the situation in the community thathas brought us together?

➲ Is the problem long-standing, or is there anew development?

➲ What has been tried in the past to makeheadway on this issue? What happened?

➲ Why do we think study circles (that is,community-wide dialogue for action andchange) can help?

� Define the goals of your program.

Spelling out the goals of the program willbring the coalition members together, clarifyyour purpose, and provide a framework for allthe organizing work to follow. Set aside sometime for this important conversation.

Remember that goals should be concreteand specific. They usually fall into two catego-ries: impact goals and process goals. (Formore advice on goal setting, see “Documentand Evaluate Your Program” on pages 63-81.)

Impact goals are the kinds of change youwant the program to bring about. While youcan’t predict specific outcomes, since thosewill arise from the circles themselves, it ispossible to describe the kinds or categoriesof change you are aiming for.

Ask yourselves:

➲ What would it look like to have significantchange on this issue?

➲ What are the kinds of things we hope thestudy circles will accomplish?

➲ What hopes do we have in common for thisprogram? (Remember that stating yourgoals broadly will encourage all kinds ofpeople and viewpoints to get involved. Forexample, a program that says it wants to“end racism, improve race relations, andbegin racial healing” is likely to draw morepeople than a program that calls for“supporting affirmative action.”)

➲ What goals do we have that are both broadand specific? (For example, “end racism,improve race relations, and begin racialhealing” is much more specific than aprogram “to help people talk about race.”)

Process goals are the elements of theprogram that will help reach your desiredimpact. These goals include things such as:

➲ the number of participants within a settime frame;

➲ the kinds of diversity there will be amongparticipants;

➲ the number of facilitators to be trained;

➲ the quality of facilitation;

➲ the diversity of the facilitator pool;

➲ the kinds of support for action and changethat will be put in place.




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Step 4

� Decide on geographic scope.

Discuss these kinds of questions:

➲ What is the geographic area we are tryingto impact? The neighborhood, the town, thecity, the county? The whole school district,one school, or a set of schools?

➲ Is it necessary to divide the area intosmaller sections to make the organizingeasier? (For example, in large metropolitanareas, you might want to divide the area intomore manageable pieces, such as neighbor-hoods, or quadrants of the city. In this case,the central organizing group might handlesome tasks that affect the whole program,such as fund raising, media, evaluation, andfacilitator training. Other tasks, such aslogistics and recruitment, would be handledon the neighborhood level.)

➲ If we are dividing a large area into smallersections, would it be more effective to havemultiple kickoffs and action forums?

➲ What mix of participants are we looking for?

� Consider how you will achievediversity in the circles.

Keeping the goals of your program in mind,think about the kinds of diversity you want inthe circles, and how you might achieve that.Will you pair organizations, assign individualsto various groups, or reach out to differentgroups to bring them in? Again, this is apreliminary discussion to help coalitionmembers think strategically about diversity.Later, the recruitment committee willexplore various methods for putting thecircles together. (See “Recruit Participants”on pages 83-88.)

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� Decide what kind of support you willprovide for action ideas.

Early in the process, coalition membersneed to talk about how they hope to supportthe action ideas that come from the dialogue.This is a preliminary conversation, which willbe further explored and developed by thegroup or committee assigned to plan for actionand the action forum. Organizers handle actionin a variety of ways:

➲ The program holds an action forum tohelp launch action strategies, but doesnot provide further support to imple-ment them.

➲ The program will plan to support theaction that comes from a particularround of study circles.

➲ The program is structured to providesupport for ongoing rounds of circles,and the action coming from them.

� Talk about resources – what youhave, and what you need.

What kinds of resources will it take toorganize this program (staffing, trainingcapacity, administrative help, printing andcopying, evaluation expertise, public relationsexperience, etc.)? Do we already have theseresources among us? What else do we need,and where should we look? (See “Develop aBudget and Plan for Fundraising” on pages 55-62.)You may want to have a broad conversation andthen ask a smaller committee to work throughthe details of the budgetary plan.

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� Develop a written work plan.

Think about the timing of your program:

➲ What is happening in the community thatmight affect our timing?

➲ When is the best time to schedule the studycircles? (For example, most programs runtheir circles in the fall, or winter-spring timeperiods. This avoids the winter holidays, andthe summer, which is better spent onplanning.)

➲ When will we hold the kickoff?

➲ When will we hold the action forum?

➲ When we will hold facilitator training(s)?

➲ Are we planning one round, or continuingrounds of circles? If there is more than oneround, how many can we handle in a year?

To develop a written plan, list tasks andtimelines, and note who is taking responsibility.Take a look at the work to be done, and decidewho on the coalition will take primary responsi-bility for it. Remember to be clear about whatthe coordinator will be expected to do.

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Step 4

� Make sure there is effectivecommunication among all thoseinvolved in the work.

Think about how to keep track of thedifferent aspects of the organizing work. Thecoordinator should be in touch with everybody,and have an overall sense of how things areprogressing. The working group will also bemeeting regularly with the coordinator tomonitor progress. Sometimes, relatedcommittees may want to meet together(for example, communication and recruitment)to ensure that their work is coordinated andcomplementary.

Above all, it’s important to keep the commu-nication flowing in all directions, so that allthose involved understand how their workrelates to the whole project.

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Whether you develop a plan in one meeting or several meetings, here are some sugges-tions about the kinds of questions you’ll need to consider as you plan. Write down yourgoals and plans so that you can share them with other members of the coalition.

Work Session 1: What brings us together?

➲ What is the situation in our community that has brought us to this meeting?

➲ Why is this issue important?

➲ How would dialogue help?

➲ Is this topic compelling to many different kinds of people?

➲ How do we “name and frame” the issue so that it will interest lots of people?

Work Session 2: Setting goals for the program

➲ What are we trying to accomplish?

➲ What are the goals of the study circle program?

➲ Why are study circles the right process to reach the goals?

➲ What would success look like?

➲ How will we know if we have met our goals?

Work Session 3: Dividing the work

➲ Develop a timeline. (The dates do not have to be final, but this will provide a generalframework for your program.)

➲ Brainstorm a list of tasks and of committees to be created, including possible leadersand members. (Consider communication, fund raising, recruitment, training facilitators,evaluation, planning for action, etc.)

➲ Set upcoming meeting dates, and decide how people will stay in touch with the project.

Work Sheet: Developing a Plan




T his section offers detailed advice on manyaspects of organizing, now that the foundationhas been laid and your planning is well underway. You’ve probably spent considerable timeclarifying your goals, building the core workinggroup, recruiting organizations and individualsinto the sponsoring coalition, and developing awork plan.

Other specific organizing jobs are now athand. Some programs form committees tocarry out these organizing tasks. Others workmore informally with the coordinator and somededicated volunteers.

Share the Work of Organizing Study CirclesIntroduction

Step 5

The following sections describe these tasks:

➲ Plan and Carry Out Communication

➲ Develop a Budget and Plan for Fund Raising

➲ Document and Evaluate Your Program

➲ Recruit Participants and Form DiverseGroups

➲ Plan for Action, Including the Action Forum

➲ Recruit, Train, and Support Facilitators

➲ Plan the Kickoff

➲ Find Sites and Handle Logistics

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W hen you think about communication,media publicity most likely comes to mind.Publicity is important, and will be a big partof communicating about your program. Butcommunication involves much more. It’s themany ways you create awareness of yourprogram and reach out to different groups inyour community. It can involve communityrelations, advertising, media relations, otherforms of publicity, and even fund raising.

Take some time to plan your communicationbefore the demands of your program set in.If you can recruit media or PR sponsors foryour study circle program (see “Involving theMedia in Your Program” on pages 139-141 inthe Appendices), they can lend their expertiseto your communication planning. Look forpartnerships with the major daily newspaper,a community-minded TV or radio station, apublic relations firm, or the PR departmentof a local business, school district, collegeor hospital.

Share the Work of Organizing Study CirclesPlan and Carry Out Communication

What to do

� Review your program and its goals.

� Identify the groups and people you’retrying to reach (your audiences), andset priorities.

� Develop talking points (what you wantto say).

� Plan and develop communication tools.

� Work with the mass media.

� Follow up, evaluate, and decide what todo next.

Step 5

Establish acommunication

committee

Good communicationis key to an effectiveprogram. It’s a big job –you’ll definitely need acommittee to coordinatethe work. At the sametime, everyone on thecoalition will be doingsome aspect of commu-nication. Make sureeveryone reads thissection before they planor do their work.

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How to do it

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� Review your program and its goals.

By now, your working group has identifiedand researched your community problem,discussed the potential of the study circleprogram, and developed program goals.Review this work so that you know andunderstand the goals of the study circleprogram. Look over minutes of meetings,flip chart notes and reports. Ask membersof the working group to bring you up to speed.Do your own research to fill in gaps.

� Identify the groups and peopleyou’re trying to reach (youraudiences), and set priorities.

Once again, refer to your program goals.Brainstorm a list of the people or groups youneed to reach to accomplish each goal. (See“Build Your Team” on pages 19-26 and “RecruitParticipants” on pages 83-88 for tips). Lookover the lists your committees developedwhen they were thinking about how to buildthe coalition and recruit participants. Do youneed to expand the lists? Your list will be long,so set priorities. Spend your greatest effortreaching the people and groups who can helpyou spread the word to diverse groups offriends, neighbors or colleagues.

� Develop talking points (what youwant to say).

These are the points you will use toconvince people to support or participate inyour program. They should be simple, logicalstatements that give people a good reason tojoin your effort.

Your talking points should explain:

➲ The issue your community is facing.

➲ What needs to happen for change.

➲ The study circle process, and why it workson this issue.

➲ What study circles can accomplish in yourcommunity.

Develop points so they relate to the con-cerns of your audience. Help people see howstudy circles meet their needs or advance themission of their business or organization.(See “An Overview of Community-wide StudyCircles” on pages 1-5 for wording to explainthe study circle process.) Once you write yourbasic points, adapt them for different formats,like fliers, brochures, press releases, orspeeches. (See the sample flier and talkingpoints at the end of this chapter.)




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� Plan and developcommunication tools.

Your choice of tools is limited only by yourimagination – and your time! To avoid thetrap of busy work, develop a few basic tools– like a flier, a brochure, and a pitch letter –that you can use in lots of ways.

Start with your talking points, and tailorthe wording to the amount of space youhave to fill. An attractive flier calls forfewer words. Some people get around thatlimitation by printing more detail on the flipside. A brochure provides more space fordetail. (See the samples at the end of thischapter, or call SCRC for samples fromother communities.)

What makescommunication

effective?

� The more personal, themore effective. Narrowyour audience. Whenyou can, talk to peopleone-on-one.

� Develop a consistentmessage and identity.Give your study circleprogram a name. Designa logo so that people willrecognize your materials.

� Designate one spokes-person. That personshould handle all mediacalls. This may be yourcoordinator. If not, he orshe must work closelywith the coordinator.

� Have coalition membershelp get the word out.Give them talking points.Have them practiceexplaining the programand its goals. Ask them toput articles and notices intheir company newslettersand church bulletins.

� Get your word out indifferent ways (forexample, in a news article,a church bulletin, and apersonal phone call).

� In every message, tellpeople what you’d likethem to do and how theycan do it. Include contactinformation on everythingyou put out.

Step 5

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The Ladderof Effective Communication

The higher you go on this ladder, the more effective your communication.

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Selecting Communication Tools

To accomplish these objectives:

� Motivate action

� Follow up general publicity

� Lead up to a face-to-face meeting

� Target specific groups of people

� Build credibility by using a trustedsource of information

� Raise general awareness

� Reach large numbers of people

� Provide credibility (the publicgenerally sees news reports asless biased than advertising)

� Reach large numbers of people

� Convey exact information (you payfor advertising, so you determinethecontent)

� Catch people’s attention in creativeways

� Take advantage of unusual mediums

Use this medium:

Personal messages

Small-scale publications

Mass media

Advertising

Novelties

With these tools:

� Telephone calls

� Letters or cards

� Personal e-mails

� Newsletters

� Church bulletins

� Business publications

� Employee publications

� Brochures or fliers

� Newspapers

� TV

� Radio

� Magazines

� The Internet

� Display ads

� Inserts

� TV, radio spots

� Public bulletin boards

� Marquees

� Billboards

� Bumper stickers

� T-shirts




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Step 5

� Work with the mass media.

If you’re new to media work, be assured youdon’t need special training or experience topromote your story effectively. You do needreadily available information on basic methodsfor reaching the media. Contact SCRC for amedia kit with instructions on how to getcoverage of your study circle program(See Appendix C “Involving the Media inYour Program” on pages 139-141). Or, checkthe resource list in the Appendices forinformation about how-to materials and books.

Before you begin any media relations work,write out a plan to cover the course of yourprogram. Include strategies for getting mediaattention (see “Targeting Media” on page 45for ideas), a to-do list, and deadlines. A writtenplan is a focus, and keeps your media activitieson target and on time. Share your plan with thecoalition and refer to it from time to time tomake sure you’re on track.

Basic rules for publications

� When designing brochures, fliers,or posters, keep in mind the eye isdrawn to the largest item, whetherit is a photo, a graphic, a headline,or a group of words. Think hardabout what you want people tolook at first, and make that item thelargest. It may be a catchy sloganthat points to the need for yourprogram, or the name of the eventyou’re publicizing. It rarely wouldbe the name of the program itself,which you can print in smaller typetoward the bottom of the page.

� Proofread all your materials! Findsomeone with editing experienceto give everything a second eyebefore it goes out the door.Spelling or grammar errors willerode your credibility.

� Spell people’s names correctly.

� Make sure your facts are accurate.This goes for fliers, press releases ormedia interviews.

� Timing is critical for publicity.Newspapers, radio and TV all needplenty of lead time – from one tothree weeks – to prepare publicservice announcements or plannews coverage. Timing counts fordistributing fliers, too. Give peopleenough time to plan to attend yourevent, but not so much time theyforget it’s happening.

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➲ Managing media coverage ofongoing study circlesDuring the time the study circles aremeeting, there are a number of mediaactivities to consider in order to createawareness about the process.

These could include:

• Inviting reporters to attend a study circle. Ifyou do pursue this, make sure you establishsome ground rules with respect to theconfidentiality of the discussion participants.

You do not want the free flow of ideas atstudy circle meetings to be inhibited bythe possibility of publication of partici-pants’ comments. (Please see FAQ No. 1,on page 46 for a complete explanation.)

• Sending out news releases to keepreporters up-to-date on the scope andprogress of the study circles.

• Placing coalition leaders on radio andTV talk shows.

• Placing op-ed pieces in newspapers.

➲ Promoting coverage of programresults

You will want to promote ongoing mediacoverage of the results of your study circleprogram. This will keep the community andparticipants informed about the positiveoutcomes of the effort and encouragefuture use of study circles to address otherpressing community issues.

Consider the following activities:

• News releases about tangible results.

• Follow-up calls to key reporters to keepthem abreast of what has happened andto request stories about the results.

• Continued placement of spokespeople onradio and TV talk shows where they cantalk about the results.

• Visits to editorial boards to showcase theprogram and its results.

• Op-ed pieces and letters to the editor.

When to do media work

➲ Announcing your study circleprogramUse the news media to spread the wordabout your study circle program and torecruit facilitators and participants. Newsreleases are the most common methodof informing the media of newsworthyactivities and soliciting their coverage ofthem. Public service announcements areanother way to raise awareness of yourprogram. (See the sample documents atthe end of this chapter.)

➲ Generating news coverage of kickoffsand action forumsMedia should be invited to attend the eventthrough a media advisory and a newsrelease. You may also want to hold a newsconference just after the event to answerany questions reporters may have about theprocess and results to come.




Targeting Media

Who to contact

News or city editor

Editor of section(business, lifestyle, travel, etc.)

News editor; editorial page editor(if column appears on editorialpage), or columnist

Editorial board; editorial page editor

Editorial page editor

Editorial page editor

News editor; newsroom assistant

News editor; newsroom assistant

Magazine editor

Advertising department

News editor, assignment editor


Station manager

News editor, assignment editor,program host

Advertising department



Assignment editor, program host

Station manager

Station manager

Station manager, receptionist

Most likely to cover

Study circles, special events,results

Study circles, people

Human-interest angles;people; results

Program goals, impact, results

Program analysis, first-personexperience, results

Personal opinion, endorse-ments

Special events, one-day events

Events, schedules,announcements

In-depth profiles, humaninterest

Recruitment, events, thank-you’s

Events, results

Human interest, people, results

Program announcement,goals, recruiting

Program goals, results

Special events, recruitment

Special events, mediaconferences

Personal or program profiles,results

Program goals, results

Program announcement,goals, recruiting

Study circles, special events

Announcements, events,recruiting

Media type

Newspapers

� News story

� Feature story

� Personal column

� Editorial (staff written)

� Op-ed (guest written)

� Letters to the editor

� Calendar of events

� Community announcements

� Sunday magazine

� Advertising

Radio

� Local news story

� Feature story

� Public service announcement

� Local talk show

� Advertising/promotion

Television

� Local news

� Documentary

� Local talk show

� Public service announcement

� Local-access programming(cable)

� “Crawling” announcements(on bottom of screen)

Step 5

Types of mediacoverage

As you can see, there arelots of ways to get yourstory covered by themedia. Before you senda press release or makea call, it’s important toknow how a media outletis organized, and whicheditor or departmentto approach. Newspapers,TV and radio have cleardistinctions between thebusiness or advertisingdepartments and thenews departments. Innewspapers, the editorialand news departmentsalso are separate. Use thechart below as a guideline.When in doubt, call themedia outlet for specificinformation.

45

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� Follow up, evaluate, and decide whatto do next.

Keep track of your communication effortsso that you can judge whether they’re helpingyour program meet its goals. For example, ifrecent news coverage did not increase sign-upfor participants in study circles, you may needto try other ways to get the word out. Byevaluating your efforts as you go along, you canmake quick adjustments when you need to.

1. What if the newspaper wants to send a reporter to one of the study circles?Remember, a study circle program is about public life. Try your best to accommodate areporter’s request, while maintaining the confidentiality necessary for a good study circlediscussion. The best rule for having reporters attend study circles is that the study circleparticipants should set the rules. Each circle should have the chance to say whether it agreesto have a reporter present. If its answer is yes, the group should then decide whether:

➲ the reporter can quote participants freely;

➲ the reporter can quote participants without naming the source of the quote;

➲ the reporter can quote participants and name the source only if he/she approachesthem afterward with the exact quote, for their approval;

➲ the reporter cannot quote participants at all.

Reporters occasionally show up at study circles without the facilitator or organizersknowing beforehand. You may want to prepare facilitators for this possibility, and suggestthat they ask the reporter to step outside while the group discusses what it wants to do.When it comes to television journalists, some groups suggest that the journalists wait untilafter the study circle is over to interview participants about their experience. In this way,free and open discussion is not hampered by the presence of microphones and cameras.




Step 5

2. How do I get the media to take me seriously?

➲ Build personal relationships with reporters and editors. Think in the long term. Thereporter who asks your guidance on a story today will be the reporter you can interestin a story you want told tomorrow.

➲ Follow through with commitments you make to the media. The media must know you arereliable and consistent, and must believe you are truthful with the information you sendout. The bedrock of the media relationship is mutual trust, but also mutual advantage.

➲ The media want to know why it’s important for them to come or cover your study circleactivities.

➲ Treat the media with respect, even when you believe they have reported inaccurately,or have been unable to cover an event you thought was important.

3. Can I send news releases, stories or op-ed articles to several media atonce? Since your goal is to develop and sustain long-term relationships with media,it’s important you understand the protocol for giving them information. Media expectgeneral news releases to be sent to a number of outlets at the same time. If a mediaoutlet wants to customize the story, the reporter will follow up with interviews. Youcan talk to the reporter one-on-one, and do not have to give the same information toother reporters.

