building strong neighborhoods for families with …...the study circles resource center developed...

A guide for public dialogue and problem solving

Building Strong Neighborhoods

for Families with Children

Study Circles Resource Center

A project of the Topsfield Foundation, Inc.

Building Strong Neighborhoods

for Families with Children

The Study Circles Resource Center developed Building Strong Neighborhoods for Families withChildren in collaboration with the Annie E. Casey Foundation as part of the Making Connections project.Making Connections is the centerpiece of the Casey Foundation’s multifaceted effort to improve the lifechances of vulnerable children by helping to strengthen their families and neighborhoods. MakingConnections is under way in 22 cities where the Foundation and a broad array of local stakeholders areworking to build support and momentum around the proposition that children do better when theirfamilies are strong, and families do better when they live in strong neighborhoods.

This guide can be used alone or in conjunction with Building Strong Neighborhoods, a guide alsoavailable from SCRC.

SCRC is a project of the Topsfield Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit, nonpartisan foundation dedicated toadvancing deliberative democracy and improving the quality of public life in the United States. SCRCcarries out this mission by helping communities organize study circles - small-group, democratic, face-to-face discussions that give everyday people opportunities to make a difference in their communities.

Study circle organizers bring large numbers of people into these small-group discussions on the sameissue at the same time. These study circle programs lead to a wide range of action efforts.

We would like to help you organize study circles throughout your neighborhood. SCRC offers assistance,free of charge, to organizers of large-scale study circle programs. SCRC can provide more detailed adviceon organizing and facilitating study circles, more copies of this guide, or copies of study circle guides onother issues (including race, crime and violence, education, growth and urban sprawl, immigration,diversity, neighborhood, and youth issues). Please contact us: SCRC, P.O. Box 203, Pomfret, CT 06258.Phone: 860-928-2616. Fax: 860-928-3713. E-mail: [email protected]. Visit our web site at:www.studycircles.org.

This guide was produced by the Study Circles Resource Center with funding from the Annie E. CaseyFoundation, 701 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. Phone: 410-547-6600. Fax: 410-547-6624.Web site: www.aecf.org. The Annie E. Casey Foundation is a private, charitable organization dedicatedto helping build better futures for disadvantaged children in the United States.

Writer: Karen Derrick-Davis

Concept advisors: Carolyne Abdullah, Sarah vL. Campbell, Matt Leighninger, Martha L. McCoy, Patrick Scully

Editorial assistant: Molly Holme Barrett

Editorial assistance: Michele Archie and Howard D Terry (Harbinger Institute), Phil Rose

Research assistance: Reem Ghandour

Layout and design: M & M Design

Managing editor and project director: Amy Malick

© 2000 Topsfield Foundation, Inc.

Printed in the United States on recycled paper using vegetable- based ink

S T U D Y C I R C L E S R E S O U R C E C E N T E R

Introduction

Moving from talk to action.................................................................................................................... 3

What’s in this discussion guide? .......................................................................................................... 3

What is a study circle? .......................................................................................................................... 4

Making the most of your study circle .................................................................................................. 5

Discussion Materials

Session 1 What is our neighborhood like for children and their families? ................................... 6

Session 2 What do families face in our neighborhood? .................................................................. 8

Session 3 How can we make our neighborhood a better place for families with children? ..... 11

Session 4 Making a difference: What can we do? .......................................................................... 18

Tips for Study Circle Facilitators .................................................................................. 26

How to Organize Study Circles in Your Neighborhood ..................................................... 31

Keys to Organizing Study Circles on Families and Children ................................... 34

Resources for Further Action and Discussion ........................................................... 36

Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................. 42

Table of ContentsBuilding Strong Neighborhoodsfor Families with Children

The languages portrayed on the cover represent a few of the many languages spoken by people in neighborhoods using this guide.

W

Introduction

2S T U D Y C I R C L E S R E S O U R C E C E N T E R

hat is it like to live in your neighborhood?

♦ Do you cross the street when you see agroup of young people headed your way?

♦ Does the sight of children playing inthe park bring a spark of happiness toyour day?

♦ Do you wonder if the children you seeare being well fed? Educated?

♦ Do you know the children in yourneighborhood?

♦ Do they remind you of the joy in life?

