Grass roots efforts in community building: circles of support

[Ron Irvine]

Recently I had met with a couple that had been involved in Beyond Welfare in Iowa. I remember hearing about this initiative at the last summer institute; probably from Mike Green. The concept is very simple, bring together people on welfare that want support to get off with those that are interested in building community around them becoming part of their circle of support. They come together every week for a meal and activities to get to know each other. As circles of support naturally develop, a PATH would be done to bring solidarity and engagement from the circle to help this person move forward. One by one, circles were formed and people found themselves increasing their resources in the areas of money, friends, and meaning in life.

We are planning to start something similar in a neighborhood that has high foreclose rates, low income, organized community groups, and a rich diversity of churches. Focusing on those on welfare is less important than finding those that need support networks, like single parents, refugees, ex convicts, and other marginalized groups.

Any experience out there doing this? Any advise? Any other models to learn from???

Here's the website for Beyond Welfare. Good stuff! http://www.beyondwelfare.org/

[Linda Keys]

Hi Ron,

It was maybe from Lois (of Beyond Welfare) and Amanda (LOV Dane) that you heard about community circles?

Since spending time with Lois in Toronto, I have started one up in Edinburgh. We are beginning small (intentionally) and diverse (very intentionally!) We have had 2 meetings now, and are ready to grow a little bit for our next meeting. To set it up, I met up with people from other 'equalities groups' (I already work with people who have a learning difficulty, so I met with people from LGBT groups, Race equality groups, the Interfaith society, etc). We used the format of having a meal, then participating in a circle meeting together. We did 'new and good', 'wants, needs and offers', 'listening pairs', and 'appreciations'. We are using the listening pairs to have discussions that define what we want the circle to be/ feel like/ achieve and how we make sure we give a good welcome to new members. The group have agreed that I will facilitate the process to start with, but ultimately we will share that role. Also, the group make all the decisions about how we run, what we believe in etc. I just set it up with one understanding that anyone who wanted to be part of the circle is welcome (meaning, if anyone finds it hard to accept others for whatever reason, maybe the circle isn't the best place for them!) It is going really, really well and the meetings feel lovely.

I have attached the notes of the two meetings we have had so far. I hope they are useful.

Keep in touch about your circle!
Linda

[Ron Irvine]

Thank you so much, Linda, for sharing this. The simplicity of this is what really attracts me. It is really quite natural for community to grow if given the place AND the space.

[Mike Green]

Dear Linda,

I think circle practice is truly a wonderful practice for us all to use. I use circles more and more. Margaret Wheatley says "We don't discover circle practice as much as we remember it." its our heritage from ancient times. Beyond Welfare, Lov Dane, and your work..are all lovely examples. Mike

[joe erpenbeck]

Recently i got together with some people in my neighborhood and we started a Neighborhood Cafe'. It is open on thursdays from 9 - noon and there is free coffee, bagels and sometimes pastries. People come, enjoy the coffee and a bagel: and more so the conversation with their neighbors. Neighbors who lived across the street from one another and did not know each other have met at the cafe. People from different walks of life who might not have ever met, have met and had conversation. There was no agenda for the cafe other than providing a time and place for neighbors to come and be with one another and perhaps to initiate conversation about what do you care about.
Much of the conversation is focused on things people are passionate about : their kids, the neighborhood, sports teams, hobbies such as fishing, church, other groups and current events. Some of the guests at the cafe have become close friends and do things with each other outside of the cafe. Rides to places are coordinated and shared.
Some people come with concerns about how to get their bills paid, have enough food , and how to support their family. Several people from the neighborhood have taken it upon themselves to gather information about resources that are available to support people with these concerns . It was interesting that it didnt take any special planning, forms, meeting or coordination. It emerged from people getting together regularly, getting to know each other and seeing the gifts of the neighborhood and exploring ways to care for one another. People who come by the cafe are spreading the word and each week there are new faces to welcome and get to know.

[Ron Irvine]

This is a very interesting perspective, Joe. I've been seeing more and more that may we try to professionalize and natural human process. And by professionalizing it, we make it co-dependent upon ourselves rather than growing community and letting community do its thing.

I think the biggest barrier is that people do not come together "in the town square" anymore. The public spaces are very limited and the ones that we do have are not used with the intention of getting people close enough to talk to each other. Libraries are hushed, parks are spread out and used for exercise, front porches have become decks overseeing fenced in back yards. Coffee houses could be great as long as people begin to talk. But in my community they are mostly for people to read or study or get online or meet a person they already know . . . not for meeting new people and building community. Hmmmm.

