Training and Supporting Facilitators of Intergroup Dialogue

1. Training and Supporting Facilitators of Intergroup Dialogue A New Frontier in Diversity, Learning, and Leadership for Undergraduate Students The Program on Intergroup Relations University of Michigan

4. What is Intergroup Dialogue? • …a face-to-face meeting between members from two (or more) different social groups that have a history of conflict or potential conflict. The groups are broadly defined by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability, religion, socio-economic class and other social group identities. Participants engage in a semi-structured process to explore commonalities and differences, intergroup conflicts and possibilities for alliance and coalition building for social justice action. The dialogues occur over an extended period of time and are facilitated by trained peers.

5. Intergroup Dialogue Philosophy • Based on social groups with a history of conflict • Target/Agent group status (power & privilege) • Balanced representation of groups • Recognizing conflict as part of the process • Four-Stage Model (time & reflection)

6. Training-Support Sequence • Undergraduate Peer Facilitators • Training and Practicum courses—not the same as intergroup dialogue • Balancing social identity, social justice, and facilitation learning • Experiential, student-centered pedagogy • Recruiting and selecting student facilitators

7. Training Facilitators The Training Course: The goals of this course are to develop students’ knowledge and skills as potential facilitators of intergroup dialogues. As such, the course builds upon, but does not replicate, the principles and content of intergroup dialogues themselves.

8. Training Facilitators Specific Course Goals: • A grounded understanding of intergroup dialogue and dialogic processes • Increased understanding of social justice principles such as social identity, privilege and oppression, power and conflict • Facilitation skills and competencies • Explorations of the roles of social justice education and advocacy.

9. Training FacilitatorsDeveloping - PASK PASSION AWARENESS SKILLS KNOWLEDGE

10. Training Facilitators Stages of Training • Getting to Know One Another. Who Are We and What is Intergroup Dialogue? • Principles of Social Justice Education and Intergroup Dialogues • Practice Facilitating an Intergroup Dialogue on Specific Topics • Teamwork, Alliances and Coalition Building…Dialogue Co-facilitation

11. Training Facilitators Stage 1Getting to Know One Another. Who Are We and What is Intergroup Dialogue? • Social identity explorations • Team building • What does it mean to facilitate intergroup dialogues and social justice education? • What is intergroup dialogue and how is it used as a method of social justice education? • Becoming an intergroup dialogue facilitator.

12. Training FacilitatorsStage 1 (cont.) • Small group dynamics • Feedback • Comfort zones and learning edges • Importance of dissonance • Intergroup communication/interaction and group processes

13. Training Facilitators Stage 2Principles of Social Justice Education and Intergroup Dialogues • Forms of Justice • Power & Oppression • Oppression and privilege • Modern forms of prejudice, discrimination, and -isms • Internalized -isms • Facilitating dialogue • The uses and management of conflict • Co-facilitating intergroup dialogues

14. Training Facilitators Stage 3Practice Facilitating an Intergroup Dialogue on Specific Topics Trainees are required to do 1 out-of-class mock co-facilitation and 1-2 in-class mock co-facilitations and to provide their reflections on process and content Instructors then provide feedback on their facilitation (esp. inquiry, surfacing, conflict, multipartiality, and triggers)

15. Training Facilitators Stage 4Teamwork, Alliances and Coalition Building….Dialogue Co-facilitation • Being an ally • Teamwork, alliances and coalition-building

16. Training FacilitatorsAssessing Facilitator Competency & Readiness Trainees are evaluated by instructors on their readiness as it relates to PASK -We use a Personal Resource Assessment Chart for this purpose

17. Facilitator Support The Practicum Course: • A 3-credit course for trained peer facilitators to help develop and improve their skills as dialogue facilitators • Taken during the semester that they facilitate an intergroup dialogue

18. Facilitator Support Course Goals: • To discuss and prepare facilitators for their role in the dialogue groups • To strengthen students’ own understanding of intergroup relations • To further develop the co-facilitation relationship and experience

19. Facilitator Support • To discuss theory and practice of group observation, conflict intervention, intergroup communication and community building • To continue their own personal growth and development in the areas of social justice education

20. Facilitator Support • Beginning Retreat • Co-facilitation exercises and development • Experiential exercises about the meaning of intergroup dialogue • Experiential exercises or lecturette about how conflict can be a necessary and useful step in building social justice • “Workshop” exercises • Logistical information about running a dialogue

21. Facilitator Support • Coaching groups • Small groups consisting of one coach (instructor) and 4-8 student facilitators • Review weekly dialogue session • Continue facilitation skill-building • Continue social justice skill-building • Prepare for upcoming dialogue session

22. Facilitator Support • Observations • Coaches observe dialogues for content and process issues • Consultations • Meet with co-facilitator pairs for continued support and development • “Closing the Loop”-Meeting with the current training class to share experiences

23. Facilitator Support Practicum Assignments: • Weekly attendance at practicum sessions and intergroup dialogues • Weekly planning and preparation • Weekly dialogue feedback • Occasional journals • Final report about the facilitation experience

24. The Program on Intergroup RelationsUniversity of Michigan Monita C. Thompson, Co-Director Kelly E. Maxwell, Ph.D., Associate Director Contacting us: monitact@umich.edu kmax@umich.edu www.igr.umich.edu