♦ Do they make you wonder about thefuture?

It’s good to think about how it is for youngpeople and families who live here. Children arethe future of our neighborhoods. When theygrow up, they will be neighbors. They will havejobs, and be leaders, artists, teachers, andbusiness owners. They will give us their vision,leadership, and role modeling. Young peopleare part of your neighborhood today, too.Whether or not children live in your home, youknow they have a big effect on your community.

Today, families face some hard problems:

♦ There are more and more single-parenthomes.

♦ In two-parent homes, both parents workfull time or even more.

♦ Families don’t have much money.

♦ There is a lack of good child care, andrelatives are not often around to help out.

♦ People are unclear about what they wanttaught in school.

♦ Parents can’t help out in school when theywork all the time.

♦ Parents are scared about guns, drugsand crime.

♦ Parents can’t always control the TV,movies, music or the Internet that theirchildren are exposed to.

The good news is that more and moreneighborhoods are trying new ways to supportfamilies. Neighbors are helping each other.People are relating better with schools, police,and other agencies. People from faith groups,businesses and government are workingtogether. In many neighborhoods, people aretalking and planning together.

Still, when people meet to talk about helpingfamilies, it’s mostly parents who show up.Parents can do a lot. But to make lastingchanges for the better, neighborhoods needeveryone’s ideas, work, and talent. Study circlesare one way to get all segments of the neigh-borhood involved.

Study circle programs bring all kinds ofpeople together to share different views andexperiences. In the process, people begin tobuild stronger relationships and work togetherto find solutions. We believe this is necessaryfor any long-term change to occur.


Introduction

Moving from talk to action

Often, organizers see a problem, offera solution, and get folks to take some kindof action. Study circles are different. Studycircles present an issue and help people talkabout it and come to their own conclusions.Study circles move people from talk to action.How?

♦ By building understanding among peopleof different backgrounds and opinions.

♦ By giving people a chance to look at arange of views and ideas.

♦ By giving people of the community a way tobuild new and different relationships witheach other and with organizations.

♦ By creating better ways for people torelate with police, teachers, electedofficials, and social workers.

♦ By helping people take “ownership”of the problems, and the solutions.

What’s in this discussion guide?

Session 1: What is our neighborhood likefor children and their families?Get to know other group members, talk aboutour experiences and ideas about neighbor-hoods and families, and listen to each other’sperspectives.

Session 2: What do families face in ourneighborhood?Explore different views about the challengespeople in our neighborhood face.

Session 3: How can we make our neigh-borhood a better place for families withchildren?Discuss our neighborhood’s strengths, andtalk about some different ways to approachthe challenges we face.

Session 4: Making a difference:What can we do?Look at specific ways to make a difference inour neighborhood.

Introduction

S T U D Y C I R C L E S R E S O U R C E C E N T E R4

What is a neighborhood-wide study circle program?

It’s when people all over the neighborhoodmeet in study circles – small, diverse groups –over the same period of time. All the studycircles work on the same issue, and seeksolutions for the whole neighborhood.

Study circle programs need the support ofkey groups and leaders in town. They caninclude hundreds of people. Study circles canbe used to talk about many issues, such asfamilies, race, schools, crime, violence,neighborhoods, growth and development,and education.

As a result, people from many backgroundsform new networks in order to work together.They see common ground and want to takeaction for themselves, in small groups, asvoters, or as part of a larger effort.

What is a study circle?

A study circle is a group of about 12 peoplefrom different backgrounds and viewpointswho meet several times to talk about an issue.In a study circle, everyone has an equal voice,and people try to understand each other’sviews. They do not have to agree with eachother. The idea is to share concerns and lookfor ways to make things better.

A facilitator helps the group focus ondifferent views and makes sure the discus-sion goes well. This person is not an expert onthe issue.


Introduction

Making the most of your study circle

How people talk to each other is as impor-tant as what they talk about. Here are sometips on how to make it go well.

♦ Attend every session. Have peoplecommit to come. This builds trust andfriendship. People will talk more deeplyabout how they think and feel.

♦ Be prepared. Get familiar with thematerials. Look over the study guide’squestions, viewpoints and ideas. Theguide will help you expand your ownthinking.