If you have an idea for a story, the safest bet is to give every media outlet the sameopportunity to report the story. Reporters talk to each other, and will take notice if youplay favorites. Keep in mind that some stories or events lend themselves to newspapers,some to TV, and some to radio - so you can expect that some media will be more inter-ested than others. Once again, do what you can to provide additional interviews andcontacts for enterprising reporters.

Op-ed articles should be submitted to one media outlet at a time. You may submit thesame article to another outlet once it is declined.

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4. What if a news story is inaccurate or misleading? Accept up front that themedia make mistakes. Although most reporters try to get their facts straight and reportvarious sides to an issue, they have only so much time to gather information and limitedtime or space for their reports. In larger media outlets, an editor may cut out importantparts of a story to save space, or inadvertently edit in errors. In smaller towns, reportersmay be inexperienced.

The more complete and timely the information you can provide a reporter before shewrites the story, the more likely you will be to head off mistakes. If a mistake doeshappen, or you think a story is misleading, be sure to call the reporter and correct it,politely, so that the next story doesn’t repeat the error. Most media outlets publish orannounce corrections. If you determine a pattern of bias, or inaccuracy, and you havetalked first with the reporter, make an appointment to talk to the editor. It sometimeshelps to have a small group of people from your coalition meet with the editor, reporterand publisher to explain the program and how media coverage can benefit you as well asthe readers, viewers or listeners.

5. What can I do if our program isn’t getting any publicity? Review your mediaplan and make sure you have identified the most appropriate media outlets. Ask your-selves these questions: Does the media outlet cover this kind of information? Are wesending our information in the format the media outlet requests, and to the rightperson? Are we providing information in a timely fashion? Are we suggesting interestingangles for stories that people would be interested in learning about?

If you are doing all of the above, and are still having problems, make an appointment withreporters, editors or an editorial board to explain your program and ask how you canhelp the media outlet provide your information to its customers. Large media outletsmay not report on your program at all, or may do only one story. Don’t forget to targetsmaller weekly papers, neighborhood “shoppers,” church bulletins, company newslet-ters, and other forms of media. Not only are people more likely to read the smallerpublications, or listen to ethnic or specialized radio or TV stations, those media organi-zations are more likely to report your news.





Sample Document: Press Release

Step 5

This is a sample of a typicalpress release that could beprovided to local communitynews organizations.

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Sample Document: Public Service Announcement

This is a sample of a publicservice announcement thatcould be provided to localradio stations, or adaptedfor television.




Sample Document: Media Advisory

Step 5

This is a sample of a mediaadvisory summarizing detailsof an upcoming event forlocal reporters.

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Sample Document: Flier (front)

This is a sample of a genericflier that can be used as ahandout or poster.




Sample Document: Flier (back)

Step 5

Note that the front summa-rizes the most importantinformation. Program detailsare on the back.

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Sample Document: Talking Points

This is a sample of talkingpoints on an educationprogram addressing studentachievement. Use them asa guide to develop your owntalking points, tailored toyour community. Refer tothe talking points whenpreparing for speeches orwhen developing otherpublicity materials, like fliersor press releases.




E

Step 5Share the Work of Organizing Study CirclesDevelop a Budget and Plan for Fund Raising

Appoint a fund-raising“manager”

It is essential to involvecoalition members indeveloping a fund-raisingplan and in carrying it out.Choose someone to takeresponsibility for managingthe fund-raising process(that person could be thecoordinator, another staffperson, or a key memberof the working group).That person should keeptrack of timelines andgoals, enlist others’ help,and remind people of theirtasks. Good leadershipand a well-designed fund-raising plan will keep theprocess moving.

Developing a strong, effectiveprogram with clear goals anddocumented results is the mosteffective “fund-raising strategy.”

ven though many study circle efforts relyon volunteers and in-kind assistance to getstarted, it is essential to think about budgetingand fund raising from the beginning. Todetermine what needs to happen first, thinkin terms of short-term needs and long-termgoals. Take into account the program goalsand timelines, and assess the capacities andresources available in the coalition.

Raising funds, like communication, is relatedto every aspect of your program. As you expandyour outreach, involve more and more peoplein study circles, and tell the story of the impacton your community, your ability to raise fundswill increase.

What to do

� Refer to the goals of your program, anddevelop a budget based on those goals.

� Determine how much in-kind supportyou have.

� Decide which fund-raising strategies youwill pursue, and design a plan.

� Involve many people in pursuing a varietyof funding sources.

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Track in-kindassistance

Be sure to keep track ofin-kind assistance and assess itsmonetary value. This informa-tion can help you to leveragesupport from funding sources.

� Determine how much in-kindsupport you have.

In-kind support (that is, donations otherthan direct monetary support) can be crucialin the early stages of a program, when raisingfunds can be more difficult. It also helpsestablish a track record of community supportfor your program that can be critical to futurefund raising. Ongoing, in-kind assistance isfrequently the backbone of a strong, effectiveprogram.

Examples of invaluable in-kind support fromcoalition members include:

➲ Office space

➲ Staff time

➲ The training function, in whole or in part

➲ Printing and photocopying

➲ Graphic design for posters and fliers

➲ Photography

➲ Food for study circle gatherings

➲ Child care

➲ Transportation

➲ Radio or television airtime; newspaperspace for public service announcements

How to do it

� Refer to the goals of your program,and develop a budget based onthose goals.

Revisit the goals of your program, and thinkabout their budgetary implications: How manyparticipants are we hoping to involve? Howmany rounds of study circles are we planning?What will it take in the form of staffing,expertise and material resources to make thathappen? Will we hire a coordinator? Whatkinds of support will we provide for the actionstage of the program, and what kinds ofstaffing or other resources will it take toprovide that support? What other kinds ofexpenses can we anticipate?

The size of the budget is directly related tothe scope of your effort. Frequently the largestline item in the budget is staff salaries (forthe coordinator and any support staff). (See“Possible Budget Items” on page 61 to planthe details of your budget.)

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Step 5

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Sources to consider

� Foundations (especiallylocal communityfoundations and localprivate foundations)

� Local corporationswith a history of civicinvolvement

� United Way

� Government agencies

� Nonprofit agencies

� Individual donors

� Banks

� Decide which fund-raising strategiesyou will pursue, and design a plan.

First, determine how much money you needto raise in order to meet your program’s goals.Look at your budget and the available in-kindsupport. What is your deadline for raisingthe funds?

Given your target amount and target date,start planning specific tasks and timelines. Dothis in collaboration with the coalition mem-bers who will be involved in fund raising. Enlistthem in brainstorming ideas for the plan andin helping to carry it out. Ask people to committo specific tasks.

Many fund-raising plans include the follow-ing tasks, along with target dates and staff orvolunteer assignments for each task:

➲ Compile a list of possible funding sources.

Ask coalition members for ideas; eachperson will have a knowledge of differentfunding sources. Check the local library oruniversity for a directory of philanthropicorganizations in your community andregion. Some communities have nonprofitresource centers with local directories.State agencies that handle local affairsalso provide directories of state andlocal funders.

➲ Investigate the sources on your list,and determine which ones are worthapproaching.

What kinds of projects do they support?What is their average grant size? Have theygiven to projects that are similar to studycircles – such as other community buildingprojects or citizen involvement projects?Have they given to projects that deal withthe same issue your study circles willaddress? What are their funding guidelines?Do their grant-making schedules meetyour timelines? (Some may have websitesyou can visit; you may need to call othersto obtain information about their grantmaking.) Does anyone on your coalitionhave a connection to the source?

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➲ Set up meetings with possible donors.

If someone on your coalition has a relation-ship with a potential funder, that membershould request a meeting. Or, perhapsthere is someone on the coalition whocould make an introductory call about youand your program.

The most effective fund raising is done on aone-to-one basis with individuals you alreadyknow. Whenever you talk with potentialdonors in your own community, rememberto invite them to participate in a study circlethemselves. When you meet, ask fundersabout their programming priorities, and howthe study circles might fit.

➲ Develop talking points that will form thebasis of your fund-raising message.

Be prepared to talk about why the issueis important to the community and howthe study circle program will help makea difference. This is much like talkingwith a potential coalition member; theonly difference is that the kind of supportyou are seeking in this case is primarilymonetary.

In order for funders to make a sounddecision about whether to fund a program,they need to know about outcomes – that is,what the program will achieve. Be preparedto communicate about this aspect ofyour program.

It can be challenging to talk about theoutcomes of study circle programs, partlybecause you can’t describe in advance thespecific action and change efforts that willcome from your study circles. Yet, youshould be able to describe the kinds ofimpact you expect the study circles to make,and the kinds of community organizationsthat are committed to the program.

Also, remember to point to other studycircle programs around the country thathave addressed the same issue, and cite thekinds of outcomes that have come fromthem. Finally, be prepared to describe howyou will document and assess what theprogram has accomplished. (See “Documentand Evaluate Your Program” on pages 63-81.)

Coordinatecommunication

For more on talking points,see page 40. Meet with peoplewho are concentrating oncommunication, so that youroverall message is consistent.




Step 5

➲ Develop written proposals to meetfunder guidelines.

Decide who will be involved in developingthe proposal; even if several people areinvolved in brainstorming, limit the numberof people who work on the final product. Ifyou decide to hire an outside grant writer,make sure that person is involved in enoughdiscussions to know the most importantthings about your program goals and plans.

If you will be developing several writtenproposals, you will need to create a systemfor keeping track of due dates and of whateach funder requires.

➲ Stay in touch with the funders fromwhom you have received support.

As soon as you receive notice that you willbe awarded a grant, send a letter of thanks.Then create a timeline for sending reportsto the funder, and for communicatingstories about what kinds of difference theirfunds are making. This is not only commoncourtesy, but will help keep your programfresh in their minds.

Asking for money

It may feel awkward, butremember that fundersare looking for waysto contribute to thecommunity and makea lasting impact. If yourprogram fits with theirfunding priorities, you areproviding them with thatopportunity.

Some basic proposaldocuments

It’s a good idea todevelop a set of basicdocuments that arenecessary for almostany funding proposal:

� a brief description ofyour organization

� a list of board mem-bers with affiliation

� a list of coalitionmembers with lettersof support

� your 501(c)(3) letter

� your organizationalbudget

� your current financialstatement

� important newspaperclippings

� stories about impact

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➲ Decide whether and how you will usefund-raising events.

These can be effective, but they are labor-intensive. If you decide to use events asone of your strategies, consider holdingan annual fund raising event. That way, theenergy and resources that go into designingthe event for the first go-round can be putto good use in holding repeat events.Though subsequent efforts will still requirelots of work, the planning can become moreroutinized; if planned well, such events canprovide a predictable source of incomeeach year.

➲ Finally, write down your fund-raisingplan, and share it with everyone whois playing a role.

A written plan makes it easier to track yourprogress, and to remind people of tasksthey agreed to take on.

� Involve many people in pursuing avariety of funding sources.

Tap into the expertise and contacts ofcoalition members. Enlist all kinds of helpalong the way. Hold brainstorming meetings,not just to create your initial fund-raising plan,but to assess your progress. Share new ideas,connections, and strategies that will arise asyou make new contacts.

Make sure you don’t put all your hopesinto one funding source. Foundation grants(even ones that seem like a sure bet) canbe unpredictable, since foundations receivemany more proposals than they can fund. Thegreater the variety of sources you approach,the better your odds at receiving the fundingyou need.

Fund-raising events –a promising practice

from the field

Some study circleprograms hold largefund-raising dinners orcommunity-wide eventsin civic centers or otherlarge community spaces.They bring high-profilespeakers or performerswho are identified withthe issue the study circleprogram is addressing,and charge an admissionfee. This not only gener-ates income; it providesanother way to reach outto the larger community toinvite their participation inthe study circles.

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Step 5

Staff

Program coordinator

Facilitator trainers

Support staff

Volunteers (listed as in-kind)

Evaluator(s)

Promotion

Mailings

Stationery

Printing/photocopying

Postage

Posters/fliers

Newspaper advertising

PSA’s

Kickoff and other events

Food/refreshments

Room rental

Audio/visual equipment

Decorations

Honoraria for speakers

Entertainment

Possible Budget Items

Office Expenses

Telephone/fax/Internet

Postage

Photocopying

Facilitators

Training

Sites

Food

Travel or lodging for trainer

Mileage coverage

Volunteer hours (usually in-kind; somecommunities pay a small stipend)

Child care

Study Circles

Discussion materials*

Translators

Child care

Transportation to study circles

Recording materials (tablets, flipcharts,etc.)

*SCRC can provide some free copies of our discussion guides to help with the start-up ofcommunity-wide programs. After that, there is a nominal fee for additional copies. Many ofour guides also are available on our website at www.studycircles.org.

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1. How much does a community-wide study circle program cost? In lots ofcommunities, many of the program expenses are covered by in-kind donations. Forexample, sites are often provided free of charge, and sometimes a local communitycollege or mediation center takes responsibility for training facilitators.

The largest single expense is usually the coordinator’s salary, although in somecommunities, one organization assigns all or part of an employee’s time to fill thatpost. A medium-sized or large community will likely need a full-time coordinator;smaller programs can do with less.

2. Where can we find funding for our program? Most of your funding will likelycome from local sources. Think about all kinds of local support, including communityfoundations, corporations, the Chamber of Commerce, the United Way, and localgovernment. Some programs get support from individual donors. Make sure to invitepotential local funders into your coalition from the outset.

3. Does SCRC provide funding? Topsfield Foundation, the parent organization of theStudy Circles Resource Center, is an operating foundation, not a grant maker. SCRC canhelp, however, by writing letters of support to accompany fund-raising proposals. Whenyou apply for funding, be sure to note any in-kind donations you receive, including thetechnical assistance and training that SCRC staff provides, which constitutes an in-kindgrant of time and services.




O ne of the most effective things you can doto strengthen your study circle program is tocreate an accurate process for documentingand evaluating the entire effort. This doesn’thave to be a complicated undertaking. It’s upto you to decide how detailed you want theprocess to be.

Most everyone who takes part in yourprogram will want to know who participatedin the study circles, how effective the organiz-ing strategies were, and what the outcomeswere. Moreover, grant-making foundations,public officials, news media, and other peoplewho can help you expand, strengthen, andinstitutionalize study circles in your communitywill all want to know about your efforts andtheir impact.

Share the Work of Organizing Study CirclesDocument and Evaluate Your Program

Step 5

Establish an evaluationcommittee

Sign up people on thecoalition who haveexpertise in evaluation.You need people to collectand organize information,to interpret data, and tocommunicate your findings.Look for people withresearch, analytic andwriting skills and peoplewho are comfortableworking with numbers andwho understand the basicsof statistical analysis.

What to do

� Revisit the goals set by your coalition, andidentify benchmarks that will tell youwhether you are meeting your goals.

� Identify the types of documentationand evaluation that will be most usefulto your program.

� Identify the right tools for the job.

� Recruit outside help (if you need it!).

� Reflect on the information you havecollected.

� Communicate your findings.

Evaluation –a collaborative

learning process

The MetroHartfordstudy circle programnamed programevaluation as one ofits four major areasof work. The workinggroup decided todesign “an evaluationprocess of the modelwhere we – facilitators,participants, andpartners – collaborateto review and renew themodel so that it fullysupports all of us”.

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How to do it

Using evaluationto strengthenfacilitator skills

Evaluation is a key part oftraining and supportingfacilitators. See Chapter 5of the SCRC publicationA Guide for TrainingStudy Circle Facilitatorsfor in-depth advice andresources on how to useevaluation to…

➲ learn what is and isn’tworking well.

➲ monitor how thefacilitators are doingand respond to theirneeds.

➲ come up with newstrategies to improveyour program.

➲ explore the impact ofthe study circle processon the facilitators.

� Revisit the goals set by your coali-tion, and identify benchmarks thatwill tell you whether you are meet-ing your goals.

Refer back to the goals you identified whenyou developed your initial work plan. (See“Develop a Plan” on pages 31-36.) Think aboutyour impact goals and your process goals.Recall that impact goals describe the intendedeffects of the study circles upon individuals,communities, and institutions. Process goalsdescribe the strategies that organizers use totry and meet the impact goals.

Next, think about what you want to measure,and how you would know whether you havereached your goals. Here are a few examplesof goals and some indicators of whether theyare being met:

Impact goals

➲ If one of your impact goals is for partici-pants to develop a better understanding ofeach other and build trust in one another,then you can ask questions about this on aparticipant survey.

➲ If one of your impact goals is to promotenew community projects or policy changes,then you can devise a system for trackingthe work of action task forces that emergefrom the study circles.

Process goals

➲ If one of your process goals is to have adiverse mix of participants in each study circle,as well as in the entire community-wideprogram, then you can measure the diversityin the group with a participant survey.

➲ If one of your process goals is to ensurequality facilitation of the study circles, youcan do several things:

Get feedback from the facilitators –Convene an informal, focused conversation withsmall groups of facilitators to let them sharetheir experiences, and listen and learn fromeach other. This will also give you a chance tomonitor their progress, hear more about theirneeds, and identify any problem areas.

Use performance evaluations –Ask facilitators and participants to fill outperformance appraisals at the end of a round ofstudy circles. (Samples of evaluation forms areavailable in the evaluation section of SCRC’sA Guide for Training Study Circle Facilitators.)

Note that the purpose of these measures isnot to say, “Gotcha - you didn’t do a very goodjob,” but instead to help you build on yourareas of strength and to improve the qualityand impact of the study circles.

Note also that the best strategies fordocumentation and evaluation are often thosethat are simple, clear, and straightforward.There is a place for more complex approachesto evaluation, but you can accomplish a greatdeal by making sure you are focusing on thequestions that are most relevant to the short –and long-term success of your program.

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Step 5

� Identify the types of documentationand evaluation that will be mostuseful to your program.

Here are four types of documentationand evaluation that can be of great use toyour program:

1. Document the basicsKeep track of things, such as the number ofparticipants and their demographic profile(age, gender, income, race/ethnicity, educationlevel) and ideological preference (self-identification as a conservative, moderate, orliberal). You might also want to note whichneighborhoods participants come from.

2. Track the outcomesThe outcomes of study circle programs aremany and varied. Here are a few examples ofthe types of impacts documented by otherprograms:

New understanding of an issue –In Wilmington, Delaware, 79 percent ofparticipants reported that study circles onracism and race relations had increasedtheir understanding of others’ beliefsand attitudes.

New relationships between individuals,groups, and organizations –High school students who participated instudy circles in Kuna, Idaho, arranged tohold a “senior prom” at the town’s seniorcenter. Teen-agers and seniors dressed upin formal attire and danced the night away.

New collaborations –A hospital in Marshall, Minnesota, created aprogram to teach recent Somali immigrantsto sew, and provided them with newemployment opportunities.

Policy changes –The city government in Springfield, Illinois,changed its hiring practices for the policedepartment, resulting in the first African-American, the first Hispanic, and the firstfemale to be hired in the last ten years, allin one police class.

Structural changes (new organizationsand institutional arrangements leading toother changes) – In Orford, New Hamp-shire, study circle participants concernedwith declining school enrollment proposeda regional solution. The resulting RivendellSchool District is the first two-state, K-12district in the country, spanning four smalltowns in New Hampshire and Vermont.

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How to organize yourstudy circle notes

Organizing your notes inthe following categoriescan make it much easier tocreate a summary report atthe conclusion of yourstudy circles.

� Areas of agreement

� Areas of disagreement

� Areas where partici-pants feel ambivalentor unsure

� Unanswered questionsor areas whereparticipants feel theyneed more information

� Action ideas andsuggestions forchanges in publicpolicy

� Community resourcesor assets

3. Communicate the “public voice”Community-wide study circle programsgenerate a great deal of information aboutparticipants’ hopes, concerns, and ideas forchange. Brief, accessible reports with thistype of substantive information will be of greatinterest to public officials, the news media,foundations, researchers, and others who canhelp you expand, strengthen, and institutionalizestudy circles in your community. Such reportsare usually based on notes recorded in all ofthe study circles.

