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Opening

Ground Rules

Roles

It (The Agenda)

Evaluation

Closing

The Opening

The Opening is a means of bringing us all together. Openings have been as creative and varied as each woman has brought her own unique reflections to share. Sometimes as an Opening we have remembered women we wanted to bring into our circle with us; other times, women shared writings; sometimes we reflected on where we were right now on our journey.

Openings have been a way for us to become focused, to be together as we do the work we need for that time.

Our Learnings Openings can be spontaneous or planned. We, as women, often need to take time to breathe, reflect, listen, and share. Openings help us to build a community spirit.

Ground Rules

Whenever we gather in a circle to be with one another, we try to create a safe place. Helpful to this is how we are with one another. Ground Rules lay the foundation for how we agree to be with one another in a creative safe space. In our Recipe, Ground Rules are the first exercise. It helps to create a nurturing and nestling environment. At the In Praise events we’ve begun with a suggested list of Ground Rules. Each Home Circle is encouraged to add (at any time) others to the list.

Suggested Ground Rules

Listen to one another

Cooperate with the facilitator

Listen to the silences of women

Let each other speak

Make no judgments

Maintain confidentiality

Feel safe to challenge

Don’t interrupt

No put-downs!

Care for the space

Feel free to take care of yourself

Make a commitment to the whole

No unhealthy competition

Get clarification when needed

Leave space for everbody

(add your own)

Our Learnings Although they may seem mundane, creating Ground Rules with one another is an important step to creating safety. Ground Rules are sometimes like snowflakes: unique to each group. Ground Rules can be added to at anytime and are helpful to facilitators who can gently remind us of what we have already agreed to.

Roles

Years of struggle and experiences brought us to the necessity of certain roles in our Recipe. These roles are Facilitator, Timekeeper, Process Watcher, Recorder and Reporter.

The facilitator assists the group to complete their assigned tasks in the following ways:

• Act as a convener (gathering the group together).

• Review the tasks of the group and ask for participation in the discussion or activity.

• Keep the discussions on track.

• Monitor participation and non-participation (gently encourage non-participants to join in gently challenge over participator to make room for other voices.)

• Remind group of ground rules when appropriate.

• Insure that other group roles have been established such as timekeeper, reporter, recorder and process watcher.

• Deal with conflict that might hinder group process or block consensus.

Mild conflicts can usually be worked out. Use your best judgment as to the group’s ability to solve the conflict or whether the issues of conflict need to be tabled for further discussion (if desired) when more time is available.

The Facilitator should remain flexible and use her best judgment as to when the process should be stopped or altered to fit the needs of the group.

The Facilitator may join the discussion of the group but needs to inform the group that she is leaving the role temporarily; and then be mindful not to dominate the discussion.

Remember, people have the right to pass. Encourage people to participate but don’t insist.

Our Learnings Facilitators are helpful for presenting different sections of the meeting. Co-Facilitators work better sometimes in Home Circles. Facilitators need lots of support and hugs.

The role of the Timekeeper is to:

• Be aware of how much time has been allotted for the discussion or the process.

• Help the facilitator to begin and end on time.

• Periodically remind the group of how much time has lapsed and/or how much time is left so they can monitor their discussion or activit6y and make necessary changes when needed.

The role of the Reporter is to report back to the larger group the thinking of a smaller group. Reporters should:

• Go over the notes or newsprint to be sure they are familiar with the material to presented;

• Present the report to the larger group.

• At the end of the report, check back with the smaller group to make certain it was complete and accurate.

Our Learnings Timekeeper is a good role for a woman taking her first risk at a gathering. Timekeeper plays a vital role that is critical to the success of the group’s process. Reporter can be another “stepping out” role for a woman new to the process. Reporters are reporting from the group, so the group needs to support the reporter as questions are asked of the report.

The role of Recorder is to write down the main ideas of the group including

• Recommendations,

• Questions,

• Consensus statements.

The Recorder may or may not act as a reporter for the group.

Recorders should check with the group for accuracy of their recording to insure that it is reflective of group process.

The Recorder should be mindful not to interpret other people’s works. If you change words, check with the person talking. When in doubt, ask for clarification.