♦ Take charge of the discussion. Thefacilitator keeps the discussion movingand on track. “Facilitate” means to “makeeasy.” Everyone can do this. Learn to setground rules and help people stickto them.

♦ You are not alone. If your study circle ispart of a larger community-wide program,others will be talking about this issue. Hereare some ideas to make it successful:

♦ Have a kick-off session with all thegroups.

♦ Meet with public officials.

♦ Have several groups meet with eachother during the process.

♦ Have a wrap-up “action” session with allthe groups.

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FACILITATOR TIPSFOR SESSION 1:

♦ Divide the session intofour parts. Use theamount of timesuggested for eachas a guide.

♦ Welcome everyone andexplain your role as aneutral facilitator.

♦ Explain a little bit aboutthe study circle programin your neighborhood.How did it come about?Who are the sponsors?How many other studycircles are meeting?

♦ Make everyone feelwelcome. Be sure eachperson has a chance tospeak and to hear theother group members.

♦ Ask someone to takenotes.

♦ Print the notes on largesheets of paper so thateveryone can read them.

♦ Save the notes so thatyou can refer to them inlater sessions.

Session 1 What Is Our Neighborhood Like for Children andTheir Families?

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y coming to this study circle, we show thatwe care about children. We also care aboutfamilies and the future of our neighborhood.Each of us has something important to offer.We all want to make our neighborhood abetter place in which to live.

Today, as we get to know each other, wewill share some of our hopes and concerns.We will say what we think makes a neighbor-hood a good place for families and children.Sharing our own stories and ideas will beginthe study circle.

Part 1: Introductions

(30 minutes)

♦ Tell us your name and a little bit about thefamily you grew up in.

♦ The facilitator will help us set ground ruleson how to run the group. Here is a list tohelp us get started. Feel free to add yourideas and make your own list.

Sample Ground Rules

♦ Everyone gets a fair hearing.

♦ Share “air time.”

♦ One person speaks at a time.Don’t interrupt.

♦ Speak for yourself, not others.

♦ If your feelings get hurt, say so, andsay why.

♦ It’s OK to disagree. No name-calling.No personal attacks.

♦ Keep the talk moving and on track.

Part 2: What is our neighborhood likefor families with children?

(50 minutes)

How we were raised affects how we thinkabout families, children, and neighborhoods.The questions below help us think about thisand how things are now.

♦ Tell us about the neighborhood where yougrew up. What stories can you share thatgive us a picture of what it was like forfamilies?

♦ Do you think of “family” today differentlythan you used to?

♦ What do you think this neighborhood is likefor families with children? Tell a storyabout what is good or not so good.

♦ How does your growing up compare to howit is for families today? What is better?What concerns you?

♦ What makes you care about this issue?Why is it important?


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Session 1

Part 3: Creating a vision for ourneighborhood

(20 minutes)

This is an exercise to share lots of ideas.Here’s how it goes:

1. Think for a minute without speaking:Imagine that in 10 years this is the idealneighborhood for families. What does itlook like? How do things work? How wouldit feel?

2. Now say your ideas out loud. Feel free tospeak. No idea is too small or too great.What is your “ideal” place?

(As you speak, the recorder will write yourideas for all to see.)

3. There are no right or wrong answers.Ask questions to learn more. Don’t argueabout or discuss ideas. Keep moving fromidea to idea.

4. As the flow of ideas slows down, look backover the list. What new ideas are comingto you?

Part 4: Thinking about our discussion

(20 minutes)

♦ What are some of the main themes of ourdiscussion?

♦ What worked well in today’s meeting?

♦ What changes would you make next time?

Preparing for Session 2This week, ask family, friends and neighbors

the questions you answered today. Sharesome of your ideas with them.

B



♦ Divide the session intofour parts. Use theamount of timesuggested for each asa guide.

♦ Post the notes fromSession 1 for all to see.

♦ Have someone takenotes so you can referto them later.

♦ To start Part 2 of thissession, ask a fewmembers of your studycircle to read each viewout loud.

♦ After this, ask some ofthe “Questions to thinkabout” listed on the nextpage.

Session 2 What Do Families Face In Our Neighborhood?

efore we can take action to change things,we need to understand what we are trying tochange. Each of us thinks differently aboutthis. Let’s listen to each other’s views. Thissession helps us look at a range of views aboutthe challenges families face.

