Professional Documents
Culture Documents
a toolkit to foster conversation and new relationships for our shared future
Thank you to the support of the Alberta Human Rights Education Fund for their ongoing support to Circle Alberta.
would like to bring their partner. This will ensure that you can reduce your invites if they choose to do so. For children, it is valuable for children to experience these community building events. Aboriginal traditions normally include children as important contributors to the community. Make the decision on what you can manage and what you prefer, and then discuss this with those who you know have children.
Working with your co-host or on your own, develop a list of invitees that represent an equal mix of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal guests. A sample email invitation is available from the John Humphrey Centre which you can send to all your invitees. Consider how best to send the invitations you may want to send them by email or hard copy in advance (we suggest approximately 24 weeks in advance) followed by a phone call. You may also just want to start with a phone call and then send the details in an email. Be sure to give your guests ample time to plan. After your guests have received the invitation, it would be worthwhile to contact them by telephone to further explain the format for the occasion and to confirm their attendance. It will most likely be the first time your guests attend such an event. They may therefore have some questions or even nervousness. Please ensure your guests that this event is meant to be a relaxing, informal evening and that there is very little expectation beyond the sharing of food and memories. Upon confirmation of attendance, send all your confirmed guests a joint email thanking them for coming and giving them a brief rundown on what to expect. This email can confirm the location details and link to a Google map, the
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time, as well as letting them know that if they are bringing a potluck item they should let you know in advance. Discuss with your co-host what role each of you wants to play during the event. We would suggest having one person responsible for organizing the food, and one for welcoming guests. You may even want to identify another guest to assist with helping spur informal conversations before the formal discussions occur. If you are not cohosting, perhaps identify two guests who can come early to help you prepare and play these roles. Plan to have your co-host arrive early so you can prepare together and have a short meeting to go over roles and responsibilities. Enjoy the evening! We have developed a Timeline for you to follow to help you through the evening (see below). At the end of the evening, thank your guests for coming and hand them each a comment card as well as a take away card provided by the John Humphrey Centre. These will allow guests to provide feedback, offer to host a Film and Discussion Night or a Potluck Dialogue themselves, or just to stay in touch. You may also want to give each participant a copy of the hosting guidelines for the Film and Discussion Nights and/or the Potluck Dialogues as encouragement for them to participate in this initiative.
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Once everyone has left, be sure to take a few minutes to debrief with your co-host, take a few notes and to share any thoughts you have with the John Humphrey Centre. We encourage you to submit a short reflection of your experience in either written, audio or video format to info@jhcentre.org. If you would like your post to remain anonymous please make that indication in your email. Improvement of processes or plans only comes through feedback! 4
from the bag without looking; this would require giving that person a few seconds to come up with a response and may be more nerve wracking. OBJECTS IN A BAG OPTION TWO: As mentioned previously, collect 68 objects and place them in a bag. On a volunteer basis, ask guests to choose an object from the bag and answer the following question(s): What does this object mean to you? What memory does this spark for you? WHATS IN A NAME? As a simple icebreaker, as people introduce themselves, have them tell the story to their name. Where did it come from? Does it mean anything specific? USING FILM TO SPARK THE CONVERSATION: Consider using a short film to start your evening. For example, you and your guests could watch Im Not the Indian You Had in Mind and as with the Objects in a Bag activity, everyone could take a turn sharing a memories, experiences or stories that this film evokes. (Note: This 7 minute film can be accessed here http:// www.nsi-canada.ca/i_m_not_the_indian_you_had_in_mind.aspx) You may choose to identify another short clip on YouTube for example which you feel will spark conversation. Be sure to keep your film to no more than ten minutes.
Dinner Circle Please feel free to dive deeper into guests description of their memory by using the following questions as probing questions: Tell us more about... [a certain aspect of their story]. How does or did that object/film make you feel? Does anyone else have a similar memory (or different) with the same object? Utilize the Circle process to enable all voices to be heard and let guests know they can feel free to pass. By maintaining the circle, you ensure respect and reciprocity. Try to help make connections between people and their stories to help the conversation along. Conclusion of the dialogue In a circle format (allowing everyone to gather in a circle and share one at a time around a circle), ask participants to share any thoughts/feelings about the dialogue. Hand out the comment cards for participants to fill out and offer them copies of the Dinner Dialogue Toolkit and the Film and Discussion Night Toolkit if they would like to participate in this initiative as a host.
In submitting your reflection, please use the following name format, Potluck Dialogue: [DATE] [LOCATION]
learning; that is, assume that the speaker has something new and of value to contribute to your comprehension and then stretch your mind to find out what that is.
2. None of us has the whole truth. Seek to comprehend
the many facets of meaning that emerge from the group. Appreciate how the diversity of perceptions enriches the quality of the dialogue. In your responses do not problem solve, argue, analyze, rescue, nitpick or give advice. Rather, try to understand how the diverse views connect with each other.
3. Pay attention to your listening. Listen for the "voice of
respond, rather than reacting automatically or defensively. Balance advocacy (making a statement) with inquiry (seeking clarifications and understanding). In advocating do not impose your opinion, rather simply offer it as such. In inquiry seek clarification and a deeper level of understanding, not the exposure of weakness.
5. Communicate your reasoning process, i.e. talk about
your assumptions and how you arrived at what you believe. Seek out the data on which assumptions are based, your own and others. Bring tacit (hidden) assumptions to the surface of consciousness.
6. Suspend, rather than identify with, your judgements.
the heart" as well as the mindyours and others. Tune into the language, rhythms and sounds. Listen as you would to hear the themes played by various instruments in an orchestra and how they relate to each other. That's what makes the music. In Dialogue, that's what makes the collective meaning.
Hold these away from your core self, to be witnessed or observed by yourself and made visible to others.
7. There's no need for questions to be answered right
away.!!If the question relates directly to someone, they can pick it up when they next take a turn.!This differs from usual conversations, but think of questions as inquiries that you're putting into a shared space.
If co-hosting, identify (and call) a guest who can help spur informal conversation If not co-hosting, identify (and call) two guests who can assist you with food prep and informal conversation 2 Days Before: Gather Your Materials Comment cards Take away cards Print hosting guidelines for Potluck Dialogues and Film & Discussion Nights for your guests Objects for icebreaker Print out Ground Rules for Dialogue Computer or DVD to show video Any additional cutlery, plates, or chairs you might need After Your Potluck Dialogue Debrief with your co-host immediately after (feel free to take notes) Write or record a reflection for info@jhcentre.org describing your experiences Follow-up with your guests, via phone or email, to thank them for participating and to let them know that you have posted your reflection Invite your guests to submit a short blog post of their experiences Return the Comment Cards to the John Humphrey Centre Call or email us to tell us how your Potluck Dialogue went