Understanding the Existing Strengths of a Community Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting a fun activity that uses role playing to help participants imagine communities as partners, rather than recipients of funding, information, or...
Who should be in the room? Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting Activity 5.2 Developing an Awareness of Stakeholders, designed to help participants think deeply and methodically about who has a stake in the conversation and should be...
Crafting Knowledge Trees Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting a fun activity that helps participants tease out all the different kinds of knowledge they have gained throughout their lives. They will also explore the various sources...
Telling the History of the Future Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting an activity designed to help discussion participants imagine beyond what they currently think is possible. Sometimes problems seem so big or so entrenched — so...
Exploring Civic Passions Dear collaborative discussion friends, This week we are highlighting Activity 5.1 Identifying Your Civic Passion, designed to help discussion participants figure out which civic topics are of greatest concern to them as individuals and as a...
Introducing the Identity Pie Activity Dear collaborative discussion friends, This time we are highlighting an activity that helps to build self-awareness about our social and cultural identities. It explores the meanings we ascribe to these identities and how they...
Tools for supporting critical feeling Dear collaborative discussion friends, This time we are sharing an activity that helps to gauge the emotional charge of a discussion. By examining the feelings that participants bring to a discussion, we create space for self...
Understanding ourselves and others Dear collaborative discussion friends, This time we are highlighting two activities that help to identify personal and shared values. The activities examine how values show up in discussions and how they are prioritized...
Using metaphors as a way to enhance or “unstick” a discussion Dear collaborative discussion friends, This time we are focusing on an activity that can be used to help “unstick” groups. Sometimes groups need creative interventions or stimulants to help move past...
Practicing "yes, and..." Dear collaborative discussion friends, This time we are highlighting an activity that is designed to help groups establish a more collaborative (and less competitive) atmosphere through building on the ideas of others. This activity...
