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Need feedback regarding an intentional community faced with significant challenges

Started this conversation. Last reply by Kirsten Parker-Smith Apr 1, 2014. 2 Replies 0 Likes

Hi--I am new to this online community. I sent the following email to Amy yesterday for feedback. She provided very helpful guidance and also suggested I post my questions here.I appreciate your…Continue

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Please indicate your World Café experience (ONLY IF YOU HAVE ACTUAL WORLD CAFE EXPERIENCE) in one or more of the following roles:: I'm New to the World Cafe

If you are new to the World Cafe, would you please share how you heard about this community?: I participated in Webinar with Amy last Friday through Mid-Atlantic Facilitator's Network. I also came across the World Cafe process while researching ways to facilitate a large community dialogue.

What field is the primary focus of your World Café work (ONLY CHECK AREAS WHERE YOU ARE ALREADY ACTIVELY USING WORLD CAFE PLEASE)?: n/a

What knowledge, skills or resources would you like to contribute to the World Café community to help it grow and flourish?: I have worked within Child and Family Welfare for over a decade. I work closely with families of abuse and neglect and facilitate family meetings where the group's collective voice and wisdom drives the outcome and plan. I facilitated a dialogue on race and racism.

In my current (and past work), I have the privilege of seeing how even the most fractured person, when supported, can fully and honestly contribute to providing a safe plan for their child and family. I don't know what way I can help World Cafe--but I do know that my belief in a person's ability to sustain healthy change in a terrible situation is more substantiated now through my work as a facilitator.

What would you most like to receive from this community?: I have been using one meeting method the past several years with family and children. It has been extremely powerful. I've recently started volunteering time to work with a community that is struggling with some challenging dynamics and conflict. I quickly realized we are too large for the method I am most familiar. I really want to learn this process and be a helpful guide so I may present this resource to these community members.

I will admit, I want the best for them so they experience some relief. I certainly don't want to approach this process with them unless I feel I could execute it in the most helpful way.

Time is of the essence.

Would you like to share a Web or Blog address?: http://Don't have one.

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At 2:51pm on March 18, 2014, Amy Lenzo said…: And for coming to my webinar! :-)

At 2:51pm on March 18, 2014, Amy Lenzo said…: Welcome, Kirsten!

How wonderful to see you here!

And what wonderful profile answers... I invite you to share them in the Introductions area of this site, to let more people know who you are and what you're up to. It's such powerful work you are doing!

There is more information about the World Cafe and this community in the Orientation tab of this site to help you get a sense of what's here - but feel free to just explore a bit, and dive right in wherever you are called. Let me know if you have questions or if I can be of any help.

Thanks again for showing up!

Amy