4. Evaluate program implementationTake a close look at how program implementa-tion is shaping up. How do both the facilitatorsand participants feel about the quality offacilitation, the discussion guide, and logistics(that is, accessibility of meeting places,transportation, child care, etc.)? How aboutyour coordinator, working group, and coalition– how do they feel about the way they havebeen working together?

Organizers use evaluations to measureprogress, and adjust strategies and practicesover the life of the program.

� Identify the right tools for the job.

Once you know what you want to measure,the next step is identifying the most appropri-ate tools for the task. Here are the types oftools you are most likely to use:

Taking notes

Keep careful records of the organizingprocess: Take notes on all the work you do –from meetings with your working groups,to discussions with potential sponsors, tobriefings with members of the news media.

Keep records from all the study circles: It isespecially important to keep a brief session-by-session record of the discussion within eachstudy circle. Notes from all the study circles canbe combined into a report for the program as awhole; they will be useful in planning actionforums; and they can be used to give updatesto public officials and journalists. (See “Planfor Action” on pages 89-98 and “Recruit, Train,and Support Facilitators” on pages 99-106 forinformation on training recorders.)

Two facilitators, working as a team, can easilytake turns leading the discussion and takingnotes. (Participants can also be asked tovolunteer, but make sure it’s not the sameperson for every session, because taking notestakes the person out of the discussion.) Keeptrack of the most important points, particularlythe action ideas and main areas of agreementor disagreement. This record doesn’t have to bescientific or complex, but it does have to be fairand objective. At the end of the session, makesure everyone agrees the summary captureswhat happened in the session.




Step 5

Surveys, questionnaires, and databasesSurveys and questionnaires are essential toolsfor keeping track of basic information such asthe participants’ demographic profile. Theycan also help you gauge participants’ opinionsabout the quality of facilitation, the discussionguide, and logistics. These tools can provideimportant insights into participants’ sense ofwhether the program fulfilled their personalgoals, and whether the study circles haveaffected their own behavior or beliefs.

To analyze the information you gather,participants’ responses should be enteredinto a data base. Be careful not to collectmore information than you need. (See sample“Participant Questionnaire” on pages 71-74.SCRC can provide you with an ExcelTM data filethat you can use to code and display the informa-tion you gather with this questionnaire.)

Informal meetingsEach of the various committees, teams, or taskforces should carve out time every so often toreflect on how the program is shaping up. Forexample, how do both the facilitators andparticipants feel about the quality of facilita-tion, the discussion guide, and logistics (thatis, accessibility of meeting places, transporta-tion and child care)? How do your coordinator,working group, and coalition feel about the waythings are going, and about how they have beenworking together? What new ideas andsuggestions for action are emerging from thestudy circles? How is the work of the actiontask forces progressing?

It’s best to keep the meetings focused, butinformal. This approach makes it easier forself-reflection to become a regular part of yourwork, as compared with formal evaluations thatmay make it more difficult for people toexpress their true feelings. If some of thework is especially difficult, or if you believethat conflict may arise, find a neutral modera-tor – preferably someone not from yourprogram staff – to lead the discussion. Drawon study circle principles (see page 2) to setground rules and guide the discussion.

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In-depth interviews and focus groupsThese powerful tools can be used to betterunderstand the variety of ideas and themesthat are documented in the brief session-by-session notes taken within each study circle.Focus groups and in-depth interviews allowresearchers to probe more deeply intothings, such as:

➲ the underlying assumptions behindpeople’s views.

➲ the degree to which people are willing toaccept certain trade-offs in order to achievesome version of their preferred solutions.

➲ how people’s views may change when theyare presented with new information.

In-depth interviews and focus groups canbe used to gauge participants’ sense of thehow well the program is organized, andwhether it meets their and the organizers’expectations. No matter what your reason isfor using these tools, you will probably want towork with professional researchers who canhelp you write the interview questions, set theright demographic targets when recruitingparticipants, and write a summary report ofthe findings.

� Recruit outside help (if you need it).

If the people on your documentation andevaluation committee don’t have all the skillsyou need, here are a few things you can doto get help:

➲ Check to see which coalition members orsponsoring organizations can contributeexpertise and staff time.

➲ Recruit people with skills in using computerdatabases to help meet information-management needs.

➲ Ask community members to help youadminister and collect questionnaires,do data entry, and work on newslettersthat report results.

➲ Inquire at a local college or university tofind out if a faculty member or graduatestudent can help. Some graduate studentsmay be able to do this work for academiccredit as an independent study. Socialscience departments – especially sociologyand political science – are the best placesto look.

➲ Enlist the services of an independentresearcher. Some research firms willdonate their services as a contribution tothe community program.

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When preparing asummary report on studycircle participants’ hopes,concerns, and ideas forchange, these tools canbe used as control groupsto test or verify what youare learning from thesession-by-session notes.This can be especiallyimportant if you areinterested in gainingthe attention of publicofficials, the news media,and grant makers.




� Reflect on the information you havecollected.

Of course, it’s no use collecting informationif you don’t use it. As the program unfolds, askmembers of the working group, sponsoringorganizations, facilitators, and participants tolook at the information you collect and reflecton what it means. You can use these lessonsto fine-tune your program and improve thenext round of study circles.

� Communicate your findings.

Do your best to tell the community about thegood ideas and energy produced by the studycircles. At minimum, prepare a brief writtenreport that summarizes basic informationsuch as the number of participants and theirdemographic profile. If you use the question-naire provided by SCRC, it will be fairly easy toorganize much of your information.

Summary reports can also provide informa-tion about the individual changes, actions, andstrategies for effecting meaningful change thatemerge from the study circles. (See thesample document “Report on ProgramOutcomes” on pages 78-81.)

It is difficult to write reports that communi-cate an accurate sense of the opinions andjudgments that emerge from study circles.However, information of this sort is invaluableto public officials and other leaders when theyare faced with difficult decisions. To captureinformation that conveys such things as theunderlying assumptions behind people’sviews, the extent to which participants mayfeel ambivalent or unsure, or their willingnessto accept certain trade-offs, you must have agood session-by session record of thediscussions within each study circle.

Moreover, the author of your summaryreport must have the skills to analyze, orga-nize, and communicate these findings in aclear and accessible way. It is also a good ideato have a small committee of reviewers whocan help refine the report.

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Step 5

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1. How important is it to document and evaluate our study circle program?First-time organizers of study circle programs sometimes assume (incorrectly!) thatdocumentation and evaluation are add-ons – that is, they would be nice to do, but theyaren’t key to the success of their program. It is true that you may not need to conduct avery scientific evaluation, but without completing the most basic forms of documentationand evaluation, you greatly reduce your chances of meeting your goals. At a minimum, youneed to keep track of the basics – things such as the number of participants and theirdemographic profile (age, gender, income, race/ethnicity, education level). You also needto keep track of the outcomes of the study circles if you want to be able to communicatethe results of your program to public officials, grant-making foundations, news media,and other people who can help you improve the effectiveness of your program. When itcomes to the question of evaluating how well you are doing in implementing the nuts andbolts of the program, the single most important thing you can do is monitor how thefacilitators are doing and respond to their needs.

2. How can SCRC help? First, we encourage you to use the sample “Participant Ques-tionnaire” on pages 71-74 to collect basic information. SCRC also can provide you with anExcelTM data file that you can use to code and display the information you gather with thisquestionnaire. We can also send you samples of tools and reports created by other studycircle programs. If you give us enough lead time, SCRC staff can review your documentationand evaluation work plan, and offer editorial advice and feedback on materials youcreate. Unfortunately, we cannot design custom questionnaires or reports for individualprograms. (If you design your own materials, please send us a copy so that we can sharethem with other program organizers.)

3. How much does it cost to document and evaluate a study circle program?Costs vary from one program to the next, depending on how comprehensive yourdocumentation and evaluation processes are, and whether you can find volunteers todo a lot of the legwork. You can save time and money by using the sample “ParticipantQuestionnaire” provided in this guide. Ask volunteers to help you customize the ques-tionnaire, do data entry, or work on a newsletter that reports on program outcomes. Ifyou need to enlist the services of a professional researcher, inquire at a local college oruniversity to find out if a faculty member or graduate student can help; or you might findresearch firms that would donate their services.





How to use this questionnaire

The following questionnaire should be given to participants at the end of the last small-group study circlesession. Leave at least 15 minutes at the end of the session for people to complete thequestionnaire.

Talking points for facilitators

Facilitators should be encouraged to use the following talking points as they introduce thequestionnaire to participants:

� The local program organizers are using the questionnaire to measure whether the study circleprogram met some of its goals, and to figure out how to improve the quality and effectiveness of futurestudy circle programs.

� Participation in the survey is voluntary. No one has to fill it out, but we hope that everyone will.

� All responses will be confidential. We are not asking people to sign their names to the questionnaires.

� One of the most important goals of a study circle program is to bring together a diverse group ofparticipants. This is why the questionnaire asks a few personal questions about age, income,education, racial and ethnic background, etc.

� Please be frank. We want to hear everyone’s opinion and we want to know how participants really feelabout their study circle experience – not how they think we want them to feel.

� If possible, please fill out the additional comments section at the end of the survey. If there is aquestion you wish we asked, but didn’t, tell us what you think anyway!

How to analyze information collected with the questionnaire

� To analyze the information you gather, participants’ responses should be entered into a data file. SCRCcan provide you with a template ExcelTM data file that you can use to code and display the informationyou gather with this questionnaire. It takes about two minutes to enter information from questions1-22 for a single questionnaire into an ExcelTM data file. If you also enter information from the twoopen-ended questions at the end of the survey, it will take about five minutes to enter the informationfor each questionnaire.

� Analyze the statistical information collected with this questionnaire using a statistical softwarepackage such as SPSSTM or SYSTATTM. Descriptive statistics, frequency counts, and cross-tabs(chi-square associations) are all that is necessary to get a sense of the data.

� Prepare a report based on your analysis of the information. Look at the sample “Report on ProgramImplementation” on pages 75-77 for one example of how you might organize your information.

� Make sure that other members of your working group (and, if possible, assorted program sponsors)have a chance to review and comment on the report before you release it.

Participant Questionnaire: Instructions for Administering

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Thank you for participating in our study circle program! The purpose of this short survey is to collectsome information about your experience with study circles, the discussion guide, your facilitator, and theoverall program. Finally, we ask some questions about you. All responses will be confidential. No onewill be able to trace your personal responses to you.

1. What effect, if any, has the study circle had upon the following?Increased No Change Decreased

Your ability to discuss issues ❑ ❑ ❑openly and frankly.

Your understanding of your own ❑ ❑ ❑attitudes and beliefs.

Your understanding of others’ ❑ ❑ ❑attitudes and beliefs.

Your ability to communicate ❑ ❑ ❑more effectively with peoplewho may have different beliefs

2. How did you hear about this study circle project?

❑ At school ❑ From an area business❑ From a friend ❑ From a state agency❑ At work ❑ From an elected official❑ Through a community group/organization ❑ News media❑ Through a religious organization or ❑ Internet

congregation ❑ Other (Please Specify): ____________________

3. Here is a list of things that some people do about government and politics. Have you done any of thesethings in the past year? (Mark all that apply.)

❑ Written to one of your elected representatives ❑ Written a letter to the paper❑ Attended a rally or speech ❑ Worked for a political party❑ Attended a public meeting on town or school affairs ❑ Been a member of some group like the League of❑ Signed a petition Women Voters, or some other group which is❑ Served on a committee for some local organization interested in better government❑ Voted in an election ❑ Served as an officer of some club or organization❑ Volunteered ❑ Worked informally with others to solve a

community problemDISCUSSION GUIDE

4. The discussion guide includes different points of view, without pushing any one point of view.❑ Strongly Agree ❑ Neutral ❑ Disagree❑ Agree ❑ Strongly Disagree

Sample Document: Participant Questionnaire

Participant Questionnaire

Study circle location and/or facilitator __________________________________ Date ___________

Continued on next page

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5. The discussion guide could be used by all kinds of people, across all walks of life.

❑ Strongly Agree ❑ Neutral ❑ Disagree❑ Agree ❑ Strongly Disagree

6. The discussion guide stimulated meaningful discussion.


7. The discussion guide presented the right amount of material.


FACILITATORS

8. The facilitator(s) made everyone feel welcome.


9. The facilitator(s) did not try to influence the group with his or her own views.


10. The facilitator(s) intervened when someone monopolized the conversation.


11. The facilitator(s) explained the study circle principles and the difference between dialogue and debate.


OVERALL EVALUATION

12. The length of each meeting was…

❑ Too Long ❑ Too Short ❑ Just Right

13. The number of meetings was…

❑ Too Many ❑ Too Few ❑ Just Right

14. The number of people in my circle was…

❑ Too Many ❑ Too Few ❑ Just Right

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15. Overall, I would rate the study circle program as…

❑ Very Good ❑ Neutral ❑ Poor❑ Good ❑ Very Poor

PERSONAL INFORMATION

16. Your Ethnic, Racial, Cultural Background:____________________________________

17. Which of the following best describes your level of education?

❑ Some High School ❑ College Graduate❑ High School Graduate ❑ Graduate School (advanced degree)❑ Some College

18. Age: __________

19. Gender:

❑ Female ❑ Male

20. How would you describe your political views?

❑ Very Conservative ❑ Liberal❑ Conservative ❑ Very Liberal❑ Moderate ❑ Don’t know/haven’t thought much about it

21. Which of the following best describes your annual income?

❑ Under $15,000 ❑ $50,000 to $100,000❑ $15,000 to $25,000 ❑ Over $100,000❑ $25,000 to $50,000

22. Describe what you liked most about the program.

23. Describe what you liked least about the program.

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Ourtown Study CirclesReport

onProgram Implementation

Note: This sample report focuses mainly on questions about the process of the study circles – what it took toorganize them, demographics of the participants, how participants felt about the quality of facilitation, and soon. It does not report on the substance of the discussions, or program outcomes. See the sample document“Report on Program Outcomes” on pages 78-81 for an example of a report that emphasizes program outcomes.

Ourtown Study Circles began in October 1999 when a few interested citizens met with the town’s Planning andZoning Commission. They presented an idea to create a program that would bring townspeople together forpublic dialogue about how to address the challenges of the town’s growth. Out of this meeting came a projectthat yielded fifteen study circles. Each circle met four times during March and April 2000, and used thepublication Smart Talk for Growing Communities: Meeting the Challenges of Growth and Development toguide their discussions. The program involved 180 town residents in all, 160 of whom took part in the studycircles as participants or facilitators. The main program goals were:

• Recruit participants that represent the diversity of people, resources, and interests in Ourtown.

• Present a report to the Planning and Zoning Commission that provides a solid sense of the town’s citizens’thoughts, concerns, and desires for action to be included in the Year 2000 Plan of Conservation andDevelopment.

To assess whether the Ourtown Study Circles reached its diversity goal, a questionnaire developed by theStudy Circles Resource Center was given to participants at the April 2000 Action Forum. From approximately130 participants, 48 surveys were returned for a response rate of 37%. The surveys were entered into Exceland analyzed by SPSS. The key findings are as follows:

• Ourtown Study Circles had political diversity. Just over a third (38%) of respondents stated they wereeither liberal or very liberal, roughly a third (29%) stated they were moderates, and nearly third (25%)stated they were conservative.

• Ourtown Study Circles had gender diversity. Out of 180 people who were involved with the project,101 were women (56%).

• The survey suggests that a majority of participants were older. The single largest age group reportedby the questionnaire was 41 to 50 at 38%. All told, over 51% of respondents were 41 years or older. Only13% of respondents were 31 to 40 and 7% of respondents were 20 to 30.

• The survey suggests that friends recruited a majority of participants. 58% of respondents stated theyheard about this study circle project from a friend. 27% heard about the study circle project from acommunity group or organization. 15% first heard about the circles in the local paper.

Sample Document: Report on Program Implementation

[Date]

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In addition to these findings, the questionnaire collected information from participants concerning the impacts of thediscussion on their opinions and behavior, their overall experience of the program, with circle facilitators, and withthe discussion guide.

What effect, if any, has the study circle had upon the following?

Increased No Change Decreased

Your ability to discuss issues openly and frankly… 63% 38% None

Your understanding of your own attitudes and 67% 33% Nonebeliefs…

Your understanding of others’ attitudes and 92% 8% Nonebeliefs…

Your ability to communicate more effectively 69% 29% Nonewith people who may have different beliefs…

Overall Experience

The length of each meeting was… 2% said too long 2% said too short 92% said just right

The number of meetings were… 4% said too many 21% said too few 71% said just right

The number of people in my circle were… 2% said too many 20% said too few 74% said just right

Overall, I would rate the program as… Nothing negative Nothing neutral 96% were positive

FacilitationAgree Neutral Disagree

The facilitators made everyone feel welcome… 83% 2% None

The facilitator did not try to influence the group 77% 6% 2%with his or her own view…

The facilitators intervened when someone 71% 13% Nonemonopolized the conversation….

The facilitators explained the study circle 71% 13% 2%principles and the difference between dialogueand debate…

Discussion Materials

Agree Neutral Disagree

The guide included different points of view, 83% 13% Nonewithout advocating any one point of view…

The guide could be used by all kinds of people, 86% 8% 6%across all walks of life…

This guide stimulated meaningful discussion… 81% 13% None

This guide presented the right amount of material… 79% 17% 4%

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So, what does this information mean?

First, with a survey like this, everyone tends to be very positive about his or her experience. After all, no one wants tothink they wasted their time. Thus, it is very important to look at the small differences.

• The questionnaire suggests that a good number of participants felt that facilitators did not interveneenough. Although no respondents disagreed with this question, 13% were neutral. This is large enough to beof concern.

• The questionnaire suggests that a good number of participants felt that facilitators did not explain thedifference between dialogue and debate. 13% of respondents were neutral on this question too, along with 2%who disagreed. Again, large enough to be of concern.

• The questionnaire suggests that a strong majority of participants felt the guide was useable by all kinds ofpeople. Only 6% of respondents disagreed outright with this question, and only 8% of respondents who respondedto the questionnaire were neutral. Still, a total of 14% seem to be looking for some changes in the guide.

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Ourtown Study CirclesReport

on

Program Outcomes

Note: This sample report focuses mainly on the impact that a study circle program to endracism can have on a community. It does not report on the questions about the process of thestudy circles – what it took to organize them, demographics of the participants, the quality offacilitation, and so on. See the sample document “Report on Program Implementation” onpages 75-77 for an example of that kind of report.

The Ourtown Study Circles Project began in late 1997 with three goals: to help our communitybuild trust and increase the understanding necessary for finding common ground; developrelationships across racial divides; and to work together toward action. The program providesa safe and effective process for participants to talk about and work on issues of racism andrace relations with people from different racial, ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, andideological backgrounds.

In the last three years, the outcomes of Ourtown Study Circles – from individual volunteerefforts, to projects requiring heavy doses of funding and political support – have continuedto multiply.

The outcomes of this program are many and varied. The most immediate kinds of changehappen when people gain new understanding of issues of racism and race relations, and formnew relationships. After only a short time we are seeing that these changes in personalunderstanding can readily translate into new individual or small-group commitments toaction.

In some instances, participants in the circles have decided to add their energies and ideas toefforts already under way in Ourtown. Or, when they bring their new ideas and approachesback to their own organizations, they sow the seeds of institutional change.

Other kinds of change that are emerging from the study circles are more complex and takelonger to take shape: new policies; new decisions; changes in the allocation of resources;new tools for citizen input and collaboration with government.

In the examples below, we haven’t told the detailed story behind each outcome. But, in eachcase, the Ourtown Study Circles have inspired individuals, groups, institutions and policymakers to make a difference.

Sample Document: Report on Program Outcomes

[Date]

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1. Scope of the program:

• 62 total study circles have been held since the project began in 1997 (with over600 people attending)

2. Changes in attitudes and behavior

• In a recent survey, over 90% of participants say that they learned a great dealfrom participating in the study circles: about themselves, about racism, and aboutothers who are different from themselves.

• 77% of participants report deepening their commitment to speak out and actagainst racist practices.