The role of Process Watcher is to

• Assist the group in monitoring participation,

• Pay close attention to the process,

• Help insure inclusiveness,

• Be watchful of negative feelings, body language, etc.

• Be sensitive to both those voices that are not being heard and that need an open door to speak.

A Process Watcher needs to be mindful of the process. If the process is clearly not moving a group towards its goal, then the Process Watcher should raise questions that might move the group towards these goals. Be careful to give the process enough time to become effective.

Our Learnings Asking the same person to act as Recorder (or minute taker) over and over again is disempowering. Parceling out different sections can be a way to allow fuller participation of the Recorder in the group process. Recorders may need to interpret for clarification or help the group to slow down. Process watching takes time to learn and not everyone is comfortable with this role. Process Watchers sometimes need a good sense of humor and a loud whistle. Talking over each other makes everyone’s task harder. So, please, one at a time.

It,The Agenda

The agenda of a meeting and gathering is the heart. It is where our work together gets done. Ownership of the Agenda is key to getting that work done. When possible, the group should help create the Agenda. Always go over the Agenda and ask if the group agrees to it, allowing for adjustments when feasible.

In a smaller setting ask women to volunteer to be responsible for parts of the Agenda. Encourage women who have not yet found their voice to be timekeepers.

Offer the choice of co-facilitators, recorders and process watchers. Share the work, making sure as many women as possible step out and into a leadership role during the agenda. Check in at times to make sure everyone is comfortable and feels safe. Listen to women’s silences.

Our Learnings Be sure and build in breaks!  We as women exhaust ourselves.  At the Gathering we build in at least two hours of free time.  Pay attention to the need for an unscheduled break. Have a "Corner Cabinet" for items that up that either aren't on the agenda or as a means to shoulder items that come out of the blue.  Always ask "Is this an item we need to talk about at another time?"  Revisit the Corner Cabinet" before the meeting ends to affirm the items there and to relegate them to a place in the agenda for the next meeting. Finally we have learned the importance of affirming every woman's participation not only in the roles she played but also in her presence in the circle.

The Evaluation

The evaluation is as important, if not more so, as any part of our Recipe. At the Gathering we offer an ongoing Evaluation that the facilitator goes over after each section. We have also built it into Sunday morning’s section. An oral Evaluation takes place with a recorder for first step women who may feel intimidated (for whatever reason) by the written evaluation. Usually two questions are asked at the oral evaluation. These are:

1. What did you like about…..? And

2. How could we have improved on this?

Evaluation is important for continuing the work we do as Mountain Women. It has not been our experience to be asked how we felt about an experience in a context of creativity and being with each other. It feels empowering to reflect, speak and to know you are being heard. It is also important to take that information and build on it for future meetings.

Our Learnings “In Praise of Mountain Women” focuses on the Evaluations at the first Roundtable meeting to plan our next Gathering. We leave space for additional comment on the Evaluation form. We have found that by including the Evaluation as part of the Sunday morning section that we have 80% and more return of Evaluation forms. Usually we have women to collect them as we go out the door for our Sunday morning Processional. It works!

The Closing

At the Gathering we have been with each other for three days. If we have created a safe place women have had a chance to be with other women for sharing, laughing, dancing, learning and teaching. We will have shared our tears, hugs, hearts and souls, raised our voice (some for the first time), gotten serious and silly and been free to be. And now it is time to go home. It is a time of departing this circle of women.

The women who have been responsible for Sunday’s section create the Closing. They begin on Friday by getting volunteers to help with the Closing. It has always been creative, includes a huge circle of all women and has movement, rhythm, song and music. Our Closings include a thanking of the nature around us. It is a Celebration. Often this is the place that women who have not taken other roles have a chance to create and shine.

Our Learnings It is important to bring closure to our time together.  At the Gathering we take home something from the Gathering as a reminder --- seeds, parts of our home circles, words of hope on paper --- something we can touch t ohelp us remember.  In smaller meetings we have found that closings are equally as important.  it brings a feeling of completeness to our time together.  These closings are usually short and we have been wonderfully surprised at the creative Closings.

Copyright 2001 Our Book by the Roundtable of In Praise of Mountain Women.