COMMUNITY DIALOGUES
Diversity Awareness Workshops
Diversity Awareness Workshops are designed to fit the specific needs of the organization requesting the workshop. Workshop topics include: cross-cultural communication, white privilege, police and community relations, and youth issues. Various local organizations have utilized the Diversity Awareness Workshops, including: All Saints Health Care, Alverno College, Gateway Technical Institute, Kenosha County District Attorneys Office, Leadership Institute of University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Leadership Racine, Lincoln Lutheran, Sustainable Racine, Wheaton Franciscan, Youth Connections, YWCA, Wisconsin Education Association of Student Support Programs.
White Priviledge class video
http://www.youtube.com/uwpEthnicStudies
Diversity Circles
Diversity Circles are small groups of people talking together about critical public issues. Participants meet together over a period of six weeks to look at an issue from many points of view. The goal of Diversity Circles is to engage participants in dialogue to promote action and change. The democratic dialogue provides citizens the opportunity to have their voices heard in a respectful, thoughtful format, and then invites them to take what they have learned and put that in action in the community. The dialogues, led by trained facilitators, raise awareness and increase understanding, so that together, citizens create change in their communities.
Since 1999, the Center for Community Partnerships has worked to promote the Diversity Circle process throughout the Kenosha and Racine areas as well as other communities throughout the state of Wisconsin, including: Appleton, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Manitowoc, Oshkosh, and Stevens Point. We have also worked with communities in Illinois and Michigan. Currently, we are working with the University of Wisconsin-Extension to promote a statewide Diversity Circles initiative. We have dealt with various issues, such as: racism, education, police/community relations, sexual orientation, and poverty. Our program is affiliated with the National Study Circles Resource Center. For further information from the Study Circles Resource Center, see www.studycircles.org.
Newsletters
Diversity Facilitator Training
Facilitator Training is offered to those who want to develop their skills to promote community change. Highly skilled facilitators are necessary for any successful dialogue forms. Effective facilitator training develops discussion leaders who understand the principles and techniques of effective small-group deliberations and the broader civic context in which the facilitation takes place. Facilitators have an interest in how groups work, the skills to guide the conversation, and a desire to help people have a productive experience. They are good listeners and relate well to many different kinds of people. Above, all, they are interested in improving their communities.
We have trained hundreds of facilitators throughout Kenosha and Racine counties as well as throughout the state and in Illinois and Michigan. High school students, college students, community members, and inmates have all been trained to play this critical role in community dialogues. For further information from the Study Circles Resource Center, see www.studycircles.org.
Diversity Circles in Action Conference
One of the most effective actions that have resulted from the Diversity Circles is the Diversity Circles in Action conference that is held annually in March. High school students who have participated in Diversity Circles organize and implement this conference for 400 of their peers to create a greater understanding of diversity. Conference sessions are conducted by community members as well as by students.
With the success of the Diversity Circles program, we realized that other forms of dialogue could also encourage and promote community involvement and change. We have expanded our program to include various forms of dialogue for use in a variety of settings.
Testimonials
"I like the fact we were a group of 8-10 people, and we were all from different backgrounds, but each of us had an equal voice. We all tried to understand each other's views because the idea was to share concerns and look for ways to make them better."
"Throughout all of the discussions, sometimes uncomfortable and controversial ones, everyone remained open minded and respectful. I never felt like I couldn't say anything, and never felt hurt by anything anyone else said."
"I highly recommend diversity circles to everyone in the society. People need to come together and learn about other cultures and understand them. I would tell them that it will only educate them and make them a better person in the long run. Since I have taken this class, I want to participate in diversity community projects."
"The change that separates me from the rest of the community is that now I am educated in diversity. Since entering the circle I now have an understanding for other ethnic groups. I live in a majority black neighborhood and everone blames everthing on white people, since I have been in the circle I have learned that you must do everything for yourself and that you can not wait for that hand to help to succeed in life. I feel that diversity circle has helped me to do those things in my future."
"I would suggust Diversity Circle to all my friends or anyone for that matter. It would be an eye opener for some people and I think that we all need that. In order for us to change, we must recongnize racism. It does exist and it helps to talk about it."
"I really put my guard down and said anything and everything that was on my mind. I was about to tell a story that has been bothering me for awhile but never really said too much about it. The fact that I was able to tell someone my story really made me feel better and relieved that someone heard my feelings and understood what I had to say."
"My experience in diversity circles was the ultimate positive experience. I have gained much knowledge, respect, and understanding for others."
"Through our sessions I have learned to forgive and ignore the few instances I have had with other races and love again. I also have learned how I can apply my knowledge and love in helping my community and the people I associate with deal with diversity. Through diversity circles I was able to understand other races feeling about race because it was ok to talk about it."
"I can easily say that the participation in this dialogue was very beneficial to me because I gained a sense of hope. At times I get frustrated and discouraged by the trials and tribulations as a black male in America, but this class taught me to continue the fight and never give up."
World Café
World Café is a flexible, easy-to-use process for fostering collaborative dialogue, sharing collective knowledge, and discovering new opportunities for action. Seven core design principles provide practical tips and tools for convening and hosting “conversations that matter,” even with very large groups. The World Café approach can be adapted to many different settings and cultures. Based on living systems thinking, this is a proven approach for fostering authentic dialogue and creating dynamic networks of conversation around your organization or community’s real work and critical questions--improving both personal relationships and people’s capacity to shape the future together.
Since 2005, the Center for Community Partnerships has offered the World Café dialogue method to various community partners, including the Local area high schools, Kenosha Job Center, Kenosha County District Attorneys Office, and Kenosha County United Way. We also use elements of the Open Space Technology. For further information from the World Cafe website, see www.theworldcafe.org.