• 77% of participants report that they either developed or intended to developrelationships with people who are different from themselves as a result of thedialogue.

• Many study circles have met informally to continue discussions and build rela-tionships; one has met for over 2 years.

• A white business owner realized that he hired people through the old-boy net-work and thus didn’t include people of color. He has since changed his hiringpractices.

• A study circle participant who was in a circle with a police officer helped defusean arrest of a young man by the same police officer at a chance encounter on thestreet.

3. Study circle participants working together to make a difference:

• Students from Ourtown University founded a multicultural student organizationcalled PointZero that sponsored an educational forum on police profiling

• Participants from a study circle which included faith leaders helped form “Acts,”a faith-based, diverse, community organizing group

• Members of a study circle organized a music camp that brought together urbanand suburban youngsters who worked on gospel and traditional church music andperformed a musical celebrating diversity.

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• A study circle that included representatives from two ethnic community centershas helped to ease tensions between longtime Italian-American residents andgrowing numbers of newcomers from Southeast Asia. Members of both organiza-tions now work together on community projects and attend each other’s events.

• A large grocery store provided buses to under-served areas of the community.

• Mothers met with the police chief to express their concerns about unfair policetreatment of young people of color.

• Racially different congregations have paired for study circles and have deepenedtheir ties, attending each other’s houses of worship for fellowship and education.

• Study circle participants have produced written materials, including letters to theeditor, and a position paper.

4. Actions supported or initiated by the Ourtown Study Circles Coalition:

• A local shopping mall instituted a “Bill of Rights” for consumers, and helddiversity training for shop clerks and security personnel to respond to incidents ofpeople of color being treated unfairly.

• Recent meetings with members of the banking community are addressing goalsfor hiring, retention, and lending policies.

• Community events have been sponsored by the project: Two years ago a commu-nity breakfast drew more than 500 people in support of the goals of the project.Last spring the Ourtown Stage hosted a play A Raisin in the Sun, which featured anight devoted to OSC and included an insert about it in the playbill.

• An “Action Guide” was produced to provide study circle participants with infor-mation on community organizations that do work to end racism in the greaterOurtown region.

• Using race as an index, a benchmarking committee gathered statistics on suchthings as health and safety, income and education levels. This information isbeing used as a baseline to measure future change that may be generated by thestudy circles.

• A Rapid Response Listserv was established to help mobilize community responseto acts of racism.

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• Interfaith study circles brought together urban and suburban residents from wide-ranging ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Their frank discussions onemployment and race led to the formation of a program to help people prepare toenter the workforce.

• A committee was formed at the Chamber of Commerce to increase the number ofpeople of color on nonprofit and corporate boards of directors.

• Program staff and volunteers regularly make presentations on ending racism to avariety of community organizations.

5. Youth Activities:

• Study circles have been held within and between urban and suburban highschools during and after school hours.

• Diversity forums were held with all sophomores and juniors at Ourtown CentralHigh School.

• An “Eracism” project was developed partnering Ourtown University andOurtown City School District that has held dialogue with college and high schoolstudents, and had them critique and rewrite our Youth Dialogue Guide.

• A “Day of Dialogue” was held with area high school students in conjunction withOurtown Stage’s play A Raisin in the Sun.

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T he hallmark of a strong study circle programis diversity. The goal is to get as many differentkinds of people involved as possible.

➲ When people from different backgroundsand walks of life talk about possiblesolutions to common problems, they formnew relationships and networks, and comeup with innovative ideas.

➲ A program that involves a broad crosssection of the community is more likelyto benefit the community as a whole.

➲ Having a diverse mix of participants helpsmake for lively and rewarding dialogue.

The most important factor in recruiting abroad diversity of participants is a strong,diverse coalition. Each coalition memberreaches a different group of people. Everytime a new organization joins the coalition,the program’s capacity for recruitmentgets stronger.

What to do

� Decide how many and what kinds of peopleyou are trying to reach.

� Figure out who can reach out to thesediverse participants.

� Plan outreach strategies.

� Consider outreach tools.

� Give coalition members recruitingassignments.

� Work hard to recruit the unaffiliated.

� Work out a plan to ensure diversity ineach circle.

Step 5

Establish arecruitmentcommittee

Although everyone onthe coalition is expectedto recruit, it’s important tohave a committee that isin charge of recruitment.This committee shouldfocus on the program’soverall recruitment goals,and figure out ways tohelp the whole coalitionmeet those goals.

Share the Work of Organizing Study CirclesRecruit Participants and Form Diverse Groups

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Many kindsof leaders

The word “leader” canapply to all kinds ofpeople – not just mayorsor school superinten-dents, but communityorganizers, club presi-dents, youth groupleaders, owners of smallbusinesses, and others.Anyone who is trustedand respected for abilityto solve problems is aleader – and is someonewho can help you recruitpeople for study circles.

How to do it

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What is “diversity”?

Think broadly aboutdiversity. Consider raceand ethnicity, gender,age, background,interests, educationlevel, socioeconomiclevel, political leanings,and locale. Also makesure to include a mix ofgrass-roots participants,highly visible commu-nity leaders, and peoplewho hold positions atall levels in all kindsof institutions andorganizations.

� Decide how many and what kinds ofpeople you are trying to reach.

Refer back to the recruitment goals gener-ated by the whole coalition. As a recruitmentcommittee, you will revisit some of thecoalition’s earlier conversation, and make iteven more specific:

➲ How many people do we need to involve inorder to bring about the kinds of changeswe are aiming for in our community?

➲ Who are the different kinds of people weneed to recruit to make our programdiverse? Brainstorm a list. (“Diversity”means different things to different people,so take the time to explore each other’sviews and then decide what diversity meansto the group as a whole.)

➲ Why would people from each of thesegroups (or sectors, or backgrounds) wantto participate?

➲ What might keep people in each group fromparticipating?

� Figure out who can reach out tothese diverse participants.

Consider: Are there groups or individuals onour coalition who can reach out to differentkinds of people? If not, who can help bringthem on board?

� Plan outreach strategies.

To sell your program, use a multi-facetedapproach, combining personal invitations andgeneral publicity. Remember, people need tohear the same message at least three timesbefore it begins to register.

➲ A personal invitation is the best recruitingstrategy. There is no substitute! You can dothis through face-to-face visits and throughphone calls. The coordinator and coalitionmembers can introduce the program to lotsof people by speaking at community groupsor meetings.

➲ Whenever possible, give people a chance totake part in a sample study circle session.Be sure to allow plenty of time for ques-tions and answers. And explain how thestudy circle program can help them make adifference on the issue, form new partner-ships and relationships, and strengthentheir own organization. Capture the excite-ment that is generated on the spot by havingsign-up forms with you. (See sample “Formfor Participant Registration” on page 88).

➲ Ask volunteers to make phone calls tofollow up on letters or presentations.




Step 5

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Imagine you werebeing recruited

You might hear aboutstudy circles from afriend, then from co-workers or from peoplein your congregation;you might see a sign atthe Laundromat, or heara public serviceannouncement on thelocal radio station.

Once people hearabout study circles anumber of times, frompeople and sources theytrust, they are muchmore likely to take part.

� Consider outreach tools.

The most effective tools deliver yourmessage to people in ways they like to receiveinformation. Think about the people you’retrying to reach. Do they read the newspaper, orare they more likely to read a church bulletin?Do they listen to the radio? If so, whichstations? Do they read fliers on grocery storebulletin boards? Do they use e-mail, or get anemployee newsletter at work?

Plan on using a variety of tools so that peoplewill hear your message several ways – forexample, through the mass media (newspa-pers, radio, TV), direct mail (letters, notes,brochures), and a personal contact (phonecalls, presentations, meetings).

� Give coalition members recruitingassignments.

Provide coalition members with the adviceand tools that have been developed by thecommunication committee (see “Plan andCarry Out Communication” on pages 39-54).Include a few key talking points about theprogram that they can use wherever they go.Have them carry sign-up forms whereverthey go. Remember that active recruitmentis the most effective.

Ask the members of your coalition to reachout to people in their networks. In manyprograms, coalition members are asked torecruit a specific number of participants.Some programs recruit through the workplace.This is especially effective when CEOs andother key leaders are on board, encouragingpeople to participate.

Representatives from the faith communitymight be asked to recruit a certain number ofpeople from their congregations. Leaders ofservice clubs, such as Kiwanis, Lions, or Rotary,can announce the program during theirmeetings and personally invite people. In allthese cases, the recruiting will be easier if therecruiter is supplied with instructions, talkingpoints, guidelines for recruiting different kindsof people, and sign-up sheets.

Outreach tools

As you consider yourtools, remember thatyou will be workingclosely with thecommunicationcommittee. Thesetools often include:

� talking points

� basic brochures

� contact informationfor follow-upappointments

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� Work hard to recruit the unaffiliated.

One of the biggest challenges is to recruitpeople who don’t often get involved in commu-nity events. This will take extra work, butwithout it, you will be missing many importantvoices in your program. Here are a fewsuggestions:

➲ Go where people socialize. Just becausesocial groups aren’t considered “political”doesn’t mean their members aren’tinterested in critical issues. Think aboutbridge clubs, bowling leagues, sports clubs,youth groups, sewing circles, and ethnicorganizations. Don’t overlook local mom-and-pop establishments and businesseswhere people are likely to socialize, suchas barbershops or hair salons.

➲ Go where people work. In some communi-ties, businesses have given time off toemployees who wanted to take part instudy circles.

� Work out a plan to ensure diversityin each circle.

The recruiting committee is also respon-sible for making sure that each study circle hasa diverse mix of participants. You should usemore than one of these methods:

➲ Design your sign-up sheet to collect basicinformation – such as name, age, occupa-tion, gender, ethnic/racial group – and thenuse that data to help arrange diversegroups. Make sure you ask for preferredtimes and days.

➲ Bring people together in a large group. Postdifferent days and times around the room,and ask people to select a time that fitstheir schedule. Also, ask them to joingroups with people they don’t know, andwho don’t look like them. After the groupsare formed, check to see how diverse theyare, and adjust if necessary.

➲ Pair up dissimilar organizations. Formgroups that are half from one organization,half from the other.

➲ In a large group, assign numbers as peoplecome in, and then form groups according tonumbers. This way you will separate peoplewho have come in together.

Reaching thehard-to-reach and

the unaffiliated

Study circle programs tryto include people whodon’t normally take partin community events.To reach these people,it will take more than anewspaper article, radioannouncement, or flier.What can you do?

One program collabo-rated with a mom-and-pop magazine store ina low-income neighbor-hood. The store agreedto host an orientation andhold a sample study circlefor its customers.

The owner posted fliers inthe window and handedthem out to customers.The results: Fifty peopleattended the orientation,and took part in a samplestudy circle.

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1. How can we reach beyond “the choir” to recruit people who aren’t usuallyinvolved in community affairs? Your best chance of reaching these people is to workthrough the grass-roots organizations and groups they belong to. Go where people worship,study, and socialize. Recruit people where they work. In one small town, where lots ofpeople are related, organizers used family groups as their recruitment path. Remember,with each round of study circles you will have a new group of participants who can help byrecruiting their friends and family members and other people in their networks.

2. How can we make sure our study circles are diverse? Think in terms ofcategories: age, neighborhood, socioeconomic level, profession, education, gender, race,ethnicity, politics, faith groups. Then, come up with strategies for reaching the people inthose categories – and aim for representation from each group. Put yourself in their shoesand try to think of the reasons they would want to join a study circle.

3. If we use the media to advertise the program, will that draw enoughparticipants? While newspapers, radio, and television are very important, don’t rely onthem exclusively. Articles and public service announcements can help to create a “buzz” inthe community, but it’s the personal touch that gets people involved. Making presentationsat meetings, and issuing personal invitations should be your primary strategy.

4. How can we make sure that people and groups with different views of theissue are included? Even if people hold very different opinions about an issue, theyusually can be convinced to participate in a conversation when they know it is aimed at thewhole community. Try to bring opposing groups into the organizing coalition, so that you’resending the message from the beginning that everyone is welcome in this conversationabout a shared concern.

Step 5


Recruiting youngpeople

Most public issues – fromcrime to race relations tosubstance abuse – directlyinvolve and affect youngpeople. Remember, addingyoung people to theconversation will createnew energy, and createnew kinds of relationshipsand solutions.

In order to recruit youngpeople, it is absolutelyessential to have them onyour coalition. They willknow where other youngpeople spend their time,and they can do the bestjob of recruiting otherteenagers and youngadults. With that as agiven, what else canyou do to recruit largenumbers of diverse youngpeople into your program?

� Involve youth in everyphase of the work –organizing, recruiting,facilitating, and trainingfacilitators.

� Go where young peopleare. Visit schools,community clubs, placesof worship, and placeswhere kids “hang out.”

� Ask schools to offerstudents extra creditfor participating instudy circles.

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Sample Document: Form for Participant Registration

This is a sample of a form touse when registering studycircle participants. Use itto collect demographicinformation to help youorganize diverse circles.




Step 5

I n the introduction to this guide, we said thatcommunity-wide study circle programs helppeople lend their hearts, hands, and mindsto the task of solving public problems. Theprocess provides a way for large numbersof community members with differentbackgrounds, experiences, and views tolisten to each other, and then work togetherproductively.

Typically, the action coming from studycircles falls into various categories. (See“Action and Change in Study Circle Programs”on page 92). Remember that a large, diversestudy circle program will result in manydifferent kinds of change, happening at alllevels in the community. For individuals, ideasfor change start through the dialogue process.Collective action and change often begin afterthe round of study circles, when participantshave the chance to pool their action ideas. Itis these ideas for collective change that canrequire additional oversight and resources.

To move from dialogue to action, plans needto be put in place at the beginning.

Establish an actioncommittee

Find some people tofocus on this phase of thework, since the coordina-tor and other committeeswill be occupied gettingthe circles up andrunning. The role of theaction committee is tohelp develop a processfor the study circle actionideas to get started, notto decide what action willtake place.

What to do

� Refer back to your program goals.

� Decide how much support you can providefor action initiatives.

� Have a conversation about how changeoccurs in your community.

� Develop a process for collecting andprioritizing ideas from the study circles.

� Plan the action forum, a tool for combiningthe work of individual study circles.

� Track and support the action and changeefforts.

Share the Work of Organizing Study CirclesPlan for Action, Including the Action Forum

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How to do it

� Refer back to your program goals.

Review the decisions the whole coalitionmade about program goals and supportingaction during its planning conversations.

Once you’ve reviewed the goals, considerthe following: Does the action committee havethe right diversity of people and skills to helpmove from dialogue to action? Who else isneeded for the committee?

� Decide how much support you canprovide for action initiatives.

With members of the coalition, actioncommittee, and coordinator, talk about whatwill happen when the study circles conclude.Consider these questions:

➲ What kinds of support can we give to theaction ideas (coordinating, administrative,tracking, etc.)?

➲ Will we help set up task forces, overseetask forces, write a report, link participantsto other related initiatives in thecommunity?

➲ Who will plan the action forum?

➲ What kinds of resources do we need?

➲ What will we do with the study circle actionideas that the task forces are not working on?

Here are some possible levels of support:

➲ The organizers plan the action forum, but donot provide ongoing assistance.

OR

➲ The organizers plan the action forum andprovide limited support for the task forces.

OR

➲ The organizers take responsibility forproviding ongoing support for the actionideas emerging from the study circles.This may require additional staff.

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� Action forumThe large-groupmeeting at the end of around of study circlesdesigned to pool theaction ideas fromindividual study circles.

� Task force/action groupA new group that formsfollowing an actionforum to carry forwardan action idea.

Dialogue to action

Carry the message ofdialogue to action through-out the program.

� Talk about it in writtenmaterials.

� Announce action forumat kickoff.

� Help facilitators under-stand problem-solvinggoals of the program.

� Make level of support foraction initiatives clear.

Community-wide programs= dialogue + action

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� Have a conversation about howchange occurs in your community.

Understanding how change occurs in yourcommunity is key to moving from dialogue toaction. Ideas for change often stall becausethe program organizers haven’t given enoughthought to questions of what meaningfulchange looks like, and how to achieve it.

Below are some questions to consider, asyou think about how to bring about change inyour community.

➲ What would genuine, beneficial change looklike? How will we know if we are successful?What are our short-term and long-termgoals?

➲ Who needs to be involved for change tohappen? At what point in the process dothey need to be involved?

➲ How will we get community leaders who arenot part of the study circles to take therecommendations seriously?

➲ What information will be needed to helpchange occur? What form should theinformation take?

➲ What obstacles might get in the way ofchange occurring? How can we addressthese obstacles?

➲ Are there people/groups that should be keptinformed along the way?

Think again about organizations and agen-cies already working on the issue, and reachout to them. It will increase your chances ofsuccess if some community leaders lend theirsupport to the study circle program up front.They can do this by being part of the coalition,participating in the circles, and committing tolistening to the recommendations that comefrom the circles – and acting on them when-ever possible.

Step 5

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Moving from studycircles to action

People move from thestudy circles into action inmany ways. Programs useany or all of these methods:

� Sometimes, people takeaction on their own.

� A single study circleadopts an action idea,and moves it forward.

� Ideas are pooled acrossthe circles, and a few,well-supported themesemerge. Participantsthen sign up to work ona particular task force,forming new groups.

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How does it happen?

Better understanding of the issues and of oneanother inspires people to “make a difference.”

Trust and understanding develop betweenparticipants in the dialogue.

Individuals and organizations develop newrelationships and new ideas for solutions.

Leaders and/or members of an institution gainnew insights in study circles that lead to changeswithin the institution and in the larger community.

Public officials help organize study circles,and pledge to work with citizens to implementaction ideas.ORPublic officials take part in the organizing anddialogue, and gain new insights that have animpact on their policymaking.ORInformation from the study circles is collectedand reported to decision makers.

Many hundreds of people take part in studycircles. Once there is a “critical mass” of peoplewho have a new understanding of issues andof one another, their capacity for communitywork increases.

Once people see the benefits of large-scaledialogue to action, they make it an ongoingpart of how their community works.

Example

A participant in a community-wide program on racismdecides never again to let racist remarks go by withouta comment.

Following study circles on community-police relation-ships, young people and police officers holdweekly meetings.

After study circles on neighborhood issues, residents,police officers, and mental health advocates create anemergency team to help mentally ill people whowander the streets.

After doing study circles on race, leaders of severalbanks work with others to improve banking services tocommunities of color.

Following study circles on education, participantsdevelop a plan to close the gap in achievement betweenthe races. The school board – a leading organizer of thecircles – funds the plan and helps carry it out.

After participating in study circles, a school superinten-dent creates new policies to involve parents in thedistrict’s schools.

A report from study circles on growth and sprawl is turnedover to the planning board, which uses this information tohelp shape the town’s strategic plan.

Study circles on race relations happen in a communityover years. In all kinds of settings, public meetings beginto operate according to study circle principles. Peoplelearn to work together across differences, and feel astronger sense of community.

After a round of study circles on education, the schooldistrict decides to use study circles routinely to involvecitizens in creating and implementing its annual school-improvement plan.

Action and Change in Study Circle Programs

Kind of change

Changes in individualbehavior and attitudes

New relationshipsand networks

New workingcollaborations

Institutional changes

Changes in public policy

Changes incommunity dynamics

Changes in acommunity’s public life




� Develop a process for collectingand prioritizing ideas from thestudy circles.

Decide what the facilitator/recorder shouldrecord from each study circle. (See thesuggestions on setting up a recording processon pages 66 and 102-103). Then considerthese questions:

➲ Who will be responsible for collecting therecords from each study circle?

➲ Who will review the records and put them ina workable format?

➲ What is the best way to track themes,trends, and categories of ideas as theyemerge?

➲ How will we pool the ideas across thecircles, and choose overall priorities?

➲ How many action ideas do we think we areable to work with?

Some programs combine records from allthe study circles into a report for the programas a whole. This can be distributed at the actionforum, used to give updates to public officialsand journalists, and can form the basis ofsignificant input into policy decisions.