Part 1: Reflect on what we are learning

(20 minutes)

♦ Look at the notes. What were the key ideasfrom our last meeting? Would you add orchange anything?

♦ What did you learn from talking with yourfamily or friends? What was it like to havethis kind of discussion?

Part 2: What are families up against inour neighborhoods?

(60 minutes)

These views are different ways of looking atthe problems faced by the families in ourneighborhood. Each view is different. Each iswritten as if someone who holds that view issaying it. These views will spark our own ideas.Feel free to add your own views.

View #1Neighbors don’t support each other likethey used to.

There’s not much of a sense of communityany more. There used to be a lot of relatives(aunts, uncles, and grandparents) around tohelp families out. Not any more. No one elsehas really stepped in to take their place andlend a hand. We don’t know our neighbors well.We don’t look after each other.

People are so busy. It’s hard to connect toone another and the neighborhood. Peoplestick with others from the same ethnic andcultural groups. People without kids don’t getinvolved. We don’t do much to reach out topeople who aren’t in our group.

We are missing a shared pride in ourneighborhood. We don’t know how to worktogether while honoring differences.

View #2It’s hard to get good-paying jobs.

Many families are having a tough time withmoney. There aren’t enough good jobs that payenough to support a family. It’s very hard forsingle parents. Even if there are two parents,both usually have to work to make ends meet.Many parents want to spend more time withtheir families and less time at work. But, theyoften think they have no choice.

Parents here don’t get enough training toimprove their skills and make contacts forbetter jobs. To get good jobs, people need torely on their skills and ask the people theyknow to help them make connections.

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Session 2

View # 3Family services don’t work well forfamilies.

Many families need some kind of help fromgovernment and other agencies. There are needsfor health care, counseling, financial support,schooling, job training, and drug treatment.

The problem is that services don’t really workfor families. Usually, the people who work inthese agencies don’t even live in this neighbor-hood. They don’t treat parents and children aspartners. Agencies deal with each issueseparately. They don’t work together. The familygets divided up and not treated as a whole.

One problem is that parents do not knowwhat services are available or how to use them.Families who need help the most are some-times the least informed. They aren’t surewhere to get help, and, sometimes,they are treated rudely.

View #4Teaching values to children is not left upto parents.

So many people and things can affect achild’s views and values. Parents know besthow to raise their children. Passing alongvalues needs to start at home.

When schools or the government try toteach values, they get in the way. Theyshouldn’t tell parents how to raise children.Children get confused.

Parents and families need to decide what’sright for their children. Values come from thefamily’s culture and religion. These should betaught in the home so that children can dealwith peer pressure and learn to makedecisions for themselves.

View #5Parents need to be more responsible.

In our neighborhood, we don’t ask parentsto do their share in solving family problems.Instead we bring in the police, schools,counselors, and after-school programs to helpraise children. When kids get out of hand, welet parents off the hook.

Many parents don’t see parenting as theirfirst priority. They allow their children to runaround everywhere, out of control. They usethe TV for a babysitter. There’s no discipline.

If parents need help, they should join acongregation, take part in a support group, orsign their children up for after-schoolprograms. Parents need to use this kind ofsupport to help out – but not as a substitutefor doing their job as parents.

Questionsto think about

♦ Which views are closest toyour own? Why? How hasyour own life helped shapeyour views?

♦ Which views talk aboutproblems that you thinkmight get bigger or smaller?Why?

♦ Think about a view youdon’t agree with. Whymight someone else agreewith that view?

♦ What points of view wouldyou like to add?


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Session 2

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Part 3: Reality Check

(20 minutes)

When we just look at our problems, we losesight of what is working well. Let’s step backand look at the overall picture.

♦ Do you think today’s session painted atrue picture of our neighborhood? Whyor why not?

♦ Did today’s session make things seemworse than they really are? Better thanthey really are? About the same?


(20 minutes)

♦ What new insights did you get today?

♦ What are the main themes you heard?

♦ How is our study circle going?

♦ What changes would you make next time?

Preparing for Session 3This week, find out how our neighborhood is

dealing with these issues.

♦ What is already happening? What new ideasare people talking about?

