Workshop: Imagine a better community

Worshops for Community Leaders
IMAGINE A BETTER COMMUNITY

PURPOSE: To think about what a better community might be, "to develop community among ourselves while doing such thinking, to think about concrete steps that might lead to such a community, to strengthen in us the ability to take such steps.

MATERIALS: Newsprint, magie markers, and work space for groups.

TIME REQUIRED: 30 minutes

PROCEDURE: Divide the participants into groups of five or six (preferably with a facilitator for each group). Ask the groups to sit together and let ideas come into their heads about what would be an ideal community; how it would handle work, food, crime, children, transportation, etc. Ask them to talk a little about this in their groups, and then to draw such a community. Have each group share in the larger group what it' s community is like. Then ask them to sit in a re!axed way. Ask them to visualize themselves living in their community. Now ask them what steps would be needed to get from the lives and communities they now have to the better community. They should be as concrete as possible about a few of these steps. Then say: "It takes courage to take such steps. Can you pick out one or two such steps that you couid really take that would help lead to that better community? Visualize yourself taking such steps. Contract with yourself: you really will take those steps. Give yourself a time limit to accomplish.one step, do it, then do the next one.

FACILITATOR'S NOTES: (Make any additional notes here of your experiences with this activity).