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Step 5

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The multi-votingdecision process

Multi-voting is a processfor narrowing down a longlist of items and choosingpriorities. Work on largesheets of paper thateveryone can see.

� Clarify the meaning ofeach item before youbegin the vote. Com-bine or group similarideas first.

� Give every person threevotes. Use coloredstickers, or some othervisual method of voting.

� Ask everyone to vote forthe ideas they like best.They can use all theirstickers in one category,or spread them around.(Having people movearound in the votingprocess will energizethe room.)

� Serve refreshments.

� Tally votes and identifythe desired number ofpriorities. Be clear withthe group what willhappen to all the ideas,including those notchosen. A written reportof the process cancapture all ideas, eventhose with less support.

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� Plan the action forum, a tool forcombining the work of individualstudy circles.

The action forum is a community eventdesigned to tie together the work of theindividual circles, and help participants moveto individual and collective action. At the forum,groups can share their ideas for action, andparticipants can join or create action efforts.

The action forum should take place no morethan two weeks after each round of studycircles, to effectively build on the momentumof the discussions.

As you plan the action forum, start thinkingabout who might convene the task forces.Choose someone who can help a group getstarted; ideally, this will be someone whoknows a lot about the issue.

Assist task force leaders before they begintheir work.

It is very important to work with task forceleaders before they begin their work. To givethem the greatest chance of success, encour-age them to use these guidelines as theylaunch the task forces:

➲ When establishing task forces, try to includein each task force people who have profes-sional expertise or some decision-makingpower on the issue. This will help the grouplearn more about the issue and give moreaccess to official decision-making channels.

➲ Establish ground rules. Many task forces usesome version of study circle ground rules.

➲ To build relationships and establish trust innew groups, use Session 1 (or more) ofyour issue discussion guide. Ask people toshare some of their thoughts about thestudy circle experience they just completed.

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Elements of anaction forum

� Summary remarks by arepresentative from eachstudy circle

� A rundown of themes andtop priorities emergingfrom the groups

� A process for the wholegroup to choose prioritiesfrom among the manyideas

� A chance for people tosign up for the actiongroups/task forces

� Celebration, food, and fun– giving people a chance tocement their new relation-ships, and to meet peoplefrom other study circles

� Thanks to organizers,coalition members,facilitators, and participants

� Remarks by communityand project leaders

� An announcement ofplans for the future:Explain how the programwill support the taskforces; how the programwill keep participants andthe community informedabout the action efforts; atimeline for a future roundof study circles.

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➲ Establish a process for working together,including decision making, a timeline, anda meeting schedule.

➲ Clarify your goals. What would genuine,beneficial change look like? How will weknow if we are successful? What are ourshort-term and long-term goals?

➲ Assess the capacity of your group. Whatdoes the task force need in order to get thejob done (for example, leadership training,better group skills, better connections todecision makers, more information, moreadministrative support)? How can we getwhat we need?

➲ Ask yourselves, “Who else should be inthis task force? How can we invite them tojoin us?”

➲ Find out what else is going on in thecommunity related to this action idea?How can we connect to those efforts?

➲ Stay in touch. How will our work be con-nected to the overall study circle program?How will we report our outcomes?

� Track and support the action andchange efforts.

Help the task forces in the following ways:

➲ Stay in touch with task force leaders. Holdoccasional large-group meetings to shareprogress and challenges, and to stayconnected.

➲ Focus attention on the task forces tobuild community support and momentum.Consider a newsletter, a web site, or acolumn in the local newspaper to shareprogress reports.

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Step 5

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1. What kinds of action and change come from study circles? In a large-scalestudy circle program, action and change happen at all levels – in individual attitude andbehavior change, in the creation of new and stronger relationships among diverse people,in new collaborative efforts, in institutional changes, and in policy or governmental changes.

2. How does change come about? For individuals, ideas for change start through thedialogue process. Collective action and change often begin after the round of study circles,when participants have the chance to pool their action ideas at the action forum. Somekinds of change happen quickly. People may decide to add their energies and ideas toefforts already under way in the community. Or, when they bring their new ideas andapproaches back to their own organizations, they sow the seeds of institutional change.

Other kinds of change from study circles are more complex and take longer to shape.These include new policies, changes in the allocation of resources, and new institutionaldirections. In these cases, study circles are often part of a larger picture, in which manyfactors are at play.

3. What can we do to make sure that the talk will really lead to results? Planahead. Do everything you can to make sure there are people and resources available tosupport the action groups as they move forward – with administrative help, assistance,research, access to decision makers – whatever it takes to help them achieve their goals.

4. What are some specific examples of outcomes that have come from studycircle programs?

➲ New and strengthened youth mentoring programs (many)

➲ New and strengthened school-business partnerships (many)

➲ A new multiracial “Unity Choir”(Lima, Ohio)

➲ Changing a long-standing community policy on after-school and evening athletics(Alread, Arkansas)

➲ New hiring policies in government agencies to better reflect the diversity of thecommunity (Springfield, Illinois)





➲ Community-wide diversity celebrations (many)

➲ A new city-wide violence prevention center (Lima, Ohio)

➲ Modifications to a five-year strategic plan for a school district (SAD 50, Maine)

➲ School beautification project (Inglewood, California)

➲ Bi-lingual mentoring efforts with students teaching adults (Inglewood, California)

➲ New supermarket in an inner-city area (Fort Myers, Florida)

5. Who implements the action ideas that come from study circles? Some-times, study circle participants find people who are already working on the issue, andfunnel their ideas and energies into programs already under way. Sometimes participantsform task forces to develop and implement new initiatives.

6. What happens if people put forward action ideas that are controversial or“off-the-wall”? This isn’t likely to happen because the study circle process – facilitated,constructive deliberation – helps people to identify common concerns. Usually, at the endof the study circles, action ideas from the circles are pooled and prioritized so that thosewith the broadest support, not the controversial ones, become the highest priorities.

7. How much responsibility – if any – do program organizers have for out-comes? Since action ideas are generated in the study circles, it is usually the participantswho take responsibility for the initiatives they propose. However, in the early planning, thesteering committee should decide what role(s) it might play in implementing action ideas.This should be communicated clearly to participants and to the community at large. Forexample, in some programs, organizers establish a committee to oversee and support thetask forces. In other places, new projects and task forces operate independently.

Step 5

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Sample Document: Agenda for Action Forum (Annotated)

Use this outline as a guide fordeveloping your own agendaand for thinking about howyou will lead this meeting.




Step 5

T he best study circle programs combineexcellent community organizing and excellentfacilitation. Highly skilled facilitators ensure aquality discussion in each circle. Effectivefacilitator training develops study circlediscussion leaders who understand theprinciples and techniques of effective small-group deliberation and the broader civiccontext in which the facilitation takes place.

A group of well-trained facilitators is key to asuccessful program. Good study circlefacilitators come from all age groups and allwalks of life. Some have previous training;some do not. What they have in common is aninterest in how groups work, the skills to guidethe conversation, and a desire to help peoplehave a productive experience. They are goodlisteners and relate well to many differentkinds of people. Above all, they are interestedin improving their communities.

What to do

� Contact SCRC for a copy of A Guide forTraining Study Circle Facilitators.

� Identify a few skilled trainers.

� Plan and schedule one or more trainings.

� Recruit a diverse pool of facilitators.

� Prepare materials to help facilitatorssucceed.

� Help facilitators decide how they will handlenote taking.

� Provide ongoing support for facilitators.

� Keep expanding the pool of facilitators.

Share the Work of Organizing Study CirclesRecruit, Train, and Support Facilitators

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How to do it

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� Contact SCRC for a copy of A Guidefor Training Study Circle Facilitators.

This is our comprehensive guide for recruitingand training facilitators. (You can download theguide from our website at www.studycircles.org .)The coordinator and others who are responsiblefor this part of the program should review thispublication as they plan. Ultimately, everyperson who trains facilitators for your studycircle program should have a copy of this guide.

� Identify a few skilled trainers.

Begin by identifying some potential trainers.Ask someone whose opinion you trust torecommend a trainer. Is there a communitycollege or university that offers courses infacilitation, mediation, or conflict resolution?Who teaches the courses? Is there a list ofgraduates? Is there a mediation center intown? Where does it find its mediators, andwho trains them? How about corporatetrainers or facilitators? Think about addingthese organizations to your coalition, with thegoal of having them assume this part of thework. Keep in mind that you will most likelyneed to pay trainers for their time.

� Plan and schedule one or moretrainings.

Working with the trainer or trainers, decidehow many trainings to plan. How many peopleneed to be trained? For larger programs, planto hold several training events to give peoplemore options.

A training should give potential facilitators anopportunity to learn and practice the skills theywill need to conduct a study circle; it should alsoprovide information about the overall program,so that facilitators will see their work in thebroader context of the community-wide model.

Facilitators should be trained a month ortwo before the circles begin. Allow at least afull day – or two half days – for the basictraining. Most communities schedule addi-tional practice time to provide more experi-ence for new facilitators. Consult the trainingguide for ideas on the basic agenda, content,exercises, and practice sessions. Remember,the more training and practice facilitators havein preparation for the circles, the moresuccessful they will be.




� Recruit a diverse pool of facilitators.

Your facilitator corps should be diverse, soyou should identify and recruit potentialfacilitators from every sector of the commu-nity. You are looking for people who arecomfortable with all kinds of people; have theability to listen well and “read” group dynam-ics; know how to help move conversationforward, and deal with different communica-tion styles; can guide a conversation withoutadding their own opinion.

Consider these groups:

➲ Social workers

➲ Group leaders from congregations

➲ Mediators

➲ People trained in conflict resolution

➲ Therapists and counselors

➲ Corporate facilitators

➲ Senior citizens

➲ High school or college students;students trained in peer mediation

➲ Educators of all ages(remember retired teachers)

➲ Clergy

➲ Parents

➲ People interested in public issues

Most study circle programs use co-facilitatorsfor each study circle. While this requiresrecruiting and training more people, it offersseveral advantages:

➲ The pair can model diversity in race, age,gender, and other differences.

➲ Pairing experienced facilitators withbeginners helps bring new people along.

➲ Two people can get a better “read” on howthe group is going.

➲ Responsibility can be shared for planningand implementing.

➲ Working in teams brings different skills tobear on the process.

Contact SCRC for a copyof A Guide for TrainingStudy Circle Facilitators,a complete resource forrecruiting, training,evaluating, and sustainingyour study circle facilitators.

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Step 5

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� Prepare materials to helpfacilitators succeed.

You can help your facilitators do their jobwell by providing them with some supportmaterials. For example, give them a writtendescription of the overall project – its spon-sors, its goals, and its scope. Be sure toinclude important information, such as thedate, time, and location of the kickoff, andaction forum. You should also give them forms(with instructions) for evaluating the processand tracking the discussion as it develops.

Another important piece is a step-by-stepoutline of each of the sessions, includingapproximate times for each part of thediscussion. Pay particular attention to the finalsession where the dialogue focuses on action.Work with the trainers to make sure facilita-tors are equipped to lead brainstormingsessions, and have the necessary skills andwritten materials to develop, articulate, andprioritize their group’s action ideas, as theyprepare for the action forum.

� Help facilitators decide how they willhandle note taking.

Note taking can be a simple, effective way tocapture and share the wisdom that studycircles generate. These records help createconnections between the study circles, andthey can form the basis of a report thatextends the message and power of the studycircles to the broader community. (For tipson note-taking, see page 66.)

Here are some suggestions for facilitators:

When you recruit people to fill the recorder’srole, look for good listeners.

➲ They must be committed to representingwhat the group as a whole thinks.

➲ Two facilitators, working as a team, cantake turns leading the discussion and takingthe notes.

➲ A facilitator who is working alone can ask fora volunteer from the group to take notes.

Give the note takers guidance ahead of time.

➲ Capture the main ideas and keep track ofthe direction that the conversation takes.

➲ Use the language of the speaker when youcan. Don’t paraphrase.

➲ Note taking should serve the discussion, notdistract attention from it.

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➲ Check your notes with the group. Did youcapture what the speaker meant?

➲ If your group’s notes will become part of areport, be sure to write enough to makesense to someone outside the group.

➲ Include the date, location, session, and thegroup’s name.

The note taker and facilitator work as ateam, especially in the last fifteen minutes ofeach session.

At the end of the session, the facilitatorshould ask the recorder to give a brief sum-mary of the discussion (based on the notes).Ask the group to make sure that the notes trulyreflect the discussion.

Use recording forms.

In preparation for report writing and for theaction forum, many organizers choose to havegroups fill out a summary form, which can beorganized around the following categories:

1. Areas of agreement

2. Areas of disagreement

3. Areas where participants feel ambivalentor unsure

4. Unanswered questions or areas whereparticipants feel they need more information

5. Action ideas (for individuals, small groups,and the community as a whole) andsuggestions for changes in public policy

6. Community resources or assets

� Provide ongoing support forfacilitators.

Well-trained facilitators are one of yourstrongest assets. Treat them with care! Theymake a huge volunteer contribution of timeand talent, and indeed, can be the differencebetween success and failure.

Keep in mind the volunteer-managementprinciples of training, support, and recognition.Find the best trainers you can, and offer well-planned training events. Evaluate the trainingsand trainers to help them constantly adjust andimprove. Support the facilitators with a hotlineor mentor. Bring them together informallywhile the study circles are under way to checkin and share advice and problem solving. Aboveall, thank them publicly for their contribution.

� Keep expanding the pool offacilitators.

As with any volunteers, people will cycle inand out, as circumstances change. To sustainyour study circle program, new facilitatorsneed to be identified, trained and supportedon a continuing basis. Remember that eachround of study circles can be a source offuture facilitators. Provide opportunities forpeople to sign up to be trained, after they’vefinished taking part in a study circle.

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Step 5




1. What should we do when someone volunteers to facilitate who isn’t wellsuited to the task? Keep in mind that facilitation is not for everyone. It is vital to thesuccess of the program to have the right people in this role. It may be awkward, but you willhave to convince people that there are many important ways to contribute to the program.Try to find out what their skills and talents are, and direct them accordingly.

2. Do the facilitators need to be experts in the issue area? No, the facilitator’sspecialty is the group process, not the content of the discussion. The important thing is tostudy the discussion materials ahead of time, and to know how one session moves to thenext, so that full attention can be given to the process and to anticipating questions andpoints of view that may come out in the discussion. Sometimes, it’s wise to include people inyour training sessions who have expertise in particular issue areas (race relations, violence,education reform, immigration) to help facilitators gain a deeper understanding of the issuebeing addressed.

3. How do we make sure the facilitators are ready to handle difficult situa-tions? Practice, practice, practice! During trainings, allow plenty of time for role-playing, andplan exercises that teach strategies for dealing with tensions or conflict in the study circle.Plan extra training sessions if the trainings do not allow enough time. Seek advice fromprofessional trainers or mediators who know how to handle highly charged situations.

4. How do we measure how the facilitators are doing? Evaluation and feedbackshould be a mainstay of your program. In trainings and practice sessions, the trainer isresponsible for giving feedback and helping to determine who is ready to be an effectivefacilitator. When the study circles get under way, co-facilitators give one another feedback,and participants use evaluation forms to comment on the quality of the facilitation. Thishelps ensure that facilitators continue to improve. (See forms in SCRC’s Guide for TrainingStudy Circle Facilitators).

5. Are there costs associated with this part of the program? Some trainers mayvolunteer their time to begin with, but it’s best to plan to cover their expenses. In someprograms, organizers contract with trainers to train new facilitators – and be “on call” toprovide support, feedback and coaching throughout the program. Costs vary according to thenumber of facilitators and the number of rounds of circles within a given time frame.

6. Is it necessary for an experienced facilitator to go through the training?Yes. It is very important for facilitators to understand what a community-wide program is –and to know about the context in which the study circles will take place. It is also essential toknow how facilitating a study circle differs from other group processes.


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Sample Document: Invitation to Potential Facilitators

Step 5

This is a sample of a letterto invite potential facilitatorsto a training. Use it with theregistration form on thenext page.




Sample Document: Form for Facilitator Registration

This is a sample form to usefor registering facilitators.Enclose it with the letter onthe preceding page.




Step 5

A t the beginning of a round of study circles,a public kickoff event helps call attention tothe program, builds enthusiasm, and drums upmore participants. It marks the beginning of awidespread community dialogue that will leadto action and change.

You can galvanize a program by filling a roomwith all kinds of community people who careabout an issue and who want to work withothers to make a difference. Use the kickoffto show how broad your support is – publicofficials, leaders, and everyday people from allover the community.

This is your chance to send a message thatpeople don’t have to be experts on the issuein order to take part, and to make it clear thatall points of view are welcome. At its best, akickoff shows people that study circles providea way to play an active role in the community –to be part of something that is larger thanthemselves.

What to do

� Set a date.

� Plan the event.

� Promote the event.

Share the Work of Organizing Study CirclesPlan the Kickoff




How to do it

� Set a date.

Choose a date that is fairly close to thebeginning of the circles – a week to tendays beforehand. The goal is to focus thecommunity’s attention and draw moreparticipants. Hold the kickoff at a centrallocation and a convenient time of day forattendees and the media.

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Sometimes, it makes sense to hold an event that combines the kickoff with thefirst session of study circles. If you decide to do this, you will need to intensify yourpublicity and up-front recruiting efforts so that you can be pretty sure of a goodturnout. You will also need to shorten the kickoff program so that there will beplenty of time for people to go through the first session.

Depending on circumstances, you may decide to have people hold the rest oftheir sessions in locations all over town. You can reunite them at the action forum.

There are several advantages to this approach:

� It can simplify the task of creating diversity in the study circles. Post signs aroundthe room with meeting dates on them, and ask people to choose a date thatfits their schedule. Once they’ve sorted themselves out according to date, theycan actually see whether there’s enough diversity in their group (age, gender,race). If a group lacks diversity, ask for volunteers to pick another date, andadjust the membership of each group to make it more diverse. Ask people tomake a point of joining a group where they don’t know anybody so they canmake new friends and hear new ideas.

� This method works well in small communities where people don’t have to traveltoo far to get to a central place.

� Participants tend to get very energized after the first session. When they’reall in the same place, you can capture that excitement and use it to bolsteryour program. Starting off together gives them a sense that they are part ofsomething big. And by folding the first session into the kickoff, you reducethe number of commitments you are asking participants to make.




� Plan the event.

➲ Invite well-known community leaders tospeak in favor of the program. The besttestimonials come from people who haveparticipated in pilot study circles.

➲ Ask someone to explain what study circlesare, and how this program will work –including timing, location of circles, andplans for the action forum.

➲ Invite someone who has taken part in pilotstudy circles to talk about their experience.

➲ Bring in a keynote speaker or a performerwho can draw a large audience and inspirethem to think about the issue and why theirparticipation is important.

➲ Demonstrate the process, and, if possible,give the audience a chance to break outinto small groups and try it.

➲ Allow time for questions and answers.

➲ Invite people to sign up for the cominground of study circles. Make sure that thesign-up tables are clearly visible.

➲ Provide food, and time for fun andsocializing – before or after the event,or both!

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Schedule a number ofkickoff events to take placeat the same time in differentlocations around thecommunity. This can make iteasier for people to attend,and can make the programmore accessible to a widerdiversity of participants.

Step 5

� Promote the event.

➲ Invite the media and help reporters to getthe information they need.

➲ Advertise the kickoff widely ahead of time.Try to create a sense of excitement andanticipation. Remember, you want theentire community to know that somethingreally important is beginning – somethingthat everyone will want to be part of.




1. How long should the kickoff be? A kickoff can be very effective without taking a lotof time – often one to two hours will be enough. Invite speakers who can be inspirationaland enthusiastic, but ask them to keep their remarks brief. Try to include some time forsample study circles, so people can get a taste of the process. Allow time at the end forquestions and answers, food, and socializing.

