Diversity Circles
Diversity Dialogues overview
Diversity Dialogues are small group dialogues that engage participants in conversation about critical social issues. The goal is to involve everyone in the dialogue to share knowledge and experiences and to build understanding and ultimately create solutions.
There are 4 curricula that have been developed, or are being developed, for use within UW Colleges and Extension. This dialogue model could potentially be used with citizens in our communities throughout the state, on a range of other topics that may be relevant and of interest to local communities.
Diversity Dialogues on Racism include: sharing our own experiences with racism; identifying our ethnic backgrounds; exploring inequalities in our communities; discussing why inequities exist; exploring action steps that can be taken.
Diversity Dialogues on Poverty include: discovering how poverty affects our communities; exploring what poverty looks like in our communities; examining why poverty exists; discussing ways to reduce poverty; exploring action steps that can be taken.
Diversity Dialogues on Sexual Orientation: Curriculum being developed — details to be posted soon!
Diversity Dialogues on Gender and Women’s Issues: Curriculum being developed.
Current Opportunities
With funding from the Program Innovation Grant, 24 facilitators will be trained by Spring 2009. The trainees in turn will plan, organize, and facilitate 48 Diversity Dialogue groups that will take place in various communities around the state, and in any or all of the above 4 subject areas.
We still have a few openings for a 2-day facilitator training scheduled for February 26 – 27. There is no cost for the training and travel expenses will be reimbursed. For more information and to register, please contact Cathy Debevec at cathy.debevec@uwex.edu or 608-262-0277. A final facilitator training may occur in April, possibly in a central part of the state.
For More Information
Roseann Mason of UW-Parkside’s Center for Community Partnerships has facilitated Diversity Dialogues since 1999 and has been instrumental in developing the Institution-wide Diversity Dialogues program for UW Colleges and Extension and training the facilitators. For more information about the content of the facilitator training and about the Diversity Dialogues in general, contact Roseann Mason at roseann.mason@uwp.edu, or 262-595-2606.
Everyday Democracy is the national umbrella organization for Diversity Dialogues and an excellent source of information and inspiration.
Comments from Past Participants
“Invaluable...you’ve somehow managed to provide a safe, welcoming and respectful environment for participants to contribute. Thank you for offering this very important opportunity for personal and professional growth.”
“I was in the poverty study circle and found it very interesting. As I said in our group at the beginning, ‘poverty has no race or color, and it can happen to anyone at any time.’”
“The dialogue on racism was a good ‘next step’ after the 2-day Multicultural Awareness Workshop. Thanks to the high degree of trust that has developed between participants I was able to reach some much deeper understandings and insights into some of the issues and concepts that I’ve grappled with in the past.”
“With the expertise of the facilitators, backed by the study circle resources on poverty, I gained both facilitation ideas and facts that I can put into action in my communities to tackle poverty issues. When you’re with the group you will ‘stretch your mind’ and the process will force you to make time to think about all the information and ideas that are freely shared.”