The following workshop blueprint is:
- Simple and easy to implement, even online.
- Works without modification for groups of 6–24 people
(adaptations are needed for plenary sharing with more than 24 participants). - Flexible and variable to fit the needs and style of the team.
- Can be done as a full workshop or using just one or two elements.
On top of that, it is Solution Focused: it brings existing resources, capabilities, and the good intentions into the spotlight, and helps them grow further — in an appreciative, energizing atmosphere.
Why community „caring”?
According to our Solution Focused assumptions, our clients (individuals, teams, communities, etc.) already have the resources they need to reach their preferred futures. What is more: they are constantly developing and changing.
The coach or helping professional is only a witness on the journey: we accompany our clients along a part of their path toward the change they desire.
I think this term (“community caring”) fits this perspective better than…
Community BUILDING – which sounds like hard, heavy work where we might need to carry difficult things and everything always takes longer than planned. And a building doesn’t simply grow by itself organically, while a community or a team totally does.
Community DEVELOPMENT – which suggests rolling up our sleeves to actively fix or improve something. Maybe we already have enough things in our lives that we are consciously trying to “develop.”
A community, however, is something special: it grows on its own, without intervention, thanks to the great people within it.
Like a plant that grows by itself. It shouldn’t be pulled.
But we can look at it and appreciate how much it has grown, how beautiful it is! Sometimes we can water it, add a bit of soil: create good conditions, tend to it well — CARE for it.
Methodological background
One of the core principles of the Solution Focused approach is:
“If something you are doing works, do more of it!” — Steve de Shazer
Throughout the workshop, participants talk in an appreciative, affirming tone about what one person or several people, or even everyone in the community is doing well.
This inspires them to learn useful behaviours from themselves and each other and continue them with more confidence.
Doing more useful things lead to strengthening, growth, lightness — which means there is not necessarily a need to talk about what they want to do differently afterwards. I am not against focusing on doing things differently, but community growth and change can totally happen also by lightheartedly exploring desirable behaviours.