Education Events in Melbourne

Experience a respectful way to meet and talk about big, current questions that affect our communities and way of life. There are so many challenging topics. And often, when people start talking about them, positions harden. Conversations get bogged down in different viewpoints; that is if they don’t escalate and get acrimonious. In the words of Rosemarie Milsom, it feels like “The world around us has become so divided that it makes the concept of sitting together in a room and respectfully listening to different people’s perspectives a radical concept, and that is sad.” Are you unhappy with the status quo? Would you like things to be different? Are you wondering what you might be able to do within your sphere of influence? Following the Bondi Beach attack, a colleague and I wondered what we might do to bridge some of the emerging divisions in Australia. Drawing on a combined 80 years' consulting and facilitation experience, we decided to take proven processes from the business sector to the community, so that diverse groups of people can “sit together in a room” and effectively think about challenging topics. What is different about “Community Conversations 101”? The starting point is the insight that when people meet, everyone’s sphere of influence includes how people treat each other. When everyone’s human dignity and experience is respected, the quality of interaction – and the quality of thinking – improves. An agreed set of ground rules creates space for meeting and for exploring different perspectives. The first three agreements are: Giving each speaker full attention No interruptions Taking equal turns to speak The purpose is not to “win”, but to “understand” and “experience”. What have participants in previous Community Conversations said? “Your voice will be heard.” “Safety to express your views and be heard” “Made to feel welcome.” “An effective way of sharing and hearing different ideas and perspectives on a topic.” Curious? Join us for a facilitated Community Conversation and experience: How a respectful conversation about a challenging topic can look and feel. A process you can adapt to make meaningful conversation possible in any context – with family, friends, colleagues, neighbours, community. What you can expect? small group Afternoon tea guided through a facilitated Community Conversation process powerful experience and helpful tools How much is it? It’s free Help with costs Powered by Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity