The Power of Community Conversations in Social Work Education
*Please note that this piece was co-written by Shani Horn, MSW student at the University of Michigan
In today’s fast-paced and digital world, feeling disconnected from the people and issues around us is easy. For social workers, it is important to engage in meaningful conversations with our clients and communities to understand the challenges they face, and to work with them towards creating positive change. The internet may allow for contact, but it rarely connects.
Several years ago, faculty members, staff, and students at this School of Social Work found that we were having conversations over email and on social media that increased conflict instead of resolving it, and that this was preventing mutual understanding rather than improving it. We were not talking with each other, nor were we listening to each other’s points of view. By creating an opportunity to be present with one another in real-time, we suspected we could be more attentive to one another, listen more closely, exercise more empathy, and strengthen our community. Based on these insights, we developed a model called Community Conversations.
This brief article explains the purposes of Community Conversations and provides examples of conversation topics. We will also describe the two theoretical frameworks — intergroup dialogue and restorative practices — on which the model is based and share some of the lessons we have learned.
What are Community Conversations?
Community Conversations are a dialogue-based communication format used to bring members of our School of Social Work — faculty, staff, and students — together to discuss important issues that affect our school community. These conversations are designed to engage community members in open, respectful, vulnerable, and constructive dialogue with one other to identify and address challenges, build relationships, and foster community cohesion. Community Conversations aims to create a space where community members can come together to share their perspectives, experiences, and ideas about issues that are important to them while also truly listening to others.
Community Conversations allow us to come together quickly to talk about issues that have the potential to create conflict, uncertainty, fear, misunderstanding, or division in our community. They might be held reactively — that is, in response to an issue that is causing stress within our community. They might also be held proactively — on topics we anticipate might impact our environment. Examples of conversation topics include: recognizing our own implicit biases, the unique challenges associated with attending school while also caregiving, changes in policy or law such as the reversal of Roe v. Wade, experiences of students who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color at a predominantly white institution, and navigating school and work with “hidden” illnesses and/or disabilities.
At the heart of our Community Conversations model are two practices: intergroup dialogue and restorative practices.
Intergroup Dialogue
Intergroup dialogue emphasizes authentic speaking and listening across areas of difference. It recognizes that genuine engagement is essential to productive conversation. To ensure a shared commitment to this environment that allows such interaction to flourish, we use “invitations for engagement,” which some refer to as group guidelines or norms. Because we acknowledge that conversations can get heated, we train students, staff, and faculty facilitators to help guide participants through these moments.
Restorative Practices
Restorative practices emphasize the importance of creating a nurturing environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging. Like intergroup dialogue, restorative practices promote speaking and listening while striving for an equitable climate. We recognize that our society is steeped in power differences and oppression, and we work to create a space where each individual can safely engage in meaningful conversation.
By drawing on intergroup dialogue and restorative practices, we create an environment for our Community Conversations that encourages authentic engagement, productive dialogue, and meaningful relationship-building. By prioritizing the conversation environment and the needs of all participants, we create a space where everyone can feel heard and valued.
The Community Conversations Model
Our Community Conversations are a co-creation of faculty, staff, and students. Anyone can call a Community Conversation, whether it’s a response to current events or a proactive discussion about managing life transitions. Community Conversations can be held in-person or online and typically run for one hour.
Community Conversations use a co-facilitation model. Facilitators are required to attend training specific to facilitating Community Conversations. The training covers the frameworks of intergroup dialogue and restorative practices, explains how these are applied to Community Conversations, provides details about how to pick topics, schedule and advertise the Community Conversations, and facilitate discussions. We also spend time discussing how to handle challenging issues that might arise. Before facilitators are considered fully trained, we ask that newly trained facilitators co-facilitate with one of a pre-set group of experienced facilitators.