2. What time of day, and day of the week is best? The goal here is a good turnout –both from community members and the press. Some kickoffs are held on weekdays in theearly morning or late afternoon, so that people can come before or after work. Somehappen on Saturdays to have more time to include sample study circles. Check with thepress to make sure what you are planning is compatible with their deadlines.

3. Will the kickoff generate most of our participants? No. You should be recruit-ing participants for several weeks leading up to the kickoff – through personal invitations,through organizations and coalition members, and through news coverage. The point of thekickoff is to increase awareness of the study circle program in the greater community, andbring even more people into the study circles.

Frequently Asked Questions – and Answers




Step 5

A ny large-scale community-organizing effortis full of details – the things that seem to beinsignificant, but often make the differencebetween a well-run program, and one marredby miscommunication, missteps, and mis-takes! The key is to plan ahead, and thinkthrough all the steps along the way.

Often a coordinator needs a committee ora few detail-oriented volunteers to handle thispart of the work. There’s too much here forone person, so involve a small group to makesure things run smoothly.

What to do

� Consider the kinds of spaces you will need.

� Pick out sites for the study circles and thinkabout scheduling.

� Make plans for child care, food, transporta-tion, and other considerations.

� Set up a process to communicate aboutprogram details.

Share the Work of Organizing Study CirclesFind Sites and Handle Logistics




How to do it

� Consider the kinds of spaces youwill need.

When planning where your circles will belocated in the community, be sure to look forplaces that feel welcoming to everybody. Ifpossible, identify a contact person at each sitewho will work with you.

Also consider this basic checklist:

➲ Is it well lighted?

➲ Is it easy to find?

➲ Is it served by public transportation?

➲ Is there ample parking?

➲ Are the rooms and seating comfortable?

➲ Are there public restrooms? Kitchenfacilities?

➲ Is there a large building with many break-out rooms, such as a community collegeor large house of worship, where severalgroups could meet?

➲ Are the locations “friendly” to all kindsof people?

➲ Are there places with elevators or rampsfor easy access?

� Pick out sites for the study circlesand think about scheduling.

Site selection: Have your coalition membersfind locations for the study circles. Somepossible kinds of locations include:

➲ Libraries

➲ Fire stations

➲ Schools

➲ Grange halls

➲ Community police buildings

➲ Large meeting rooms in corporate orgovernment buildings

➲ Community colleges

➲ Neighborhood associations

➲ Laundromats

➲ Churches, synagogues, or mosques

➲ Social service agencies

➲ Bookstores

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Scheduling: Ask people what will work forthem, and use that as a basis for your scheduling.

➲ Offer a range of choices. To accommodateall kinds of people, you can schedule circlesfor different times of day, and different daysof the week.

➲ Or, you might want to hold all the circles onthe same day in one central location. Pick aday of the week that doesn’t conflict withother regularly scheduled communityevents, and schedule your study circles forweekly meetings until they’re finished. Thisis easier for the organizers because youonly have to arrange one site. Be sure thatit’s a location that has plenty of parking andmany breakout rooms.

➲ Consider the schedules of the young peoplewho will be participating. What are theirschool and after-school commitments?What are their transportation needs?

� Make plans for child care, food,transportation, and otherconsiderations.

➲ Will some groups require child care?Who will provide it?

➲ Can we provide transportation?

➲ Are study circles located in places servedby public transportation? (This is a majorconcern if you are involving lots of youngpeople in your program.)

➲ Do we need to make arrangements forhearing- or visually-impaired participants?

� Set up a process to communicateabout program details.

It’s important to have a system in place forfacilitators and members of the organizingteam to communicate with one another –making sure that people get the informationthey need to make the program run smoothly.

Answer these questions:

➲ How will we distribute the materials thatfacilitators need before the first session?(discussion guides, recording forms,newsprint, sample ground rules, step-by-stepguidelines for each session, evaluation forms,general information on the program and itssponsors, and plans for an action forum)

➲ Do organizers and facilitators know whom tocall if they have questions or problems?

➲ Do we need a process for sharing informa-tion quickly by telephone – a “phone tree”?

➲ Would e-mail be a good way to keep intouch?

➲ How will we handle notifying people aboutweather cancellations?

➲ Who is the key contact person to work withthe media while the study circles are underway? Do facilitators know how to contactthat person?

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Step 5




1. Is it better to have all the study circles in one location, or all over thecommunity? This is something your whole team should discuss. Since your goal is to makeit possible for people from all over the community to take part, you must decide how to makethat happen. There are advantages to holding the study circles in one location – such as acommunity college that is easy to get to and offers convenient parking and good meetingspace. It’s less complicated than managing lots of sites, and it gives people a chance to seethat they’re part of a really big community effort. On the other hand, the location of thecircles sends a message. It may be important for the study circles to take place in all kindsof neighborhoods, and different kinds of spaces. Some communities do both.

2. Should facilitators be responsible for finding their own sites, and handlingrefreshments and other details? No. A logistics committee or a few volunteersshould take care of finding sites and speaking with hosts about other details. Facilitatorsalready have a BIG job to do – managing the discussions and collecting the information.

3. Can the study circles happen in peoples’ homes? Public spaces, such aslibraries, schools, houses of worship, or community rooms, are preferable. Since theseconversations are focused on public issues and community problem solving, public spaceseems more appropriate. And, since study circles usually bring people together who havenever met before, a public space would probably offer more of a sense of “home territory”for everyone. (Of course, there are exceptions to this.) Think about your community as awhole, and try to find space that works for many different kinds of people.

4. Is it typical to have food at study circles? If so, who is responsible forproviding it? Many study circles decide to have refreshments to create a welcomingatmosphere. If there’s enough money in the budget to provide refreshments for the studycircles, that’s wonderful. It’s also common for members of study circles to take turnsbringing snacks. Pizza or snack food are a must for study circles with youth.





Step 6

N ow you are ready to launch the studycircles! All the work of conceptualizing,planning and organizing is coming to a head.In fact, the most intense period of workprobably happens four to six weeks before thecircles actually begin. Your attention will befocused on recruiting participants, organizingpublicity and outreach, arranging sites, andtraining facilitators.

At the same time, you will be preparing forthe kickoff, getting the circles started, andthinking about the large-group meeting atthe end – the action forum.

Hold a Round of Study Circles

What to do

� Hold the kickoff.

� Conduct the study circles.

� Hold the action forum, and support andtrack action efforts.

Last-minute checklist

Use this section as areminder list in the daysbefore the round of studycircles begins, and as yousupport the round.




How to do it

� Hold the kickoff.

Approaching the kickoff

You’ve done your preliminary planning forthe kickoff: set the date, planned the agenda,lined up speakers, booked the space. As theday approaches, there are a few last-minutethings to check.

➲ Visit the site again, and check: soundsystem, any other audio-visual equipment,seating arrangements, arrangement forrefreshments, etc.

➲ Remind your speakers what time theyshould arrive.

➲ Make sure you have some helpers to assistyou with the details.

➲ Be prepared to sign up people at the kickoffwho haven’t yet been recruited into thestudy circles.

➲ Call or fax a reminder to key members ofthe press you expect to attend. Find out ifthey are interested in any particularinterviews, or if there are other ways toassist them.

At the kickoff, the coordinator and membersof the coalition should be available to answerany questions. The keynote and other speakerswill set the tone, explain the communitycontext for the study circles, and help buildexcitement and support for the program.

After the kickoff

Shortly after the kickoff, the study circleswill begin – usually one to two weeks later.During this period, the coordinator and otherswill finalize the configuration of the circles, getdiscussion materials and other paper work tothe facilitators, and handle any other last-minute logistical details. Participants will beadded right up to the time the circles begin.

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Latecomers should form anew circle starting a week ortwo later, rather than joiningone that is already underway. Those who comeforward too late can besigned up for the next round.




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� Conduct the study circles.

The study circles finally begin. Most will runin the same time period. Your aim is to havethem all completed about a week or twobefore the action forum is scheduled.

NOTE: It is very important to hold the actionforum near the completion of the circles, tocapitalize on the momentum and energy thathas been created through the discussions. Ifyou wait several weeks or more, you will losefocus and participants. Don’t delay!

While the study circles are going on, thecoordinator is trouble-shooting any problemswhich arise. Be sure to stay in close touch withthe facilitators, to see how things are going.

Here are some things to watch for:

➲ Make sure all study circles have discussionmaterials and other paper work.

➲ Be available to assist press coverage of theconversations.

➲ Be prepared for last-minute changes withchild care, transportation, or other logistics.

➲ Keep an eye on the weather, in case youneed to reschedule.

➲ Make sure the facilitators are supported.Have a trainer or mentor available for phoneconsultation. Or, better yet, bring thefacilitators together part way through thestudy circles for an informal gathering, tocheck in and see how things are going.

Step 6




� Hold the action forum, and supportand track action efforts.

As the study circles end, organizers makefinal preparations for the action forum. Inmost situations, the action forum happens afew weeks after the last study circles end. Thisis a short period of time in which to gather theinformation from the circles (recording forms,newsprint, or whatever method has beenused), and to analyze it.

Reviewing this information will help forma picture of each study circle, as well as theoverall sense of the conversations. Anythemes or trends that cut across the groupswill emerge. This information will help youthink about how to structure the action forum.

As the time approaches, the committeeor volunteers in charge of the event will needto double-check their plans. Broad attendanceis especially important, not only from theparticipants, facilitators and organizers, butfrom the larger community.

➲ Publicize the event widely.

➲ Remind facilitators and participants of thedate and time.

➲ Issue personal invitations to key communityleaders and representatives from organiza-tions who are interested in the issue. Theseare the people who should be there to hearabout the action ideas that the study circleshave generated.

The action forum is a key point in thecommunity-wide dialogue. It marks theconclusion of the conversations. It alsoprovides an opportunity to blend the ideasand energy from the groups, and it signals thebeginning of the action efforts that will becarried forward. Be sure to encourage presscoverage of this event. And don’t forget torecognize key volunteers, thank facilitators,congratulate participants – and celebrate!

Once the action forum is over and actiongroups have formed, support and track theaction efforts. Make sure there are people andresources available to support the actiongroups as they move forward – with adminis-trative help, assistance, research, access todecision makers – whatever it takes to helpthem achieve their goals. (For more ontracking action efforts, see page 95.)

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See “Plan for Action,Including the Action Forum”on pages 89-98 for details.




Step 7

W hen a community begins to organizestudy circles, most of the energy goes intobuilding the coalition and organizing the firstround. Often, when organizers begin to seethe powerful results of the process, they wantto find ways to keep the study circle programgoing and growing.

Some organizers plan for future rounds toaddress the same issue they began with, toexpand the impact they will make in thatparticular area; others begin to see studycircles as a way to strengthen theircommunity’s capacity to address all kinds ofinterrelated community issues.

Finally, always be mindful of ways to link yourprogram to other civic processes or community-building efforts. For example, in Decatur,Georgia, some city planning meetings (whichoften had been adversarial and not veryparticipatory) have begun to adopt study circleprinciples. And in Springfield, Illinois, eachround of study circles connects directly to themayor’s office, and sets priorities for citydecisions.

Sustained study circle programs lead to...

� new and more diverse participation

� new leadership

� new connections

� new initiatives

� more sustained change

Sustain Your Program and Expandthe Impact of Your Work

Think ahead

Designate a small group ofpeople to help you thinkabout ways to sustain yourstudy circle efforts.

What to do

� Refer back to your initial program goals, andhave a conversation about the future.

� Share ownership of the program.


� Make sure to communicate your successesto the larger community.

� Take care of yourselves and supportone another.




Characteristics ofeffective, ongoing study

circle programs

� The program is “owned”by a broad diversity ofpeople and organizations.

� They have strongleadership at many levels.

� The program has aninstitutional home – acenter for coordinatingstudy circle activities.

� They keep the study circleidea alive betweenrounds – throughnewsletters, web sites,word of mouth, commu-nity presentations, andopportunities for samplestudy circles.

� They lead to visibleresults.

� Study circle processesbegin to be connected toor applied in other kindsof public meetings.

� Study circles becomeincorporated in organiza-tions throughout thecommunity. For example,schools and workplacesbegin to use study circlesto address their internalissues, while continuingto play a part in thecommunity-wideprogram.

How to do it

� Refer back to your initial programgoals, and have a conversationabout the future.

Assess what you have accomplished,and what you hope to achieve by sustainingstudy circles:

➲ What did we set out to achieve with studycircles?

➲ What has the program accomplished?(Bring your evaluation committee into thisconversation.)

➲ What other goals could we accomplish if wesustained the program? For example, whoare the people we didn’t reach in our firstround that we could reach in a futureround? What other kinds of problem solvingcould a sustained program achieve?

➲ What else is going on in the community thatan ongoing study circle program couldserve or connect to?

➲ What could be different in our communityfive years from now if we continued toorganize study circles here?

� Share ownership of the program.

With each new round, reach out to newleaders and participants. An expanding anddynamic coalition makes room for newleadership. Shared ownership expands anddiversifies participation, makes it possible tospread out the workload, and helps theprogram move more effectively to action andchange. To achieve shared ownership of theprogram, keep communication strong amongcoalition members.

Even the best community efforts can beaffected by so-called “turf” issues. But everysuccessful program has treated this as anopportunity, not an obstacle. Look for ways toapproach organizations you haven’t workedwith before because of mutual doubts ormisperceptions. Invite them to sit down withyou to discuss what you are each trying toachieve. Think together about how their workand the study circle process could comple-ment one another.

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Coordinating a study circle program is ademanding job, and burnout is a real possibility.Coalition members need to keep this in mind,and stay actively involved in whatever way theycan. Make sure there is open and consistentcommunication between the coordinator andthe coalition, so that ongoing expectations andneeds are met. Remember that students andvolunteers can help with administrative details.

� Make sure to communicate yoursuccesses to the larger community.

Keep the information flowing to the broadercommunity about results and ongoing activi-ties. Many programs publish a newsletter and/or maintain a web site to stay in touch with pastparticipants and keep everyone in the commu-nity up-to-date on the study circles and theimpact they’re having on the community.

� Take care of yourselves and supportone another.

Celebration, recognition, and time forrejuvenation are essential to sustainingyour efforts.

Take time to celebrate what you haveaccomplished. Thank and recognize partici-pants, facilitators, staff people, and coalitionmembers. You might arrange for communityleaders to give special commendations tofacilitators. Some study circle programs issuecertificates of participation to people whohave completed a round of study circles.Special events – such as community picnicsor diversity fairs – can combine celebrationand recognition.

Think about what you need in order to keepgoing in the work, and ask others around youwhat they need. A wise person once said thatsustained work requires the right “stops” aswell as the right “steps.” Consider having aretreat that includes both staff and volunteerorganizers. People often benefit from aconcentrated block of time for team buildingand for analyzing their progress and thinkingabout the future. Especially with ongoingcommunity-building efforts, time off isimportant. Let key volunteers know that theycan take a “break” from the project when theyneed one, and that they will be welcomed backto the work when they are ready.

Community eventsto help sustainthe program

Celebrations� Community or neighbor-

hood picnics that givepeople a chanceto celebrate theiraccomplishments

� Diversity fairs honoringdifferent racial and ethniccultures, and celebratingthe ways in which studycircles have led to newrelationships and waysof working together

� Block parties following aneighborhood programthat highlight programleaders and successes

Events to say thank you(to facilitators, organizers,sponsors, funders, andvolunteers of all kinds)

� For example, in Syracuse,New York, free ticketsto a performance ofRaisin in the Sun werehanded out to studycircle facilitators.

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Step 7




When study circles become an ongoing partof the way a community solves its problems,citizens contribute actively to strengtheningtheir communities. Across the country, peopleare using study circles to link dialogue andproblem solving. The study circle movement ishelping people find their public voice, andimprove our public life.

Contact us at the Study Circles ResourceCenter. We will assist you, learn with you,and tell your story.

Leadership styles forsustained programs

� Champions – formaland informal communityleaders who speak outfor the program andprovide behind-the-scenes inspirationand support.

� Bridge builders – thecoordinator(s) whosejob it is to work wellwith the coalition andcommittees.

� Team players – workinggroup and coalitionmembers who collabo-rate effectively for thegood of the program.

� Multipliers – trainersand facilitators who carrythe message of thestudy circles throughoutthe community.

� New leaders – peoplewho emerge from thestudy circles and takeon new roles in theprogram and in thecommunity.




Part 3Community ProfilesDecatur, Georgia

Recognizing a problemBy 1998, ongoing concerns about neighbor-

hood issues and school district controversieswere damaging community morale in Decatur.Racial tensions had marred school boardelections. Tensions were growing betweenlong-time residents and newcomers as rapidlyrising property values and higher taxesthreatened to displace old-timers, many ofwhom are people of color. And a zoning battlewas raging over a parking deck built by acollege in the middle of a residential neighbor-hood. In the midst of all this turmoil, the citybegan to revise its strategic plan and cityleaders realized that they needed citizen input.

Searching for a solutionLong-time Decatur resident Jon

Abercrombie, who runs a local nonprofit calledCommon Focus, was looking for a way toensure that citizens from across the commu-nity would become actively involved in commu-nity problem solving and decision making. Hesaw study circles as a way to build significant,diverse citizen participation into the processof developing the city’s strategic plan. To thatend, he convinced a group of key leaders fromall sectors of the community to help organizestudy circles so that Decatur residents couldhave a voice in resolving neighborhood issues,and contribute their thinking to plans forcommunity growth and development.

Decatur at a glance

Population: 18,147(64.7 percent EuropeanAmerican/white; 30.3percent people of color;1.7 percent Latino/Hispanic.Source: 2000 U.S. Census)

Study circle topic:Neighborhoods, Growth,and Development

History of the program:Began in 1998; held oneround.

Number of participants: 450

Latest developments:In 2001, Decatur schoolsbegan laying the ground-work for Roundtables oneducation issues.

Using community-wide study circlesSome 450 people took part in the Decatur

Roundtables, with more than 20 percent of theparticipants being people of color. Organizersused a variety of recruiting strategies: A well-known black woman – one of two part-timestaff people hired to coordinate the program –went door-to-door to promote the Roundtables.Her efforts helped establish study circles as acredible avenue to longer-term participation inthe community’s decision-making processes.To set a positive tone, recruiters carried a“leadership map” of the formal and informalassociations in Decatur to presentations. Itturned out to be a great way to bring peopleon board. The Roundtable discussions werebased on a study circle guide developed bylocal organizers to address issues specificto Decatur neighborhoods, and growthand development.




Seeing resultsThe Roundtables were used as the basis

of a subsequent citywide strategic planningprocess, ensuring that the ten-year planincluded provisions for strengthening the civiclife of the community in the years to come(active citizen engagement and communitydialogue) – as well as economic development,traffic control, and architectural design. Theplan attracted wide public input and support.Says Kecia Cunningham, Decatur city commis-sioner, “Roundtables have become part of ourcollective way of doing things in Decaturwhenever a tough issue arises in the community.”

In addition, City Hall created a new positionfor a neighborhoods’ liaison who worksdirectly with neighborhood associations. Agroup of participants formed the DecaturGreens – a new association of volunteerspromoting green space and the ecologicalhealth of the community. Others worked onproducing “Decatur 101,” a one-night-a-weekclass to teach all interested citizens about howgovernment works. And the Decatur Neighbor-hood Alliance was created to get differentparts of Decatur working together.

See the SCRC videoAmericans Finding TheirVoices for more on theDecatur story.

Key to successFrom the beginning, the City Commission

gave the effort formal support – in the formof a vote of confidence, a promise that thecommission would take seriously the work ofDecatur citizens, and a grant to match moneydonated by a local foundation.

In addition, specific, skilled recruitment ofAfrican-American participants led to a differ-ent kind of experience for the city; for many,it was the very first time they ever discussedrace relations in a diverse group. Other keyfactors: seed money from a local foundation; abroad-based coalition, including local leader-ship with wide-ranging networks of personalrelationships and contacts; support ofrespected African-American leaders; andlast, but not least, timing. After two years ofconflict, the atmosphere was right for citygovernment and the community at large tolisten to one another and to act.