[Mike Green]

I think there are two sides of the same coin; what's natural occurring in communities, and what's intentional to make community connectedness and life flow stronger. I distinguish between activities that create providers and clients (professionalization of community space) and activities that are intentionally cultivating community practices (support of community space).

Beyond Welfare is very intentional about creating a "container" for people to have an experience where a sense of community is strong. As Lois says,"Everything we do is intentional!" Principles, and practices. TSI is a very good example of a community structure with very strong intentionality about design and practice.

Think about all the intentional ways in terms of design and practices that a community "container" is cultivated at TSI? This would be an interesting conversation this Summer with Lynda in Open Space?

Joe's neighborhood gatherings sound more like holding open a citizens space where what wants to happen naturally in community can happen. This approach deeply recognizes the power of community to emerge.. when people can step into citizen space.. and are given half a chance in these gathering places. Also a very good approach I think. Where are these gathering places in each community is a wonderful question? How can there be more? Do you remember a book about this "The Third Places"?

I think it is interesting how community is both self organizing with a natural order (like simple example of how potlucks always work out.. with no planning!) and how intentional design and practices can also be very helpful like Beyond Welfare.

It reminds me of a quote from Suzuki Roshi, a Zen Buddhist teacher "We are all perfect as we are..and everyone can use a little help!"

Thanks. A great discussion! Mike

[Ron Irvine]

Thanks Mike, for sharing the wisdom born out of doing.

I'm taking away from this that we must be first intentional about "creating the space" for community to occur naturally. Should I assume that it will occur with minimal guidance as with your example of a potluck?

By the way, I didn't mention that the couple from Beyond Welfare that I met with now live in my neighborhood.

I've also been invited to an inter-faith group this Friday that is planning to begin "Circles of Trust" based on the work of Parker Palmer. This seems to me like a very natural add on to this work. Here's an except about the concept:

"The circles of trust I experienced at Pendle Hill are a rare form of community--one that supports rather than supplants the individual quest for integrity-that is rooted in two basic beliefs. First, we all have an inner teacher whose guidance is more reliable than anything we can get from a doctrine, ideology, collective belief system, institution, or leader. Second, we all need other people to invite, amplify, and help us discern the inner teacher's voice for at least three reasons:

~ The journey toward inner truth is too taxing to be made solo: lacking support, the solitary traveler soon becomes weary or fearful and is likely to quit the road.

~ The path is too deeply hidden to be traveled without company: finding our way involves clues that are subtle and sometimes misleading, requiring the kind of discernment that can happen only in dialogue.

~ The destination is too daunting to be achieved alone: we need community to find the courage to venture into the alien lands to which the inner teacher may call us. "

http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/2004/10/Sitting-In-Circles.aspx

"We create a safe, trustworthy space where individuals, in community, can explore and strengthen the connection between who they are and the work they do in the world. This model is fully described in Dr. Palmer’s book Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life."
http://www.couragene.org/cot

Video of Parker Palmer on Circles of Trust

[Mike Green]

Dear Ron,

Thank you for the Pendle Hill information and the Parker Palmer video. Beautiful ways of circle and community.

You said "I'm taking away from this that we must be first intentional about "creating the space" for community to occur naturally. Should I assume that it will occur with minimal guidance as with your example of a potluck?"

One thought about need or not need for intentionality.. I think we need more intentionality for a more complex purpose. If we want to connect people in a gathering place and then see what happens.. out of proximity comes magic.. not a lot of intentional design is needed. What is human and natural will happen as so beautifully shown in Joe's example.

When the purpose is more defined amid a complex situation( many variables of a complex system we want to guide towards our purpose) then I think we need design, practices and principles to get to our purpose. At TSI for example I would say there are clearly goals of creating a learning container for the week with qualities of of hospitality, connection, openness, fun, risking something new, being authentic, and mindfulness. Likely you can name other qualities? There is a lot of intentional design about schedule, timing, atmosphere, practices, guiding principles, arts.. all that creates this learning environment where these qualities are embodied in action.

[Ron Irvine]

That makes a lot of sense to me. Sometimes I tend to over-think processes that are very natural. I guess that over-thinking a tomato plant doesn't create any new results; rather, it is the container, the watering, the nurturing, the sunlight, the temperature, etc. that allows for the natural growth.

It seems that in most cases then, community will grow if given the opportunity, the space. Something I don't see much of here in the US. Public spaces that encourage people connecting face to face with people are scarce in my experience.