Intentional Communities Newsletter: May 1, 2010

Promoting Community Living & Cooperative Lifestyles
Communities magazine, Directory, Video and more

Group process is something that almost every community struggles with at one time or another, but help is available.

The Fellowhship maintains a list of people who offer group process consultation at our Process Consultant Clearinghouse.
Living together and dealing with each other every day provides quite a crucible for both personal and community growth. Many people living in community have been called to develop deep skill and gifts in the arena of communication and group process.

If your community or organization needs help with a challenging topic or is looking to enhance their group skills you may want to invite an outside facilitator or instructor to help.

On our Process Consultant Clearinghouse, anyone teaching or supporting group skills for communities is invited to list a short description of their services along with contact information. The listings are organized geographically, so that groups can find facilitators and process teachers in their home regions.

Given the wide variety in style, approach, and needs, the FIC does not certify or recommend particular facilitators; rather, we suggest that communities thoroughly interview potential consultants to see if they are the right fit, and consider talking with others they have worked with in the past as well.

To get the most from an outside facilitator, get as clear as you can on what you really want from them—facilitators love working with groups that have a clear goal. Also think ahead about follow-up. While information can be transmitted and some skills learned in one weekend, or perhaps a breakthrough on a particular stuck issue, to make a sustained improvement work will be required afterward to practice the skills or see the issue through.

The facilitators who find work through this service have agreed to donate 5% of their fee to FIC, so using the clearinghouse is also a way to support the Fellowship financially. (Please remember to tell both the facilitators and us when you find them through these listings, so that both parties can follow up on that, otherwise we'll never know—thanks.) If your community has received solid outside support from someone who isn't yet on our webpage, please drop us or them a note so we can connect up! We want these listings to be as complete as possible for everyone's benefit.

The FIC encourages groups to find support and training in learning the skills necessary for successful cooperation and community living. Please check out our Process Consultant Clearinghouse today.