To explore the viability of a particular format for an “activist empowerment” support group, on 2/26/14, I individually sent 25 people the following email with “Experiment” as the subject. So far two individuals have responded to the questions and I’ve had a series of exchanges with a third. This response prompted me to postpone a road trip throughout the States, during which I had hoped to experiment with this and/other formats to facilitate such support groups. Rather than spending so much time behind the wheel driving, I plan to spend more time writing. Those three responses and my replies are posted below as comments. You can click on Comments to see them.
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Please imagine that you’re with a few close friends in your living room and each of you respond to the following questions (If you will, please reply to the questions here. Whether or not you do, I’d be interested in your thoughts about this idea.)
1. In what way or ways have you worked on becoming a better human being last month?
2. In what way or ways would you like to work on becoming a better human being this month?
3. In what way or ways have you volunteered to help build a stronger face-to-face community last month?
4. In what way or ways would you like to volunteer to help build a stronger face-to-face community this month?
5. In what way or ways have you engaged in political action last month by supporting near-term, achievable change in public policy?
6. In what way or ways would you like to engage in political action this month by supporting near-term, achievable change in public policy?
After responding to those questions, you and your group of close friends would conduct an open-ended conversation and plan any future activities in which some or all of you might engage.
I’d also be interested in your responses to the following questions:
1. If you did not reply to the questions, can you say why?
2. What do you think about the potential value of this approach? Any suggested changes?
3. Are you aware of one or more other user-friendly tools that self-governing groups are using to support one another in their personal growth, community building, and political action efforts?
4. Do you have ideas about possibilities for such tools?
5. Can I share your responses privately with the other respondents (I will not identify you publicly as the author of any responses that I quote)
This format is merely one possible such tool. I’m not wedded to it. I’m not even convinced that anything along this line is feasible. But I put it out there to clarify my thinking and to seek feedback. I’m very interested in your response.
9 Responses to Support Group Experiment