April 23, 2012Sarah Byrnes, Resilience Circles Organizer

Resilience Circles

Before we get started…

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Resilience Circles

Before we get started…

Resilience Circles

Core assumption #1

The world is changing.

Resilience Circles

Core assumption #1

The next 15 to 20 years are likely to be very different than any recent period in our history.

We will most likely be facing deep, destabilizing challenges in our communities.

Resilience CirclesCore assumption #1

Growing economic difficulties from an increasingly destabilized global economy

Rising oil prices dramatically affecting food and transportation costs, as well as other basic needs

Disruption and stress from increasingly frequent extreme weather events, locally and globally, and general environmental depletion on many fronts

Resilience CirclesCore assumption #2

Community connections that support resourcefulness have weakened over the past 50 years.

25% of us report having no one to confide in about personal troubles.

We need to rebuild our collective community muscles.

Resilience CirclesResilience Circles are one response…

Seven initial sessions using the Resilience Circle Curriculum, a free & open-source tool

Learn about challenges togetherBuild community connectionsProvide support for one anotherTake action together

…structured but flexible tool…

Resilience Circles

http://localcircles.org/find-a-circle/

Resilience CirclesResilience Circles build security…

Resilience CirclesResilience Circles build security…

Resilience CirclesPOLL

Sprout: interested/excited by idea;want to learn more

Seedling: preliminary conversations with a few others;

possible partners identifiedSapling: one or two organizing meetings under yr

belt;on your way to an Intro Session

Branch: under way -- committed group has met

Resilience CirclesDownload the Organizing Kit

http://localcircles.org/organize-a-circle/

Our Webinars - An Ongoing Experiment

TOPICS

Ingredients for Starting a CircleCommunication and Publicity

The Curriculum & After the Curriculum

Resilience Circles

INGREDIENTS FOR STARTING A CIRCLE

One or two facilitators15 – 20 initial participants

A space to meetThe dates and time of day you’ll meet

How to find all this… ?

Resilience Circles

INGREDIENTS FOR STARTING A CIRCLE

Using the Introductory SessionThings to Consider: FAQ for Organizers

Finding an Organizing PartnerGrowing Your GroupFinding a Facilitator

Resilience CirclesUsing the Introductory Session

Hour-and-a-half long agenda designed to introduce the idea of a Resilience Circle.

Gives people a taste of the benefits of being in a Resilience Circle without requiring any commitment.

Can be used with an “open invitation” group, or with a specific group considering the idea of a Circle.

Provides some new ideas mixed with personal sharing.

Resilience CirclesUsing the Introductory Session

Option #1: Hold an Intro Session with at least 20 people in attendance.  Option #2: If 15 – 25 people commit to forming a circle, go straight to Session 1.

The agenda for an Intro Session overlaps with the agenda for Session 1 in the Curriculum, so it may not make sense to do both with the exact same group. Once you have scheduled an Intro Session, tell us about it at Resilience Circle Network!

Resilience CirclesThings to Consider: FAQ for Organizers

• Number of Participants

• Timing

• Food

• Geographic Area

• Cost

• Longevity

Resilience CirclesFinding an Organizing Partner

Excited by the idea of a Club

Good chemistry

Magnet for other people; not an obstacle

Dependable

Resilience CirclesFinding an Organizing Partner

Experience with facilitationConnected to circles of interested people

Resilience CirclesGrowing Your Group

Tip 1: If possible, work within an existing base community.

Resilience CirclesCongregations – Churches, SynagoguesTransition InitiativesNeighborhood AssociationsCommunity Projects or Clubs – Community

Gardens, Cycling Clubs, Book ClubsCommunity Organizations – Neighborhood

Development Corporations, the YMCAActivist NetworksTime BanksUnions, Labor GroupsCo-Ops – Food, Worker, Housing

Resilience CirclesCreate Your Own “Base Community”

A regular dinner/discussion group

A group of friends who decide to watch a series of thought-provoking movies together

A community project group

LATER: a Circle intro session

Resilience CirclesGrowing Your Group

Tip 2: Use the Linking Method

Resilience Circles

Look for Leaders from the Base Communities

Ask to Learn from Them

Facilitator Support:

Six-hour Training WorkshopPhone Calls With Other Facilitators

One-on-one Coaching

For Basic Facilitation Tips: http://localcircles.org/facilitate-a-circle/

Finding a Facilitator

Resilience Circles

TOPICS

Ingredients for Starting a CircleCommunication and Publicity

The Curriculum & After the Curriculum

Resilience Circles

COMMUNICATION AND PUBLICITY

What attracted you to the idea?

Why are you interested in starting a Circle?

Resilience Circles

COMMUNICATION AND PUBLICITY

Think about who you are talking to.

What do they care about?How is what they care about connected

to the idea of a Circle?

Resilience CirclesCOMMUNICATION AND PUBLICITY

Get your elevator speech down!

Seven 2-hour get-togethers over a couple months…?

Learn about the roots of the economic turmoil we’re facing and think about how to create more security

with one another…?

Resilience CirclesCOMMUNICATION AND PUBLICITY

Talking points…

Structured but flexible group meetings that are…Very participatory

Help people get to know one anotherA place to read and learn things together

Good for brainstorming ideas

Resilience CirclesCOMMUNICATION AND PUBLICITY

Read stories from Circles: http://localcircles.org/stories-from-resilience-circles.

Watch the video and check out stories from other Circles.

Look for tidbits that seem inspiring to you and commit them to memory.

Show the profiles and video to others.

Resilience CirclesCOMMUNICATION AND PUBLICITY

What to call your Circle?

Resilience Circle or Common Security Club

More ideas…

• Resource Sharing Groups • Neighbor Groups

• Unemployed and Anxiously Employed Worker Groups

• Economic Security Circles

Resilience CirclesCOMMUNICATION AND PUBLICITY

Sample Materials

http://localcircles.org/communication-and-publicity-2/

Resilience Circles

TOPICS

Ingredients for Starting a CircleCommunication and Publicity

The Curriculum & After the Curriculum

Resilience CirclesTHE CURRICULUM

Session 1: Our Resilience CircleSessions 2 – 3: Change the StorySessions 4 - 5: Create Community

Session 6: Change the RulesSession 7: What’s Next?

Resilience CirclesTHE CURRICULUM

Follow it step-by-step OR

Use it as a treasure chest to pull ideas from as you invent your own meetings

ORAdapt it around the edges to suit the culture of your

group

Resilience CirclesTHE CURRICULUM

What matters:Space to talk, both comfortable and containedNo dominance, no preachingWhole selves: mind/heart/bodyExposure to new ideasFocus on taking action togetherSharing food/rituals

Resilience CirclesAFTER THE CURRICULUM

http://localcircles.org/2011/05/01/after-the-curriculum/

Ideas to continue learning, mutual aid, and social action

Session modules, books, films, activities, social action campaigns, project ideas…

Tips for making the transition from us and other facilitators

Resilience Circles

TOPICS

Ingredients for Starting a CircleCommunication and Publicity

The Curriculum & After the Curriculum

Your questions and comments…

http://localcircles.orginfo@localcircles.org

Resilience CirclesWebinar Discussion: Small Group Facilitation

Next Session TBD

We’ll talk about facilitating and leading a circle, including:

- How to handle strong disagreements (including from co-facilitators)- How to be a more effective “participant leader”- How to interrupt when necessary- Following up on absent members- When and when not to adhere strictly to an agenda

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