♦ Are other neighborhoods doing things thatseem like they could work here?

eighborhoods all across the country arebuilding on their strengths and finding newways to become better places to live. Today,we will look at some different approaches tomake our neighborhood better. Talking aboutthese different approaches will help us at ournext meeting when we plan for futureactivities.

Part 1: Signs of hope in our neighborhood

(20 minutes)

These questions will help us get ourdiscussion started:

♦ Look at the notes and past ideas. Is thereanything you would add or change?

♦ Do you know anything that is alreadybeing done to help families in yourneighborhood?

♦ What gives you hope that things can getbetter?

♦ What strengths can we build on?

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FACILITATOR TIPSFOR

SESSION 3:

♦ Divide the session intothree parts. Use theamount of timesuggested for each asa guide.

♦ Post the notes fromearlier sessions for allto see.

♦ Remember to takenotes so you can referto them later.

♦ First discuss thequestions in Part 1.

♦ To start Part 2 of thissession, ask for volun-teers to read eachapproach on pages12-17 out loud.

♦ After this, ask some ofthe questions in Part 2.

♦ Complete the session bydiscussing the questionsin Part 3 on page 17.

Session 3 How Can We Make Our Neighborhood a Better Placefor Families with Children?

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Part 2: What approaches will changethings for the better?

(80 minutes)

As you look at each approach, consider thefollowing questions.

♦ What approach or approaches appeal toyou? Why?

♦ What is strong and weak about eachapproach?

♦ Are any of these approaches being triedhere? Give examples about what you knowhas worked and failed.

♦ What other approaches would yousuggest?

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Action ApproachesSession 3

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Approach #1

We should strengthen our community ties.

We need to get to know each other better and rebuild a feeling of community. This is key.After all, the best things that happen for families and children are based in the community.

We need to get to know the neighborhood kids, too. We should help young people build strongrelationships with adults who are good role models. If we know our neighbors, we will want toprotect their children rather than be protected from them. We will find that we share many ofthe same hopes and concerns.

What can we do? Ideas for further discussion:

♦ Start a neighborhood group.

♦ Get a business to sponsor a neighborhood festival.

♦ Get together over a meal.

♦ Help with a youth sports team or scouts.

♦ Join a congregation.

♦ Get schools and agencies to use neighborhood volunteers.

♦ Take a meal to some new parents.


Session 3

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Approach #3

We need to make better use of family services.

The services are there to help families in our neighborhood. They come from public agencies,libraries, schools, religious groups, businesses, and others. We just need to take better advantageof them.

We need to help people get access to these services and make the most of them. Theseservices should be open during hours helpful to families. They should be located in places easyto get to, like on a bus route. Service people should be trained to treat others with respect andto be helpful so that people will feel comfortable about using the services.


♦ Create a directory of services and get copies to everyone.

♦ Get services to work with each other for referrals.

♦ Create a neighborhood family-resource center.

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Approach #2

Families should be allowed to take responsibility for themselves.

Families should look out for their own well being. Parents know what is best for their children –from discipline to education. Agencies need to get out of the way. No social worker or governmentagency can take the place of parents.

If parents ask for help, we should lend a hand. But first parents must be allowed to try to solveproblems on their own without the government interfering. We need government policies thatsupport families and don’t work against them.


♦ Tell schools what we think about their curriculum.

♦ Vote for those who want to cut back on the role of government in our lives.

♦ Teach a children’s or teens’ class at your church, synagogue, or mosque.


Session 3

Approach #4

We should hold agencies and elected officials accountable to families.

Lots of tax dollars are going into programs to help families. We need to make sure programspaid for by the government produce results. That includes programs in schools, police depart-ments, parks and recreation, health care, social services and libraries.

We need to tell these programs what is important to us. They need to listen to us. Before wespend money on new programs, let’s make sure the programs we’re already paying for are working.


♦ Get your neighbors to meet and talk about big decisions facing the neighborhood.

♦ Give a “report card” on neighborhood services to elected officials.

♦ Push for laws and rules that support families.

♦ Urge elected officials to promote better heath care, safety and support services, and a betterlocal economy.

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Approach #5

Local people, groups, and organizations need to work together.

We seem to know how to compete with each other better than to work together. If we could getover our turf wars, we could work together to support families. Until we learn to cooperate better,we will not make much progress. Let’s first heal what divides us.

