Got a problem? Everyday Democracy
believes that talking is the best way to solve it — as long as you're
talking to people who see and do things differently than you do.
Formerly known as the Study Circles Resource Center, Everyday Democracy
is a national organization committed to what they call "helping local
communities find ways for all kinds of people to think, talk and work
together to solve problems."

The nonprofit has sparked powerful
conversations in more than 550 communities across the United States, so
odds are there's a study circle going on near you. And if there isn't,
executive director Carolyne Miller Abdullah has some hints on how you can start one.

What is a dialogue circle (sometimes called a study circle)?

Our
approach to community change puts small-group, facilitated dialogue at
the center of a larger effort that includes organizing and action. In
this approach, strategic organizing brings many small groups of eight
to 12 people into meetings during the same time frame, and participants
come together at the end to prioritize action ideas, plan their
implementation, and follow through to make sure plans happen.

Dialogues
that lead to change bring different kinds of people together around a
public concern, and create a space that enables constructive,
respectful conversation. They meet over time, so people develop trust
and relationships, as well as a shared understanding of the issue under
discussion.

Trained facilitators guide and manage the discussion
and make room for all voices. They rely on ground rules, created by the
group, to help make the conversation work for everyone.

The
dialogues use discussion materials that set up a framework for the
conversation. People begin with personal stories, then move on to a
discussion of the issue, including data or other relevant factual
material. Participants examine the issue from many points of view,
consider many possible approaches, and ultimately, develop ideas for
action and change.

What are some of the issues where it's essential for a nonprofit to establish meaningful dialogue?

We
have a vision of democracy where communities work better for everyone –
where having a voice in the community is as important as voting.
Nonprofits don't do this work alone, but work with people in the public
and private sectors in meaningful dialogue that leads to action and
sustained community change. In this kind of democracy:

<blockquote>• everyone's voice has an opportunity to be heard, equally and respectfully;

• people of different backgrounds and views routinely work together to solve public problems;

• elected officials have many opportunities to hear from and respond to everyday people;

•
people have ways not only to inform government officials as they create
and carry out public policy, but also to work with officeholders to
solve public problems.</blockquote>
Not all issues lend themselves
to large-scale dialogue and problem solving. Issues that work best for
this approach relate to the concerns and daily lives of many different
types of people – that is, they are genuinely public issues, capture
widespread public attention because they are timely, and are best
addressed by many people through multiple forms of social, political,
and policy change.

Racism is one issue that's essential to
address. Racism is rooted in our country's history and is embedded in
our culture. It's still one of the greatest barriers to solving all
kinds of public problems and to fulfilling the promise of our
democracy. Because of this, we have seen that change-oriented community
dialogue that includes attention to racism and diversity helps people
make progress whatever issue they're working on.

What's the first step in getting people talking to each other?

No
single organization or person can create effective dialogue and change
initiatives without help. To ensure diverse, large-scale participation,
the program organizing must be driven by a group of community leaders
and organizations who mirror the diversity of the whole community.

Even the most extensive programs begin with small steps.

Build
an initial diverse working group, and hold a pilot dialogue circle.
Make a list of 10 to 15 people who would agree that the issue you are
working on is an important one facing the community. In this list,
include people from diverse backgrounds, and people with different
views about the issue. Make personal invitations to the people on your
list. Invite them to try out one or two dialogues. Find someone who can
serve as a neutral facilitator. This pilot dialogue will acquaint you
with the process, help you examine the issue in a facilitated setting,
and strengthen the relationships among key people. After this, you will
have a much better sense of the potential for change if dialogues like
this were happening all across the community.

Talk about what
this initiative could accomplish for your community. At the end of the
pilot dialogue, talk about the process, and about the potential for an
inclusive, community-wide program. As a group, share your ideas about
why it is important to engage the whole community in addressing the
issue you've been talking about in this dialogue. It's important for
those of you who are interested in carrying forward the idea of a
dialogue-to change-program to discuss what the broad goals would be.

What are some of the most common barriers to communication?

Most
people care about their communities and want to make a difference. Many
want the chance to work with others in productive ways. Yet, they often
have difficulty knowing where to begin and how to make progress. Often,
when people try to work together on a public problem, communication and
trust break down between people and groups from different backgrounds
and sectors. People have different perspectives and experiences, and so
they see the issues differently. The solutions that make sense for one
person or group may not meet the needs of others. And, there are
usually lots of people on the sidelines, not invited into problem
solving or not knowing how to take part.

These breakdowns in communication can be headed off with inclusive
organizing from the beginning that brings in traditional and
non-traditional leaders who have influence in diverse networks. By
promoting racial diversity in outreach, and creating specific messages
to targeted audiences so that all kinds of people know their voices
will be heard and their values considered, barriers to communication
can be reduced.

How can you keep a dialogue going over a
long period of time? In other words, how do you keep people talking to
each other after a round of dialogues has ended?

Link the
dialogue to change so people know their voices make a difference. Give
them ways to help make the change happen. But first, have a
conversation about how change occurs in your community. Understanding
how change occurs in your community is critical to moving from dialogue
to action. Ideas for change often stall because people haven't given
enough thought to questions of what meaningful change looks like, and
how to achieve it.

A large, diverse dialogue-to-change
initiative will result in many different kinds of change, happening at
all levels in the community. For individuals, ideas for change start
through the dialogue process. Collective action and change often begin
after the round of dialogues, when participants pool their action
ideas. Ideas for collective change require additional oversight and
resources.

Planning to support action starts at the beginning of
a program. Ask yourselves: Does the coalition have the right diversity
of people and skills to help move from dialogue to action? Who else is
needed in the action phase of the process? Decide how much support you
can provide for action initiatives. With members of the coalition, talk
about what will happen when the dialogues conclude. Consider helping
set up task forces, overseeing task forces, writing a report, or
linking participants to other related initiatives in the community.