A GUIDE FOR
DIALOGUE GROUPS
For leaders and participants
2007
J. H. Flakes, Jr., Chair.
One Columbus
Ann Caggins, Chair.
Bridge Building
One Columbus
P.O. Box 386
Columbus, Georgia 31902
706-315-0162
Dialogue Groups – General Format
One Columbus is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit community service organization whose mission is to find common ground around which individuals can communicate toward improving race relations and building respect for each other through constructive dialogue.
Bridge Building is one of several programs of One Columbus designed to promote and encourage multi-cultural dialogue among all sectors of the community. Although there are several strategies employed in bridge building, Dialogue Groups are structured to get people involved in small group discussions.[1][1]
They are designed to be open-ended with no limitation on the number of sessions to be held. It is recommended, however, that each group commit to at least five sessions, holding one meeting a week for a minimum of five weeks. Any further meetings beyond five weeks will be determined by the participants themselves. At the end of five weeks, they may elect to continue with the same group(s) or form new groups. It is recommended that between 10 and 12 individuals from diverse backgrounds make up each group.
Topics of discussion might include issues related to race relations, education, transportation, public safety, health care, and employment--to name just a few. Specifically, it is hoped that people who participate will talk about anything that would lead to an increased understanding of each other and a better quality of life for all.
The initial session will be led by a skilled facilitator who has received a general orientation to One Columbus and the dialogue group process.
After the initial session, each group will select a recorder who will provide a brief report of meetings for One Columbus records.
To register for a Dialogue Group, go to www.onecolumbus.org and click on “Contact Us.”
Fill out and submit the Dialogue Group information and you will be contacted.
For information about Dialogue Groups, contact H. Berrien Zettler at
706-324-6363
For general information about One Columbus, call 706-315-0162.
For Bridge Building information contact, Ann Caggins at 706-568-1762
Ken Crooks, Executive Director can be reached at 706-315-0162.
One Columbus, Inc.
Bridge Building - Dialogue Groups
Guidelines for Participants
Communication Guidelines (Ground Rules)[2][2]
1. We are not here to debate who is right and who is wrong. We are here to experience true dialogue in which we strive to communicate honestly and listen actively and openly to each other. (For religious groups, dialogue is never an opportunity for proselytizing.) We invite you to open your hearts and minds to experience new ideas, feelings, situations and people even though, at times, the process may be uncomfortable.
2. Our leaders are not experts. Their role is to provide a structure and process by which we can better communicate with each other.
3. We recognize that we might have preconceived assumptions and perceptions about others. Some are conscious; some are unconscious. We invite you to be aware of how they influence the way you listen and interpret others' words and actions. We also invite you to be aware of how these assumptions affect the way you speak and act in the group. In doing so, we can better maintain our respect for and acceptance of self and others as valuable human beings.
4. We invite you to take responsibility for what you say and what you say on behalf of a group. We also invite you to speak with words that others can hear and understand and, whenever possible, use specific personal examples that relate to the topic being discussed.
5. We invite you to expand your listening sense to include not just words but also feelings being expressed, nonverbal communication such as body language and different ways of using silence.
6. We invite you to take responsibility for your own feelings as they surface. Feelings may be triggered by particular words or actions but they may or may not be directly related to the particular interaction. When that happens, simply communicate that feeling without blaming others. In doing so, members of the group can hear and learn constructively the consequences of our words and actions.
7. We invite you to hold the personal information shared here in confidence because only in this way can we feel free to say what is in our minds and hearts.
Guidelines for Facilitators
Facilitating a Dialogue Group
At the beginning of a Dialogue Group, the facilitator and group members should spend some time talking about ground rules for the discussion. This is especially important for people who do not know each other.
These are meant to be guidelines for the facilitator and for the members and how they will relate to each other, how they will handle complex ideas, and how they will ensure that the sessions are positive, safe and fair experiences for everyone.
Here are some “tried and true” ground rules that facilitators should ensure are operative in their sessions. These rules belong to the group as a whole. More may be added.
And remember, Dialogue Groups are not about being “Politically correct”. They are about “democratic dialogue”, which promotes unity and respect.
One Columbus, Inc.
One Columbus
PO Box 386
Columbus, GA 31902 706-315-0162
Officers and Committee Chairs- 2007
Officers
Chair J. H. Flakes, Jr.
Co-Chair Lee Brantey
Secretary Ron Hinze
Treasurer Peter Bowden
Committee and Sub-Committee Chairs:
Executive Committee J. H. Flakes, Jr.
Administration Allen Page, III
Bridge Building Ann Caggins
Race Relations Breakfasts Lee Brantley
Study Circles Vicky Partin
Dialogue Groups H. Berrien Zettler
Special Projects Max Roth
Education/Information/Support
Community Prayer Breakfast Rosa Stanback
Recognition Dinner Lee Brantley
Fund Raising
Golf Tournament Allen Page, III
Public Relations Henry Holt
Ken Crooks, Executive Director
Ex-Officio
Mayor Jim Weatherington, Vivian Bishop, Carmen Cavezza, Brandon Cockrell,
Isaiah Hugley, Bob Poydasheff, Evelyn Pugh, Mimi Woodson
One Columbus, Inc.
Bridge Builders
Dialogue Group Report
Facilitator: ____________________
Date: ______________________________
Presiding: ________________________________
Recorder: ________________________________
Present:
Absent:
Others:
Topic(s):
[1][1] Study Circles are dialogue groups developed on the CSU campus. See our website for details. www.onecolumbus.org
[2][2] Taken from SCRC Literature