1.
When Women Gather Facilitating Empowerment through Dialogue Kari Solberg March 4, 2010 Antioch University Seattle Senior Synthesis Presentation

2.
Opening Exercise <ul><li>“ Setting Your </li></ul><ul><li>Baggage Aside”* </li></ul>*From Cool Tools for Hot Topics by Ron Kraybill & Evelyn Wright [Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2006]

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The Women’s Group A multi-generational group of women that meet to discuss cultural and community related topics.

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The learnings that inspired this project What sustains the group? The future of the group What has my role in the group taught me?

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Inspired by studies in… Storytelling for collaborative action Dialogue Group Facilitation

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Narrating Change: Stories for Collective Action Winter 2009 <ul><li>“ Oral Testimony can give communities more power to set their own agenda for development.” </li></ul><ul><li>Hugo Slim and Paul Thompson </li></ul><ul><li>Listening for a Change </li></ul>

7.
Reading that demonstrated the effect of narrative practices in a community <ul><li>The book </li></ul><ul><li>The chapter </li></ul><ul><li>Chapter 11 </li></ul><ul><li>“ Health </li></ul><ul><li>Promoting </li></ul><ul><li>Conversations” </li></ul><ul><li>by Bev McKenzie </li></ul>

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Individual Stories for Change: Women and Money When: February 8, 2009 Participants: 12 (women aged 16-72) The First Meeting of The Women’s Group

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The Power of Storytelling <ul><li>Support, validation, collaboration, reframing of experiences, healing, restoration of confidence, enthusiasm… </li></ul>

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The Circle Process <ul><li>“ The circle is a mechanism for empowerment and action, and the organizing power within us.” </li></ul><ul><li>Christina Baldwin </li></ul><ul><li>Calling the Circle: The First and Future Culture </li></ul>

11.
The Circle Process <ul><li>The 10 Constants* </li></ul><ul><li>Honor the circle as sacred time and space . </li></ul><ul><li>Create a collective center </li></ul><ul><li>Be informed </li></ul><ul><li>Express gratitude </li></ul><ul><li>Create a container for full participation </li></ul><ul><li>Listen from the heart </li></ul><ul><li>Speak from the heart </li></ul><ul><li>Make room for silence </li></ul><ul><li>Empower each member </li></ul><ul><li>Commit to an ongoing relationship </li></ul><ul><li>* From http://www.wisdomcircle.org/format.html </li></ul>

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The Art of Dialogue <ul><li>“ Dialogue is about expanding our capacity for awareness and learning with and from each other.” </li></ul><ul><li>- Glenna Gerard </li></ul>

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Group Facilitation including active listening, strategic questioning and group decision making

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fa·cil·i·ta·tor <ul><li>one that facilitates; especially : one that helps to bring about an outcome (as learning, productivity, or communication) by providing indirect or unobtrusive assistance, guidance, or supervision. </li></ul><ul><li>a content nuetral guide to the process of group work. </li></ul><ul><li>http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/facilitator </li></ul><ul><li>Ron Kraybill and Evelyn Wright Cool Tools for Hot Topics </li></ul>

15.
What sustains the group? <ul><li>Democratic participation </li></ul><ul><li>A sense of community </li></ul><ul><li>The engagement of participants </li></ul><ul><li>A belief in the ability to create change </li></ul>

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How does this result in empowerment?

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em·pow·er <ul><li>To invest with power. </li></ul><ul><li>To equip or supply with an ability. </li></ul>http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/empower

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The Rules Just kidding! <ul><li>We will speak for ourselves and </li></ul><ul><li>from experience. </li></ul><ul><li>We will not criticize or judge the </li></ul><ul><li>views of other participants. </li></ul><ul><li>We will respect each others opinions. </li></ul><ul><li>We will challenge each other! </li></ul><ul><li>We will participate within the time </li></ul><ul><li>frames suggested by the facilitator. </li></ul><ul><li>We will not interrupt each other. </li></ul><ul><li>We will hold each other accountable. </li></ul><ul><li>We will “pass” if we don’t wish to </li></ul><ul><li>speak. </li></ul><ul><li>We will respect the confidentiality of </li></ul><ul><li>the group. </li></ul>

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EMBRACE ANXIETY! “ We must acknowledge that confusion, anxiety and digression often precede clarity, excitement and focus.” - Marvin Weisbord, Sandra Janoff, Jack MacNeish Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There!