We need to get together and talk about our differences and what we have in common. Let’screate partnerships between groups and organizations that do not usually work together.


♦ Have training on how to resolve conflicts.

♦ Have training on how to work together, run meetings, and make decisions.

♦ Hold more groups like the study circle.

♦ Start projects that would bring different groups together.

Approach #6

We need to develop strong leaders in our neighborhood.

We need more people involved, not just the regular faces. Let’s expand the circle of people whocare for families and are willing to lead. Let’s get out of our rut. To make change, leaders need tocome from all parts of the neighborhood.

We need to look for leaders from different groups and backgrounds. At the same time, ourcurrent leaders need to improve their leadership skills.


♦ Provide new training for current leaders.

♦ Have fair and open elections of all leaders.

♦ Find and train new adult and youth leaders.

♦ Teach people skills on how to sit on nonprofit boards.


Session 3

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Approach #7

We need to help people get good jobs.

None of the things we are talking about will help much unless people have good jobs. Jobsshould pay well enough to support a family. People get jobs because of their skills and the peoplethey know.

Parents need better chances for training and hands-on work to improve skills. They needconnections that will lead them to jobs. Many parents also need help getting to work or findingchild care.


♦ Enroll in or help with programs that offer job training.

♦ Help teach English as a Second Language (ESL).

♦ Tutor someone for his or her GED.

♦ Organize car pools or demand better bus routes.

♦ Set up a child-care co-op.

♦ Teach people how to write a resume.


Session 3

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Approach # 8

We need to make sure all organizations respect and support families.

Hospitals, libraries, schools, service groups, businesses, and the media – all affect families.They all should focus attention on the “family.” Before they start or plan their projects orservices, they should ask how they would affect families.

Everyone can do something. A business can offer flextime to employees. A TV station canrefuse to show violent programs. It is hard enough to raise a family these days. Families andchildren need to feel supported and respected by the community.


♦ Call TV stations and ask them to stop showing violent programs.

♦ Hold a rally to raise the issues of what our neighborhood needs.

♦ Get businesses to show their support for family-friendly policies.

♦ Create a “family-friendly” stamp of approval for businesses.


Session 3

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(20 minutes)

Discuss these questions:

♦ What new insights did you get?

♦ Does our study circle seem to be“leaning” in a certain direction?

♦ Do any approaches seem to make senseto most people in our group?

♦ Which ideas seem like “what” we need towork on? Which ideas seem like “how” weneed to work together?

♦ How is the study circle going? Are therethings we could do differently?

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Session 4 Making a Difference: What Can We Do?


♦ Divide the session intothree parts. Use theamount of timesuggested for each asa guide. Leave time forthe questions in Part 3.It is important for peopleto talk about what thestudy circle has meantto them.

♦ Post the notes fromSession 3.

♦ The group is likely tocome up with manyactions on a variety oflevels. Tell people theyget to decide on theirown actions.

♦ To start Part 2 of thissession, form three orfour groups. Ask peopleto use the action ideasand examples listed inthis session to spark theirown thinking. Give thegroups time to find threekey action ideas.

♦ Or, ask people to take afew minutes to look overthe action ideas andexamples.

♦ Use the questions inPart 2 to explore theaction ideas.

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aking our neighborhoods a better placefor families is a big job. Everyone is involvedin some way. This session asks, “What canwe do?”

Coming together to talk and learn in a studycircle is a form of action. To keep talking andget more people involved is a good next step. Ifsome people want to go further, they can formnew groups to decide how to take action.

Part 1: Thinking together about how wecan make a difference

(45 minutes)

What can you do on your own? With others?Use the action ideas on page 20 as a startingpoint for your discussion.

Questions to think about

♦ Of all the many concerns raised in ourstudy circle, what would you most like tosee people work on? Why?

♦ What can each of us do to make a differ-ence? Why is this important to you?

♦ What can we do if we work together as agroup? As a neighborhood? What ideasfrom other places can we use? Why mightthey make things better?

♦ How can we build on existing efforts tocreate a better neighborhood? Who’sinvolved? Who else should be involved?


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Session 4

Part 2: What are our priorities?

