Good facilitation can help make interfaith meetings more welcoming and participative. Below are some suggestions for things to think about.
Ground rules
Depending on the group and the nature of the conversation you may wish to spend five or ten minutes inviting the group to suggest ground rules for dialogue. Some common ground rules include: confidentiality, not interrupting, respect, sharing the airtime, starting and finishing on time, making ‘I’ statements rather than generalisations.
Space to connect
If your aim is to build relationships, creating an environment where participants have as much opportunity as possible to connect with each other is very important. This might involve creating space for discussions in small groups or pairs, designing the meeting so there is some informal social time at the beginning or in the middle (rather than at the end when you might lose people), creating appropriate ice-breakers, or offering food and refreshments.
Framing your meeting
Introducing the meeting effectively can help set the scene for what is to come. As well as welcoming people and describing the purpose, agenda and format of the meeting, the facilitator can use the opening talk to help create safe space and to invite a deeper level of participation. This can be done in a number of ways, for example, by pointing out some of the diversity in the space that might not be immediately visible, by naming the ‘hot spots’ or sensitive issues (and thus demonstrating it is safe to talk about them), by being transparent about different agendas, or by specifically inviting contributions from everyone.
Etiquette
An understanding of the customs of different faith groups is useful. This could include awareness of prayer times and festival dates, dietary needs, gender issues, body language, and customs such as removing shoes (or preferring not to remove shoes). However, an attitude of openness and respect, and a willingness to refrain from taking offence when unexpected differences emerge, is more important than to know the details of every custom and preference.
Power-sharing
It is easy for those who belong to advantaged sections of society or the majority faith or culture to underestimate the sense of personal and social power they enjoy. Race, gender, language ability, education, age, physical ability or religious authority, will all influence individuals sense of empowerment and exert an effect on the group dynamics. Awareness is the first step in creating a more equitable environment that will allow everyone to speak and be heard.
Boundaries
Creating and maintaining appropriate boundaries is an important aspect of safe space. What is appropriate will vary depending on the nature of the meeting, but could involve, setting ground rules, starting and finishing on time, being clear about any financial input required, deciding how to respond to disrespectful or inappropriate behaviour, and having a policy about open or closed meetings, latecomers etc.
Creating and maintaining appropriate boundaries is an important aspect of safe space. What is appropriate will vary depending on the nature of the meeting, but could involve, setting ground rules, starting and finishing on time, being clear about any financial input required, deciding how to respond to disrespectful or inappropriate behaviour, and having a policy about open or closed meetings, latecomers etc.
Being a ‘non-anxious presence’
As facilitator, one of the most useful things you can do is to be a non-anxious presence, modelling that you are comfortable with all the various perspectives and opinions expressed, and that you are willing and able to sit with tensions and differences as they arise.
Collaboration
Interfaith activities that are planned, developed and delivered as a shared venture with other faith groups are more effective than events where a single faith group invites others in to their space to participate in their ideas. There is nothing wrong with the latter approach in some situations, but working collaboratively models the relationship building that the activities aim to achieve and is more likely to attract a diverse group and create lasting results.
Safety
When we feel a sense of safety within a group, we are more likely to contribute our own views and to be authentic. Safety is about creating a space where participants feel respected, connected to others, that their contributions will be valued, and that they can speak honestly and directly about sensitive issues. Safety can be created through some or all of the suggestions above. For more suggestions on creating safe space click HERE
This is an extract from: The Spectrum - A guide to building inter-religious relationships.
3 comments:
What are your tips for creating a safe space?
Hi, I use the following groundrules at work. The most important is that groudrules tend to be very short and reading them and the five mindfullness trainings at the beginning of each session gives us all an opportunity to settle down and remember the values we need to use during a session. I think it is important to settle a group in that way especially if its new and trying to establish itself. People are aware that the mindfullness training are from a particular tradition but have found them useful: It holds up a picture of ideal behaviour.
Ground rules
• We bring our hearts to the meeting.
• We need to ensure it is a safe environment in which we can all feel comfortable in exploring.
• Respect each other and each others’ views.
o That is value each other’s opinion even if you disagree.
o Do not be critical of your self or others.
o We can say anything as long as it is from a position of respect.
o We need to give each other space to think and speak
o We need to respect and accept where each person is on their spiritual journey.
o When someone is praying or sharing something spiritual we must respect them by remaining quite and sharing the moment.
• Any judgements must only be made of abstract concepts and not individuals. That is we need to respect each others’ journey whilst being able to exercise judgements regarding ideas and facts
• We need to be prepared to clarify and explain.
• Confidentiality is very important.
Five Mindfulness Training
The First Training:
Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking and in my way of life.
The Second Training: Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing and oppression, I vow to cultivate loving kindness and learn ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants and minerals. I vow to practice generosity by sharing my time, energy, and material resources with those in real need. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others. I will respect the property of others, but I will prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on earth.
The Third Training: Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I vow to cultivate responsibility and learn ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families and society. I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without love and a long-term commitment. To preserve the happiness of myself and others, I am determined to respect my commitments and the commitments of others. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct.
The Fourth Training: Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I vow to cultivate loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of suffering. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I vow to learn to speak truthfully, with words that inspire self-confidence, joy and hope. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to criticize or condemn things of which I am not sure. I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord; or words that can cause the family or the community to break. I will make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.
The Fifth Training: Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I vow to cultivate good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking and consuming. I vow to ingest only items that preserve peace, well being, and joy in my body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant or to ingest foods or other items that contain toxins, such as certain TV programs, magazines, books, films and conversations. I am aware that to damage my body and my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, anger and confusion in myself and in society by practicing a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self transformation and the transformation of society.
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