Decatur, Georgia




Part 3Community ProfilesFayetteville, North Carolina

Recognizing a problemIn 1995, soldiers who were described as

“skinheads” killed two African Americansoldiers from Ft. Bragg Army Base. The nextyear, four black police officers said they weredismissed from their jobs because they hadraised issues of discrimination within thepolice department; they filed formal complaintswith the city. These events signaled the needto overcome the community’s seemingreluctance to address race-related issues.

Searching for a solutionCommunity leaders decided to act together.

Moving to address issues of race in a newway, the city manager of Fayetteville broughttogether the African American president of theNational Association for the Advancement ofColored People and the white president of theChamber of Commerce, who had never metone another before, for an initial dialogue. Asa result of that dialogue, they invited othercommunity leaders to join with them to form anew group called Fayetteville United, with thespecific purpose of finding ways to improverace relations within the community.

Fayettevilleat a glance

Population: 121,015(46.6 percent EuropeanAmerican/white; 41.9percent African-American/black; 5.7 percent Latino/Hispanic. Source: 2000 U.S.Census)

Study Circle Topic: RaceRelations, Youth, Commu-nity-Police Relations

History of the program:Began in 1998 – held twocommunity-wide rounds,one round with youthin the community, andone round with youth inthe schools.

Number of Participants: 300

Latest developments:In 2001, Fayettevillelaunched community-widestudy circles on police-community relations.

Using community-wide study circlesFayetteville United began assembling a strong,

racially diverse coalition: leaders with vision,resources and connections, administrative savvy,and marketing and promotion skills. Key to theirsuccess was the racial diversity of the membersof FU, which worked to bridge the real andperceived gap between the white and blackleadership in the community. Fayetteville Unitedjoined with the Human Relations Commission tocreate an organizing group and began organizingstudy circles on race relations. Following pilotstudy circles in 1998, a public kickoff attracted300 people and led to the formation of 15 circles.At a study circle action summit in June 1999, atleast 35 participants signed up to serve on fiveaction teams.




Seeing resultsThe 1999 round of study circles gave people

the opportunity to begin talking openly aboutrace in a way that had not been possiblebefore. Many people reported importantpersonal changes in attitude, and developednew friendships across racial lines. Organizersheld additional study circles within the faithcommunity and a round of study circles foryouth, all of which focused on race relations.They launched a second round of study circlesfor youth in the schools in fall 2000. Continuingto build relations between the community andlaw enforcement – an initiative that grew outof the first community round of study circleson race – the Human Relations Commissionin spring 2001 organized a new program oncommunity-police relations, which won broadsupport in the community. Law enforcementagencies and city officials committed inadvance to participating in the program andimplementing action ideas that came fromthe circles.

Key to successThe diverse group of leaders at the heart of

the study circle effort in Fayetteville shared abelief that the time was right and somethingneeded to be done to move their city forwardas a place that honored diversity and workedfor equity. That sense of mutual commitmentgave energy to the effort and acted as apowerful attraction to those recruited to assistwith it. A record of tangible results from studycircle programs has made the study circleprocess a credible way of public problemsolving in Fayetteville.

Fayetteville, North Carolina




Part 3Community ProfilesGuilderland, New York

Recognizing a problemThe zoning board of Guilderland, New York,

was tired of being criticized. The citizenactivists who raised a fuss at every one of theboard’s meetings were tired of complaining.Every new land-use issue or zoning decisiongenerated complaints. Then, in 1998, theproposed expansion of a shopping mallbrought cries of, “too much traffic,” and,“save the environment.”

Searching for a solutionIn the face of these mounting tensions,

the town zoning board declared a six-monthbuilding moratorium, and decided to createGuilderland’s first new comprehensive plansince 1969. The next step was to appoint aComprehensive Plan Advisory Board – amethod land-use commissions often employto get input for their decisions, and to helpdiscourage any opposition. For public input,the town was going to rely on traditional mail-insurveys, one-evening, neighborhood fact-findingsessions, and stand-at-the-mike public hearings.

Guilderland at a glance

Population: 32,688(90.9 percent EuropeanAmerican/white; 2.4percent African American/black; 1.8 percent Latino/Hispanic; 3.8 percent Asian.Source: 2000 U.S. Census)

Study Circle Topic: Growth

History: Began in 1998,have held one community-wide round.


Latest developments:A all-volunteer nonprofitorganization providesongoing support for citizenengagement as issuesarise in the community.

Meanwhile, members of the zoning boardand some long-time residents realized thatsomething more was needed. They decidedto find a way to involve a much larger numberof citizens in the process of developing thecomprehensive plan. Activist Liesse Mohrwas looking for a process that would reduceantagonism, build trust, and ensure thatsuggestions for the comprehensive plan woulddevelop from the “bottom up.” She proposedthat they use study circles, and volunteeredher time to coordinate the program, whichwas sanctioned by the advisory board.

Using community-wide study circlesFifteen members of the Comprehensive Plan

Advisory Board formed a coalition to provideadvice on all aspects of shaping the program.The town government and the Guilderlandschools provided in-kind assistance, includingmeeting space, and helped to open doors andget the support of other town entities.Organizers chose SCRC’s Smart Talk forGrowing Communities as a framework for thecircles.Thirty-five facilitators, including manywho had prior experience in small-groupfacilitation, attended a training led by SCRC,and ninety-six participants signed up for a totalof eight study circles.




Seeing resultsThe new comprehensive plan prepared by

the zoning board relied heavily on a reportgenerated by the study circles, which retainedmuch of the flavor of the study circle discus-sions, as well as specific recommendations.

And participants have moved forward withother action ideas. Organizers applied for andsecured 501(c)(3) nonprofit status forGuilderland Study Circles. As a financiallyindependent community institution, it will beable to outlive changes in administrations,while continuing to assist local government andcreate its own initiatives based on input fromtownspeople.

A study circle discussion guide is beingdeveloped to help neighborhoods define theirunique characteristics – an essential step inpreparing neighborhoods to meet New YorkState requirements relating to zoning changes.A web site is being designed; in the meantime,information about the program is available [email protected].

Key to successOrganizers took great care to ensure that

each circle had geographic diversity, includingpeople from three different zones in the town.In addition, volunteers put a great deal ofeffort into training study circle recorders,gathering records, and combining them intoa report for the community. According toMohr, the report “appealed to people acrossthe political spectrum because it used theexact words of the participants who wereGuilderland residents representing all partsof the community. It was believable, and theybought into it.”

Guilderland, New York




Part 3Community ProfilesInglewood, California

Recognizing a problemRapidly shifting demographics were intensi-

fying challenges in the Inglewood UnifiedSchool District. Morale was low. Relationshipsbetween the schools and the community wereunraveling, and lack of resources, familiesunder stress, and tensions between African-Americans and Hispanics were contributingfactors. Superintendent McKinley Nash knewhe needed to adopt proactive strategies todeal with change and build morale.

Searching for a solutionNash wanted to do something to engage

parents and other community members. Hefirst considered using study circles to focuson race relations, but eventually decided thateducation was the issue that had greatest appealfor the parents of children in the Inglewoodschools, whatever their racial or ethnic back-ground. Study circles, he reasoned, would helpcarry out key components of the school district’sstrategic plan regarding parental involvement,revenue enhancement, community education,and after-school programs.

Inglewood at a glance

Population: 112,580 (4.1percent European Ameri-can/white; 46.4 percentAfrican-American/black; 46percent Latino/Hispanic.Source: 2000 U.S. Census)

Study Circle Topics:Education, ConflictResolution

History: Began in 1996,have held one round oneducation; continuinginformally in some ofthe schools.


Latest developments:In 2000, the school districtlaunched study circles onconflict resolution.

Using community-wide study circlesThe study circle program in Inglewood

unfolded like a well-run campaign. Dr. Nashmandated that the 20 schools in his districtorganize at least one circle apiece. Each schoolimplemented a study circle program as part ofits own strategic plan, designing the programto fit the school’s particular needs andcircumstances. Three representatives fromeach school served on the “Committee of ’97”– the central planning group for the district-wide effort.

Dr. Nash asked the school principals to gothrough the facilitator training – both to assistthe program and to strengthen their listeningskills. The school “liaisons” also took part inthe facilitator training, and teachers in everyschool were asked to help recruit participants.Organizers used Spanish and English topromote the circles and provided discussionguides in both languages. Participants in the1997-98 round numbered 600.




Seeing resultsRelationships among parents improved right

away. “Before, there was not much interactionbetween Hispanic and African-Americanparents,” said Sophia Dossman, one of thecommunity liaisons. “The study circles pro-cess, and the cultural sharing that happenedduring the process at my school, helped formmore positive relationships.” Parental involve-ment in PTA meetings and various volunteerprojects increased accordingly.

The schools also responded to parents’suggestions for immediate improvements,such as assistance for overworked principalsand the creation of more after-school pro-grams and community activities. In addition,communication between the schools and thedistrict administration improved.

Building on the positive energy and momen-tum generated by the study circles, Dr. Nashinvolved many parents in a campaign to pass abond measure that would make $131 millionavailable for school facilities improvements(Measure K). The level of interest was highbecause the study circles had helped peoplereconnect to the schools, and gain a muchbetter understanding of the issues. Measure Kpassed resoundingly, with 88 percent in favor.

Before his untimely death in the summer of1999, Dr. Nash expressed a hope that studycircles on conflict resolution could take placein the Inglewood Unified School District. Thatround began during the spring months of 2000.

Key to successThe commitment and leadership of the

Inglewood Unified School District were keyfactors in the success of this program. From thebeginning, organizers built a direct, explicit linkbetween the dialogue and action in support ofboth short-term and long-term goals. And bystructuring the program in such a way that eachschool had organizing responsibilities “locally”and at the district level, they made it clear thatthe study circles could effect change at all levelsof the education system.

Inglewood, California




Part 3Community ProfilesSpringfield, Illinois

Recognizing a problemThe history of Springfield, Illinois, includes

not only the great legacy of Abraham Lincoln,who pleaded many cases there before theIllinois Supreme Court, but also the aftereffects of a violent race riot that took place in1908. Concerned about the rising number ofrace-based conflicts – both local and national– Mayor Karen Hasara decided, in 1997, that itwas time for Springfield residents to take ahard look at their history and how poor racerelations had continued to affect the well-beingof the community.

Searching for a solutionLooking for something that had the potential

for lasting and systemic change, the mayorasked the city’s Community Relations Commis-sion to find out what other communities weredoing to address the underlying causes ofracial discord. She made it clear that her goalwas to foster and maintain ongoing racialharmony, as well as to address immediateproblems. On the advice of a local citizen, themayor decided to try study circles.

Springfield ata glance

Population: 111,454(80.3 percent EuropeanAmerican/white; 15.3percent African-American/black; 1.2 percentLatino/Hispanic. Source:2000 U.S. Census)

Study Circle Topic: RaceRelations

History: Began in 1998;by spring 2001, 4 roundswere completed, plusone round with youth.


Using community-wide study circlesThe City of Springfield served as the sole

sponsor for the first two rounds of study circles,with Mayor Hasara and Community RelationsCommission Director Sandy Robinson doing theplanning and organizing. They invited represen-tatives from almost 300 community organiza-tions and groups to take part in pilot studycircles and be trained as facilitators. Skepticswho questioned the mayor’s commitment toreally doing something about the race issuewere won over by the process. Most of thembecame cheerleaders for the program, whichhas been ongoing since 1998.

In addition, organizers have been deliberateand skillful in connecting the study circleprogram to the historic context of the city.They stage big events – kickoffs and actionforums – in places like the Statehouse whereLincoln gave his “house divided” speech, andschedule them to coincide with importantdates in the city’s history.




Seeing resultsMany of the recommendations from the 1998

study circles have been carried out, includingestablishing new bus routes to the east side oftown and creating a calendar of multiculturalcommunity events.

In the fall of 1999, the mayor appointed adiverse group of twelve leaders to serve ona Race Relations Task Force. Most of theseleaders are study circle veterans who signed onbecause they want to accelerate the pace ofinstitutional and civic change. As a group they willwork to develop new leadership in the commu-nity, encouraging study circle participants to signup for subcommittees of the task force so theycan pursue their interest in action ideas relatingto education, government, economic develop-ment, and other areas. In addition, this groupacts as a rapid response team to help thecommunity respond constructively to hatecrimes. The task force also is sharing responsi-bility for expanding the study circles.

Key to SuccessMayor Hasara’s up-front commitment to

follow through on action ideas generated inthe study circles set the tone for this program.Says Robinson, “We have a mayor willing tostep forward and put a seal of approval on theprocess at every turn. That way, we’re able toget buy-in from the other departments.” At thesame time, study circle organizers in Spring-field have learned that relying on the mayor’scourageous leadership is not enough. Theyare working hard to make it clear that thestudy circle program is “owned” by the entirecommunity, not just the city.

From the outset, the program’s diverse leader-ship has sent the message to the community that“study circles are for everyone.” And as organizingresponsibility has shifted from the city to the RaceRelations Task Force, the commitment to diversityhas held. The organizers’ hands-on approach torecruitment enhances the credibility and visibilityof the effort and has been a big factor in bringingdiversity into the circles. Thirty percent of theparticipants in the early study circle rounds werepeople of color.

This program puts particular emphasis onfacilitator training, and the budget includesfunding for a diverse team of four facilitatortrainers who have special expertise in racerelations and diversity issues. Trainings includeopportunities to develop and improve facilitationskills related to the topic of race, and trainersare on call throughout each round of studycircles to coach facilitators, troubleshoot, andprovide support.

Springfield, Illinois




Part 4Appendix AInvolving Public Officials in Your Program

As you think about coalition membership,consider public officials, both elected andappointed. When citizens and officials worktogether in study circle programs, a new kindof partnership can be created – one withgreater capacity for decision making andproblem solving. Public officials can:

� raise the program’s visibility and credibility.

� expand recruitment of participants andsponsoring organizations.

� provide unique insights into importantpublic policy questions.

� help participants take action on the issuesthey face.

� channel insights of participants intogovernment policy decisions.

� strengthen people’s sense that their partici-pation in politics can make a difference.

What do we mean by“public officials”?

When people think ofpublic officials, they oftenname only their most visibleelected representatives –mayors, city councilpersons,county and state legislators,school board members,etc. But public officials alsoinclude a wide variety ofother elected and ap-pointed officeholders, suchas police chiefs, schoolsuperintendents, city andcounty planners, humanservice agencies, and manyothers. Depending on theissue you are addressing,and your program goals,any number of publicofficials may be interestedin being part of your studycircle program.

Benefits to public officialsIf you are a public official, you may be asking

whether it is worth your taking the time – andperhaps expending valuable political resources– to participate in a study circle program.Other public officials who have taken part instudy circles report that they benefit in thefollowing ways:

Reaching out beyond core constituencies

Study circles provide officeholders withopportunities to talk with diverse groups ofcitizens who care deeply about issues, butwho are not locked into advocacy positions.Study circles create a non-hostile environmentin which public officials can reach out andmeet with people who may fall outside of theircore constituencies.

Getting to the essence of public views

Study circles encourage citizens to discusstheir personal connections to complex publicissues. Participants typically explore theessence of their values, concerns, and aspira-tions regarding public challenges. Informationof this sort is invaluable when it comes time forpublic officials to make difficult policy decisionson a wide range of issues.




Supporting the search for nongovernmentalsolutions

Study circle participants are making aserious effort to understand and resolvepublic issues for themselves. These peoplebelieve that government action alone cannotsolve all of society’s problems. Through face-to-face dialogue, public officials can help studycircle participants to think more broadly aboutthe nature of the challenges that confront theircommunities and the nation, and also helpthem sort through the pros and cons ofdifferent courses of action.

Recognizing active and engaged citizens

Officeholders and good governmentadvocates frequently worry about steadilydecreasing rates of voter turnout. Publicofficials can demonstrate their dedicationto creating a more informed and engagedcitizenry by meeting with study circle partici-pants who carve time from busy schedulesto examine, discuss, and take action on ourcountry’s most difficult public challenges.

Things to consider ifyou are a public official

� Sort out your expectationsof the study circles process,and make sure that youarticulate them. Be clearabout how you, thegovernment, and yourconstituents will benefitfrom the process.

� Do not try to organize thestudy circle program byyourself. If the study circleprogram is to be embracedby the entire community,it is essential that it be“co-owned” and adminis-tered by a broad-basedcommunity coalition.

� Be clear with yourselves andothers about your role inthe program. For example,it is not a good idea for youto assume responsibility forimplementing all of theaction ideas that willemerge from the circles. Ifcitizens aren’t given a role inmaking change happen,the civic energy created bythe study circles will quicklydissipate. Another commonmistake officeholders makeis allowing citizens to putthem in the “all-knowingexpert” role. When thishappens, public officialscan miss out on the chanceto carefully listen to theexperiences, concerns,aspirations, and wisdomof citizens.

Building stronger relationships

Study circles provide an opportunity forpublic officials to reach out and form strongerrelationships with their constituents. Citizenparticipants greatly appreciate the opportunityto meet in settings that are not about campaign-style selling of predetermined policy positions,or about damage control techniques commonto most public meetings. The trust that is builtin these meetings gives officeholders greatercredibility when other difficult issues arise.




Roles for public officialsYou may be one of several citizens who are

trying to organize an effective study circleprogram. Or, you may be a public official whois trying to decide whether to either initiate orjoin a study circle program. In either instance,it is very important that you think about therole that public officials should play in thestudy circles. Two of the most common rolesfor officeholders are:

Help with organizing

Mayors, city council members, state andlocal superintendents of schools, humanrelations commissioners, planning and zoningcommissioners, members of Congress, andothers have all played roles in helping toorganize study circle programs. In manyinstances, public officials are the primaryconvening institution for the study circleprogram, and provide the staff and supportto organize it. In others, they play an active,supporting role – through offering publicspaces for meetings, access to office space,telephones, computers, and copy machines.They sometimes offer funding or staffing forthe program. Public officials often use theirgood standing to invite citizens and otherofficeholders to participate in the study circles.

Things to consider ifyou are a citizen

organizer/coordinator

� Be clear about yoursense of how involvingpublic officials will helpyou meet your programgoals.

� Offer public officials arange of ways they canget involved in the studycircle program. Don’tmake it a “we need youto do this or nothing”situation. Many office-holders may, especiallyat first, only want to getinvolved in minimalways. Use this as anopportunity for them tolearn more about theprocess and to gainrespect for your work.

� Do your homework.Do your best to findout what issues are ofconcern to the office-holders. Try to anticipatethe questions they mayask you, especiallyregarding the varietyof possible roles youpresent to them.

Part 4

Face-to-face dialogue with studycircle participants

The single most powerful thing publicofficials can do to strengthen a study circleprogram is to have a candid, face-to-facedialogue with participants. Some may be verycomfortable with the give-and-take style ofstudy circles. Others, though, may be wary ofnew formats that differ from the typical publichearing, town meeting, or focus group. Thefollowing talking points may be helpful topublic officials who are considering joiningthe study circles:

� This is not a special-interest project.Study circles do not promote any particularpartisan viewpoint or special interestposition. Citizens participate because studycircles allow people to explore differentpoints of view without pushing participantsin a particular direction.

� How much time will it take? The timecommitment for public officials can be aslittle as a single one-hour meeting or alonger sequence of study circles over aperiod of weeks.




� How many citizens will be involved? Thiswill vary from program to program. But nomatter what the size of the meeting, thestudy circle process will create opportunitiesfor more meaningful dialogue than is found inmost other types of public meetings.

� How are participants recruited? Every effortis made to recruit a cross section of thecommunity. This is done by creating a diversecoalition of organizations such as civicassociations, clergy associations, schools,businesses and other employers who, in turn,reach out to people they see daily.

� Will the news media be involved? Somepublic officials may want the publicity thatcomes with the news media’s presence.Others may prefer to downplay the roleof the news media in order to create moreopportunities for frank conversation. Thenews media should be invited only ifeveryone agrees. Moreover, commentsmade during the meeting between studycircle participants and officeholders shouldbe “off the record.”

� No surprises. Offer to brief public officialsbeforehand on the main themes that studycircle participants have been discussingregarding their concerns, aspirations, andaction plans. Emphasize that the meetingwill be a structured one, with a trainedfacilitator and ground rules. Make sureofficeholders understand that this will notbe a free-for-all.




Part 4Appendix BInvolving Young People in Your Program

Most public issues – from crime to racerelations to education reform – directly involveand affect young people. Don’t overlook themas you plan your study circles. Adding youngpeople to the conversation will change it, andcreate new kinds of relationships and solu-tions. Youth are especially important in studycircles on education and youth development.

To recruit they into the circles, it is essentialthat young people be part of the organizingcoalition. Try to involve them in every aspect ofthe effort – planning, organizing, facilitating,and participating.

Tips for involving young people instudy circles:

� Spend some focused time with young peopletalking about the issue. How do they see it?What aspects seem most important to them?How would they like things to change?

� Go where young people are to invite theminto the program. Visit schools, communityclubs, and places of worship.

� Ask the young organizers and facilitators tohelp recruit others to join; and get their adviceabout the best ways to reach other youth.

What do we mean by“young people”?

“Young people” refersprimarily to high school andcollege-age people. Someprograms, however, haveinvolved sixth-, seventh-,and eighth-graders.

Check out the SCRCdiscussion guide YouthIssues, Youth Voices formore ideas on organiz-ing with young people.

� Ask teachers or school administrators tooffer extra credit or other incentives foryouth who get involved in communityprograms.

� Think about creative ways to partner withschools, clubs, congregations or otherorganizations that serve youth.

� Plan meetings and circles around school,sports, and work schedules. Ask youngparticipants what times work for them.

� Look for convenient study circle sites thatcan be reached on foot, or with publictransportation.

� Keep the youth perspective in mind as youinvite people to join. Listen to how youngpeople talk about the issue, and incorporatetheir language into the overall projectdescription.

� Make sure there is always time for funand food!




Young people as study circlefacilitators

Many young people are especially effectiveas study circle facilitators. Young facilitatorsare powerful symbols of youth as leaders, andin this role, are learning and modeling collabo-rative, respectful, and democratic leadership.

Look for young people with good listeningskills to be trained as facilitators. Think beyondthe usual leaders. Plan to pair them with anadult co-facilitator, who can serve as a mentorand backup. Mix young people and adults infacilitation trainings, and save some time forthe pairs to get to know one another, anddecide how they are going to work together.(See A Guide for Training Study CircleFacilitators, available from SCRC.)

Alert facilitators to the special dynamics ofintergenerational groups, so that the youthhave an equal voice. Don’t let the adultsdominate. Decide what proportion of eachstudy circle you want to be young people, andfactor that into your recruitment plans.




Part 4Appendix CInvolving the Media in Your Program

Some of the most innovative and successfulprograms in the country are those that includea media partner among the coalition members.The media can play a large role in bringing astudy circle effort to life and helping it growand deepen in a community.

Media can:

� increase the program’s visibility andcredibility.

� boost recruitment of participants andsponsoring organizations.

� raise awareness and understanding of theissue being addressed.

� support and help sustain community actionon the issue.

� advise on media relations.

� provide support for graphics, printing orvideo production.

What do we meanby “media”?

Newspapers and radio andTV stations are the mostprominent media. You mayhave several types of eachin your community. If themajor state or regional dailypaper is not located inyour city, a bureau may be.Think, too, of suburban,neighborhood, or ethnic-language papers, whichmay be published weekly.In addition to commercial,mainstream TV and radiostations, consider publicstations, which arecommitted to public serviceand may be naturalpartners for study circleprograms. Community-access channels and localcable companies areplaying roles in programs.Don’t forget ethnic-language TV and radiostations, which may beamong the larger mediaplayers in your area.

Benefits to mediaWhy would the media want to participate in a

study circle program? Here are some reasonsreported by these partners in programsaround the country:

� To connect with readers, listeners orviewersReporting on study circles allows journaliststo connect with readers, viewers or listen-ers in meaningful and relevant ways. TheMaine Sunday Telegram in Portland, Maine,wrote the discussion material for the state’sReader Roundtable on education reform.The paper published the sessions on fourconsecutive Sundays to correspond with thestudy circles.

� To play a role in public lifeMany media outlets today believe thatjournalism has an obligation to public life.They are looking for innovative ways tointeract with and empower their communi-ties. In Utica, New York, the ObserverDispatch helped study circle participantsconnect to action by publishing an entireseries of articles on action opportunitiesthat pertained to the issue.




� To build relationships with thecommunityLike most successful businesses, smartmedia organizations look for ways to becontributing community partners. Diversestudy circle coalitions are a logical forum tomeet this goal. The News Journal inWilmington, Delaware, created a logo forthe New Castle County study circle programand donated space for announcements oftrainings, kickoffs, action forums, and otherpublic gatherings.

� To make a difference in the communityMedia increasingly is realizing its responsibil-ity to the community. Media partners can helpa study circle program meet its action andchange goals. Maine Public Televisionproduced a television show after the state’sActs Against Violence study circles tohighlight action efforts initiated by partici-pants. A moderator interviewed representa-tives from ten circles about their projects.

Roles for media partners

� Newspapers - The most common mediapartner in a study circle program is anewspaper. Once a publisher or editor is onboard, there are many ways newspapers canbe involved, including news coverage,commentary, editorials, op-eds, and publicservice listings. Some newspapers publishspecial sections highlighting the issue beingdiscussed. Newspapers sometimes canprovide printing at no cost or for a small fee.

� Television - Partnering with a localtelevision station can greatly enhance thepower and reach of the study circle programthrough news coverage, public serviceannouncements, editorials, public affairsprogramming with viewer call-ins, anddocumentaries.

� Radio - Stations have supported programsin their public affairs, call-ins, and publicservice spots. These programs have helpedrecruit participants, aired the deliberations,connected policy makers to citizens withcall-in programs, and reported on outcomesof the study circles.




Tips for recruiting a media partner:

� Do some homework first to determinewhich media outlets would make the bestpartners. The most common partner in astudy circle program is a newspaper.

� Remember to include community-accessand local cable companies in your research.These media organizations usually regardcommunity news as the core of theirmission, and are eager to get involved.

� Find out how the media organization hasapproached other broad community issues.Does there seem to be a commitment tocommunity service and involvement? Dopublic officials or celebrities dominatenews coverage, or does it feature the voicesof citizens?

� Analyze editorials carefully. Do they representa broad range of views, or do they tend totake one side of an issue?

� What kinds of op-ed pieces does thenewspaper publish – syndicated writers orlocal residents?

Part 4

� How much air time do radio and televisionstations devote to locally producedprogramming? What are typical themes?

� Find out which segments of the communityeach radio station targets.

� Once you’ve identified prospective partners,find key decision makers in the organizationand use the information you’ve gathered todetermine how best to approach them.

� Try to tie your partnership to the news partof the organization (such as publisher, ormanaging editor) rather than communityoutreach, public relations, marketing oradvertising. Generally, those partnershipsare stronger – but not always.




Part 4Resources

Best Practices in Organizing Community-wide Study CirclesRoberts, Rona; Kristin Houlé; Steve Kay; Biren “Ratnesh” Nagda; and Vivian Elliott. What Works:Study Circles in the Real World. Roberts & Kay, Inc.: 2000.

This report is designed specifically for study circle organizers, and is based on a two-year study ofbest practices in community-wide study circle programs. The study was supported and funded bythe Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and commissioned by the Topsfield Foundation. The reportcontains suggestions on coalition building, recruiting and training facilitators, recruiting partici-pants who reflect the community’s diversity, and linking dialogue with action. It also contains asection on contributing to change (particularly in the area of race), and examples throughout ofpromising practices from study circle programs. 68 pages. Available from SCRC.

EvaluationKirkpatrick, Donald L. Evaluating Training Programs: The Four Levels. Berrett-Koehler: 1998.

The book includes tools, techniques, and case studies, which will help trainers and add rigorand discipline to training work.

Szanton, Peter. Evaluation and the Nonprofit Board. National Center for Nonprofit Boards: 1998.

In this booklet, board members will learn the importance of organizational assessment, whenand how to evaluate, and some key questions to ask during the process.

Fund RaisingGeorge, G. Worth. Fearless Fund-Raising for Nonprofit Boards. National Center for NonprofitBoards: 1996.

Written for board chairs, development-committee heads, chief executives, or other boardmembers interested in increasing board involvement in fund raising, this booklet suggestsways to motivate and involve board members, and lists a wide variety of fund-raising activities.

Keegan, P. Burke. Fund Raising for Non-profits. HarperCollins: 1994.

A guide that shows nonprofit organizations how to raise funds more effectively by working withtheir communities.

Mutz, John, and Katherine Murray. Fund Raising for Dummies. Hungry Minds, Inc.: 2000.

This is a complete guide to the art and science of raising money for nonprofit endeavors, fromLittle League to big foundations. The guide includes tips on how to write grants, how to conducteffective grass-roots campaigns, phone and mail solicitations, events, and more.




Media RelationsBonk, Kathleen, and Henry Griggs. The Jossey-Bass Guide to Strategic Communications forNonprofits: A Step-By-Step Guide to Working With Media – Generate Publicity, Enhance Fun.Jossey-Bass: 1999.

Complete with charts, checklists, and templates, this guide shows readers how to select theright media, identify target audiences, develop messages, and produce printed materials.

League of Women Voters. Guide to Getting Good Media Coverage.www.lwv.org/elibrary/pub/ggmc_1.html

This web site offers a comprehensive how-to guide for writing press releases, letters to theeditor, speeches, creating press kits, and more, to help you publicize events and programs.

Public Relations Society of America. Tips and Tactics: Making Media Relations Work for You.PRSA: 1995. Cost: $2.50

Contact: PRSA, 33 Irving Place, New York, NY, 10003-2376, Tel: 212-460-1459

This is a handy booklet for anyone who wants to learn the basics of media relations.

Salzman, Jason. Making the News: A Guide for Nonprofits and Activists. Westview Press: 1998.

A step-by-step guide that teaches readers through examples and samples of media work.

Wilcox, Dennis L., and Lawrence W. Nolte. Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques.Longman, Addison, Welsey: 1996.

In addition to explaining major public relations theories and concepts, this book provides basicguidelines, checklists, and how-to advice, as well as up-to-date examples of media practices.

Meeting FacilitationAnand, Rohini, Ph.D. Teaching Skills and Cultural Competency: A Guide for Trainers(3rd Edition). National Multicultural Institute: 1999.

This detailed manual provides guidance to diversity trainers who want to conduct workshops thatmove beyond personal awareness to building specific skills and cultural competency. The manualincludes sections on Models of Cultural Competency, Communication, Conflict Resolution, TeamBuilding, Giving Effective Feedback, and Individual/Organizational Action Planning.




Doyle, Michael and David Straus. How to Make Meetings Work. New York: The BerkeleyPublishing Group, 1976.

This standard guidebook demonstrates how time and people can be better used in meetingsfor any organization – from large corporations to the PTA.

Kelsey, Dee and Pam Plumb. Great Meetings! How to Facilitate Like a Pro. Portland, Maine:Hanson Park Press, 1997.

This is a user-friendly resource book designed to help meeting leaders, facilitators, andparticipants understand the important steps for planning and facilitating a great meeting.It is also a useful text for facilitation and meeting-management training.

Team BuildingBerkowitz, Bill, and Tom Wolff. The Spirit of the Coalition. American Public Health Association: 2000.

The authors have been involved in creating, leading, and consulting to community coalitionsfor more than fifteen years. The book offers guidance on starting and operating a communitycoalition. It consists of stories of experienced coalition leaders woven together with explanatorytext and summarizing lessons. Actual documents used by the coalition leaders are also included.

Chrislip David D., and Carl E. Larson. Collaborative Leadership: How Citizens and Civic LeadersCan Make a Difference. Jossey-Bass: 1994.

Drawing on extensive research, as well as on the advice and guidance of leading scholars andpractitioners in the field, the authors show how elected officials and other civic leaders cangenerate the civic will to break through legislative and bureaucratic gridlock, deal with complexissues, and engage frustrated and angry citizens. They also describe how to design, initiate, andsustain a constructive, collaborative process.

Morse, Suzanne. Building Collaborative Communities. Pew Partnership for Civic Change: 1996.

This essay includes practical tips on how to encourage and support dialogue and collaborationin communities. It details key elements required for growing healthy collaboratives and isbased on the author’s wide range of foundation and community experience.

Part 4




146

Action and change (see also Action forum; Community-wide study circles,impact of/outcomes; Task force)

collecting and prioritizing ideas from the study circles, 93

conversation about action and change, 91

how change happens, 1-3, 92, 96

kinds that come from study circle programs, 5, 92, 96

organizing for, 34

planning for, 89-95

specific examples, 92, 96-97

supporting, 34, 90, 95

Action forum

agenda, sample, 98

definition, 10

elements of, 93

final preparations, 118

generating news coverage, 44

planning, 93

Action group (see Task force)

Basic steps in organizing a community-wide program, 7-9

Budget, 56, 61 (see also Fund raising)

Case studies (see Community profiles)

Coalition

agenda for coalition-building meeting, sample, 25

coalition-building meeting, 21

diversity of, 19

pilot circles to build the coalition, 22

productive coalition meetings, 20-21

recruitment of coalition members, 20-21

sign-up sheet for sponsors/coalition members, 26

size, 23

working as a team, 22

Index

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147

Committees

specific committees:

action, 89

communication, 39

evaluation, 63

fund raising, 55, 60

guide development, 17

recruitment, 83

sites and logistics, 111

sustaining your program, 119

to carry out organizing tasks, 37

working with the coordinator, 37

Communication (see also Materials; Media)

assessing the effectiveness of your communication efforts, 46

communicating with different audiences, 40

communication among working group and coalition members, 22, 35

developing your message, 40

fliers and brochures, sample, 41, 52-53

ladder of effective communication, 41

selecting/developing communication tools, 41-42

talking points, sample, 40, 54

working with the media, 43

Community building, community-wide study circles as a tool for, 4

Community profiles, 123-131

Community-wide study circles

around the country, 4

as part of community-building movement, 4

as related to other civic processes, 1, 119

basic principles, 2

definition of, 2

how they work, 3

impact of/outcomes, 5, 92, 96-97

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<<< Return to TOC



148

Coordinator

characteristics of a good coordinator, 28

definition, 10

importance of paying, 30

responsibilities, 28-29

role of coordinator in working with committees, 27

supporting the coordinator, 29, 121

Core working group (see Working group)

Democracy, study circles as a tool for strengthening, 4

Dialogue, need for in community life, 1

Discussion guides

characteristics of good discussion guides, 16

deciding whether to create a supplement to an SCRC guide, 17-18

deciding whether to create your own guide, 16

finding the right materials, 13-14

SCRC advice and guidance, 18

SCRC guides, 15

SCRC guides in Spanish, 15

suggestions for developing a guide, 17

Discussion materials (see Discussion guides)

Diversity

deciding what you mean, 84

in coalition, 19

in each study circle, 33

in participants, 19

kinds of, 20

organizing for, 19

planning for diversity in each circle, 86

<<< Return to TOC



149

Documentation and evaluation

as collaborative learning, 63, 69

basics, 65

communicating findings, 69

cost, 70

in-depth interviews and focus groups, 68

organizing the notes from the study circles, 66

outside help, 68

participant questionnaire and instructions, sample, 71-74

reports, samples, 75-81

SCRC assistance, 70

surveys, questionnaires and databases, 67

taking notes, 66

to strengthen facilitator skills, 64

tools for, 66-68

types of, 65-66

Evaluation (see Documentation and evaluation)

Facilitators/facilitating

definition, 10

diversity of facilitators, 101

facilitator trainer, 10, 100

importance of quality facilitation, 99

invitation to potential facilitators, 105

recruiting, 101

supporting, 102-103

training, 100

young people as facilitators, 101, 137

Part 4

<<< Return to TOC



Fund raising

designing a fund-raising plan, 57-60

developing a budget based on program goals, 56

enlisting help, 60

fund-raising events, 60

in-kind support, 56

possible budget items, 61

SCRC assistance, 63

sources to consider, 57

written proposals, 59

Glossary of terms, 10

Goals of your program

impact goals, 32, 64

initial goal setting, 12

process goals, 32, 64

setting goals, 32

tying organizing strategies and tasks to goals, 32

Guides (see Discussion guides)

Impact of/outcomes of community-wide study circles, 5 (see also Action and change)

Issues

choosing and clarifying, 14

list of issues addressed by current study circle programs, 4

SCRC assistance in clarifying your issue, 14

that work best for a community-wide program, characteristics, 14

Kickoff

final steps leading up to, 116

generating news coverage, 44

planning for, 109

promoting, 109




Leadership

informal leaders, 20

many kinds of in the coalition, 84

styles of leadership that help sustain programs, 122

Logistics (see Sites and logistics)

Materials (see also Communication; Media)

basic rules for developing, 43

fliers and brochures, sample, 41, 52-53

press release, sample, 49

public service announcement, sample, 50

Media (see also Communication; Materials)

as part of coalition and working group, 20, 139-141

media advisory, 51

media kit, 43

reporters in study circles, 46

targeting media, 45

types of media coverage, 45

when to do media work, 44

working with, 43

Note taking

collecting notes in preparation for action forum, 93

helping facilitators handle, 102-103

organizing notes for documentation/evaluation, 66

recording forms, 103

Organizer(s), definition, 10

Outcomes (see Community-wide study circles, impact of/outcomes)

Outreach (see Communication; Recruitment of participants)

Pilot study circles

among new and potential coalition members, 22

definition, 10

facilitation, 22-23

151

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Planning your program

defining your goals, 32

developing a written plan, 35

keeping the communication going, 35

work sheet, 36

Public officials

as members of the working group and coalition, 20

as participants in the study circles, 135

involving public officials in your program, 133-136

Recording (see Note taking)

Recruitment (see also Coalition; Recruitment of facilitators; Recruitment of participants)

beyond “the choir,” 87

of the unaffiliated, 86

of young people, 87

outreach strategies, 84

outreach tools, 85 (see also Communication)

role of the media, 87

setting recruitment goals, 84

Relationship building, 22

Reporting (see Documentation and evaluation)

Research on “best practices” in study circle organizing, 143

Sample documents, list of, v

Sample study circles (see Pilot study circles)

Sharing credit, 22

Sharing ownership, 120

Sharing the work, 37

Sites and logistics, 111-114

Social change, 96

Solving community problems, 1, 5, 92

Sponsoring coalition, 10 (see also Coalition building)

Staffing your program, 1 (see also Coordinator)




Steering committee (see Working group)

Stories of community-wide study circles (see Community profiles)

Study circles (see also Community-wide study circles)

as a tested set of democratic principles and tools, 1

basic definition, 3

Study Circles Resource Center (SCRC)

assistance for community-wide programs, 7

history of, 4

Support for action, 34, 90, 95 (see also Action and change)

Sustaining the program, 119-122

characteristics of ongoing, effective programs, 120

communicating your successes, 121

leadership styles, 122

Task force, 10, 94 (see also Action and change)

Team building, 22 (see also Coalition)

Topsfield Foundation, 4

Training (see Facilitators/facilitating)

Turf issues, 22, 120

Work plan (see Planning your program)

Working group

definition, 10

importance of diversity, 20

initial working group, 11-12

responsibilities of, 20

sharing the work, 37

Young people

as facilitators, 101, 137

as part of the coalition and working group, 20, 137

as participants, 87

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Part 4

Thank you to the five study circle organizers who reviewed an early draft of this guide: Amy Divine, Jon Abercrombie,Radious Guess, Rosemary Talmadge, and Judy White.

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organizing community-wide dialogue for action and change

Documents

c t i o n

n g c o

o g u e f o r

n d c h

iis t u d y c i r c

wide study circles

study circle materials

study circle guides