(55 minutes)

Our study circle will identify the action ideaswe think are most practical and useful. We willshare our ideas with the other neighborhoodor community study circles at the actionforum. Then, as a group we will decide whichideas from all the study circles to put intoaction for long-term change.

Questions to think about:

♦ What two or three ideas seem mostpractical and useful?

♦ What would it take to make these ideasbecome real? What help or support do weneed?

♦ What resources are already in place tohelp out? Where is our neighborhoodstrong?

♦ If we don’t have enough power to moveahead on one of our ideas, who can help?How can we get them to work with us?

♦ What is our next step? Who else shouldwe link up with?

♦ If we plan to meet with other studycircles, what action ideas do we want toshare with them?

Part 3: Reflect on our study circle

(20 minutes)

Questions to think about:

♦ What have you learned in this study circlethat surprised you?

♦ How has this study circle affected the wayyou think about children, families, andhow our neighborhood works?

♦ Has this study circle affected what you willdo? If so, how?

♦ What did you find most valuable about thestudy circle?

♦ What worked well in the discussions?What did not work well? What would youchange in the future?

Here are a number of ideas about how tomake our neighborhood better. We can usethem to jump-start our thinking. Which fit yourviews and your neighborhood?

What are simple things that each oneof us can do?

♦ Spend time with the children inyour family.

♦ Urge kids to stay in school. Showhow education is important. Help withtheir homework.

♦ Offer to care for a neighbor’s children.

♦ Meet with other parents and shareconcerns.

♦ Go to teacher conferences and otherschool meetings. Stay in touch withteachers or join a PTA/PTO.

♦ Read to and talk with children in yourlife. After they learn to read, keep readingwith them. Talk to them about what theyare reading and what they think.

Example: In South Carolina, a formerteacher tutored children in an apartment.So many kids came, she asked the man-ager to give them the building’s clubhouse.She named it “The Homework Club.” Theteacher trained older kids to help theyounger ones. She then started a GEDclass for adults. There was less crime andgraffiti. The Homework Club now has 450members and five sites in three counties.


Session 4

Action Ideas

♦ Help out at local youth programs,centers, food banks, and shelters.

♦ Share your skills and talents withchildren. Tutor children who need extrahelp. Help with a sports team or BigBrother/Big Sister program.

♦ Get youth to join faith groups, choirs,sports, and other activities.

♦ Talk to children about drugs, sex, racism,dating, and other hard topics.

♦ Get to know the kids on your block. Learntheir names.

♦ Help with peer mentoring programs.

Example: In Roanoke, Virginia, high schoolstudents join a Teen Outreach Program.Older students help out in a local elemen-tary school, and they also get training in“life skills,” like managing anger.

♦ Get to know youth in your congregation.

Example: At St. Mark’s Parish in Boston,Massachusetts, there is a “one-to-one”program. After Mass each Sunday, every-one is invited to put his or her name ina basket. Then everyone pulls out thename of a stranger. The two peopleagree to meet with each other for 30minutes during the week and sharetheir life stories.


Session 4

What can we do with our neighbors?

♦ Get more study circles going or expandyours.

♦ Help out at the local community or day-care center.

Example: In the Vine City neighborhoodof Atlanta, Georgia, volunteers staff theGreater Vine City Opportunities Program.They teach kids how to make crafts andhow to market and sell their products.They get funds from the MetropolitanAtlanta Community Foundation.

♦ Take an interest in youth in yourneighborhood. Let them know you care.

Example: In Kansas City, Missouri, someneighborhoods have “block leaders.”These are moms and dads who watch outfor young people wandering the streets.They offer youth a safe place, a snack,cooking classes, and even wake-up calls.They have started gardens, painted overgraffiti, and bought food for seniors whocan’t leave their homes.

♦ Find ways to improve child care inyour community.

Example: In Raleigh, North Carolina,people worked with Habitat for Humanityto fix up a child-care center. The newRising Star Child Care Center helpschildren and provides jobs. The centeris keeping its fees low so that all familiescan take part.

Example: In Atlanta, Georgia, peoplecreated the Inn for Children, which isopen 24 hours a day, seven days a week.The center offers child care, resourcesfor parents, education, counseling,immunizations, and a “Get Well” placefor mildly ill children.