Welcome and Opening
Each Community Conversation starts with a welcome and an opening, in which the co-facilitators briefly introduce the general purpose of Community Conversations and the specific topic for discussion. This welcome is brief and can be modified based on the size and makeup of the group. For example, if the group is small, facilitators may ask each member to introduce themselves. When groups are larger, facilitators may ask people to simply say their names and pronouns the first time they speak. If a group has many faculty members relative to the number of students, facilitators may note that participating in a Community Conversation differs from being a professor, who may be inclined to play the role of expert.
Invitations for Engagement
Following the brief opening, facilitators summarize our “invitations for engagement.” Facilitators offer four invitations for engagement, which were modified from those designed by The Program on Intergroup Relations:
- Fully participate and engage: For the conversation to be meaningful, everyone must actively participate and engage with one another. Let us commit to being fully present and attentive, avoiding distractions, and actively contributing to the discussion.
- Listen to understand: To create a safe and respectful space for everyone, we invite all participants to listen attentively and with empathy, aiming to understand rather than simply respond or react. We can learn from each other by actively listening and valuing diverse perspectives.
- Recognize intent and impact: It is important to recognize that while we may intend to communicate in a certain way, the impact of our words and actions may differ from what we intend. Let us be mindful of this distinction and take responsibility for our words and actions, being open to feedback and willing to learn from one another.
- Expect differences and unresolved issues: As a diverse community, it is natural that we may have differing opinions and experiences. Let us embrace this diversity and acknowledge that not all issues can be resolved in a single conversation. Instead, let us see this as an opportunity to learn, grow, and build long-term relationships.
These invitations for engagement may be modified by the group before the introduction of the conversation topic.
Opening the Conversation
Facilitators open the conversation by repeating the topic and noting that there is no set direction for the conversation. Facilitators generally ask participants, “What drew you to this conversation today?” This broad prompt is often enough to get the conversation flowing. However, facilitators prepare some prompts in case conversations lag.
Throughout the conversation, facilitators help participants stay committed to the invitations for engagement. The conversations often address controversial topics about which people feel passionately, and facilitators help participants acknowledge and move through these emotions, attending to equity and nurturing a sense of belonging.
Closing the Conversation
The closing of the conversation is brief, and it can vary depending on the direction of the conversation. Facilitators often provide a summary of the discussion, reflecting on moments of shared insight. They alert people that they should expect to receive a survey about the conversation and thank everyone for their time and commitment to the school community. They may also ask the group whether there is an interest in coming back together to continue the discussion on the topic of that day.
Lessons Learned
We continue to refine and improve the model of our Community Conversations. These are some of the initial challenges we met and some of the lessons we learned while implementing the model:
Importance of Involvement
We learned early on that it is important to involve faculty members, staff, and students. We initially had a high level of student participation and facilitation but actively promoting the program to faculty and staff brought in a wider range of perspectives. This not only produced more dynamic conversations but also ensured sustained interest and consistency over time, given that graduate students are in the program for a limited period.
Leadership
Another key lesson was the importance of creating a small leadership team. Any member of the community can propose a topic for a Community Conversation and the number of facilitators is substantial, but having a small, dedicated team responsible for arranging training, supporting new facilitators, reviewing survey results, assessing interest in conversation topics, and seeking advice on the wording of invitations has helped ensure consistency and ongoing growth of the program.
Time as a Limitation
Time has proven to be a significant challenge in several ways. One-hour sessions, while often sufficient, can leave little room for relationship-building or deep introductions. Finding a time that works for a large segment of our community has also been challenging, though we have found that the lunch hour or the time between afternoon and evening classes often works best. Additionally, many individuals in our community are busy, which has limited their ability to engage as long-term facilitators or to participate as fully as they would like.
Conclusion
Community Conversations strengthen communities in higher education. They offer a unique space for respectful, constructive dialogue that can help repair misunderstandings in an era of divisiveness and impersonal modes of digital interaction. The principles and practices of intergroup dialogue and restorative practices emphasize authentic speaking and listening, creating a nurturing environment where participants feel a sense of belonging. By prioritizing the environment and the needs of all participants, Community Conversations help create a space where people feel heard and valued. The conversations thereby support the development of mutual understanding and trusting relationships among students, faculty members, and staff.
