Resources

Social 

Actions

These methods nurture community and self-development.

Peer-to-Peer Tools

Demonstrated Projects

  • 12-Step Programs

  • The basic premise of the 12-Step model is that people can help one another achieve and maintain abstinence from the substances or behaviors to which they are addicted.

  • The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, Julia Cameron.

    “The ideas in creative personal development outlined in the book … have become a phenomenon and spawned into many meetups and support groups throughout the world. The group meetings are based on a 12-week creativity course designed for people to work through and gain artistic inspiration, as outlined in the book.”

  • True North Groups

    “Ssmall, intimate groups of peers where people can talk openly in confidential settings. They provide a safe place where people can share their experiences, challenges, and frustrations and get honest feedback.”

  • Holistic Check-ins

    Groups open meetings with members briefly responding to an intimate question such as “How have you been working on your self-improvement?”

  • Listening Dyad

    Two people pair up, agree on how much time they have to be together and divide the time into three equal segments. First, one person talks, and the other listens. They speak from the heart, sharing whatever they want to share. Second, they reverse roles. Third, they engage in open-ended dialog about what has emerged.

  • Open Topic Dialog

    A conversation group based on the “talking stick” principle. Enter a safe, respectful space, speak from the heart, and express what’s on your mind. It’s an opportunity to talk, listen, learn and brainstorm with others.

  • Spiritual Support Group

    Three or more compatible individuals meet once a month or more frequently for at least an hour. They rotate responsibility for selecting a brief reading, perhaps even a sentence or two. The meeting opens with a silent or guided meditation or by listening to some music. Participants share their reactions to the reading and may discuss it briefly. Either at the beginning or at the end of the meeting, they “check-in” with reports on recent experiences in their lives.

  • Coffee Klatch

    Gather at the same time each week for one hour or so to drink coffee and tea, eat light snacks, and engage in open-ended conversation concerning whatever emerges. Ideally meet in a “neutral” space. With minimal coordination, participants spontaneously bring snacks, at times items they bake. Assure someone brings a large pot of coffee. Each one comes and goes when they can. Agree on the number of participants and who to invite.

  • Healing Circle

  • Affinity Group

    • The wikipedia definition: A group formed around a shared interest or common goal, to which individuals formally or informally belong… Examples of affinity groups include private social clubs, fraternities, writing or reading circles, hobby clubs, and groups engaged in political activism. Some affinity groups are organized in a non-hierarchical manner, often using consensus decision making, and are frequently made up of trusted friends… Other affinity groups may have a hierarchy… Affinity groups may have either open or closed membership, although the latter is far more common.

    • Affinity Groups at Work

      “These employee-led associations foster diversity and inclusion… In a nutshell, an affinity group—also called an employee resource group (ERG)—is a group of employees with similar backgrounds, interests, or demographic factors such as gender or ethnicity.

Proposed Projects

Adaptive Actions

  • Practice Listening

    NOW WHAT: Commit yourself to: Really listen to others.  Understand who they are. Understand where they are coming from. Understand what is important to them. Understand why it is important to them. Understand when they are ready for change.

    Then you can engage them in serious dialogue to find a way to approach change that suits them and you.

  • Form Small Teams

    NOW WHAT: Select members for your small team you’re comfortable with. Being comfortable means you trust them. Trust among team members is a critical element for success. As a group, determine a name for your team. Naming your team creates an identity that will move you forward as a team.

    Other Proposals

  • Agenda-Free Conversation

    In line with “What Conversation Can Do for Us,” by Hua Hsu, suspend efforts to persuade and simply explore whatever’s on the minds of the participants, listening closely and aiming to better understand each other.

  • A Network of Mutual Support Teams

  • Community Dialogs

  • Community Workshops

  • Soul Talk

    Determine how much time you have. Divide time equally, leaving 5-10 minutes at the end to debrief or dialog. First one person shares “roses”, what’s been happening with you that’s new and good, and “thorns”, what’s been happening with you that’s new and not-so-good. Then switch roles.

  • Soulful Interviews

    Recorded on video and posted on YouTube. Rorate roles. Each interview lasts 20 minutes, followed by 20 minutes of open dialog. Interview each other. Speak from the heart. Each interview has three segments: 1) Introduce yourself. In general, what do you really care about and how do you spend your time? 2) More specifically, what have you been feeling and thinking recently? 3) What do you think about [a specific essay, book, podcast?)? The interviewee responds briefly to each question. The interviewer may ask brief clarifying questions at any time.

Other Tools

Short-term actions — two or more individuals or a small group can undertake these actions once they decide to do so.

Longer-term actions — these actions require more sustained effort or extensive organizing.

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