Example: In Denver, Colorado, the 30-year-old Capitol Heights Babysitting Co-ophas parents swapping babysitting. Parentsuse cards for payment to show each 15minutes of babysitting.

♦ Hold seminars and support groupsfor parents.

Example: In San Antonio, Texas, a first-grade teacher started Avance’ forimmigrant mothers and little children.There is now training for parents, anursery, and skill classes for adults.90 percent of Avance’ kids graduate highschool. 50 percent go to college. Now theprogram has spread throughout Texas.

♦ Start an arts project with photography,art, music, festivals, murals, and theater.

Example: In Boston, Massachusetts, aneighborhood group sponsored the“Unity Through Diversity Mural.” Themural was created and painted by youngpeople. It is now a landmark.


Session 4

♦ Fight neighborhood crime.

Example: In Delray Beach, Florida, thereare citizen patrols. The police train neigh-bors. These patrols have cell phones andradios and report odd behavior to thepolice. Since these patrols started, therehas been a 75 percent drop in crime.

Example: In Omaha, Nebraska, blackfathers formed MAD DADS (Men AgainstDestruction – Defending Against Drugs andSocial Disorder). They patrol areas onweekends. They help with neighborhoodcleanups and gun buyback programs. Theysupport neighborhood youth events andcounsel youth. Today there are 32 officialchapters of MAD DADS across the country.

♦ Address race issues in schools.

Example: A study circle in Sioux City, Iowa,wondered if school curricula includedenough choices to provide diversity. Theyworked with the school to change thecourse offerings.

♦ Mentor young people.

Example: In Fort Wayne, Indiana, employershad a hard time finding skilled and educatedworkers. They wanted to improve localeducation. They started Study Connection, atutoring program that pairs adults withschool children. The adults are role modelsand mentors. They commit to one hour aweek for one year.

♦ Organize fun neighborhood activities.

Example: On the Fourth of July, children inBeverly, Massachusetts, decorate theirtrikes and bikes and have a big parade. Theevent draws lots of people.

Example: In Denver, Colorado, citizenswanted the police, City Hall, and neighborsof Capitol Hill to work together better. At alocal junior high school, the police spon-sored a People’s Fair. The first year, 2,000people came. Then the neighborhoodgroups took it over. Now 700 volunteers and300,000 people come. It is now held in a localpark. There are arts and crafts, music andbooths with information about services forfamilies. $550,000 has been raised and givenback to neighborhoods through grants.

♦ Organize cleanup projects.

Example: In San Diego, California, citizensin the Barrio Logan identified 23 “graffiticenters.” They planted and grew ivy vinesover them. Now there is no need to repaint.

Example: Citizens of Benning Heights inWashington, D.C., painted over the graffitithat had marked their neighborhood as acombat zone for gangs.

♦ Organize nonviolent protests.

Example: In Love Canal, New York, womenorganized 500 families to form the LoveCanal Homeowners Committee. Thegovernment had failed to clean up toxicwaste. After protests and meetings, thegovernment agreed to pay for the houses ofanyone wishing to move.

Example: In Afton, North Carolina, citizensstarted the Warren County Citizens Con-cerned about PCB’s. They wanted to stopthe dumping of toxic soil in their communityby the EPA. After meetings in churches, theyblocked trucks from carrying the toxic soil.Hundreds of women, mostly African-Americans, allowed themselves to be


Session 4

arrested and jailed. The media tooknotice. Finally the EPA reduced the toxicwaste dump. These events got theCongress to study the dumping of toxicwaste. They wrote a book called ToxicWastes and Race in the U.S.

♦ Work with public officials to get moreinput on public decisions.

Example: In Fremont, California, publicofficials started “I Have An Idea.” Citizens’ideas were included in the city’s five-yearCapital Improvement Plan through surveysand the media. As a result, 42 newprojects were started.

♦ Work with neighborhoods next to yours.

Example: In Denver, Colorado, severalneighborhoods worked together to stoptwo-way streets from being turned intoone-way streets. It would have meantmore traffic. As a result of this victory, theCapitol Hill United Neighbors (CHUN)was started to keep looking after neigh-borhoods. Today each neighborhoodelects someone to be on the board ofCHUN. CHUN was able to get a new policedistrict for the area.

CHUN also started CHUN-IF (Improve-ment Fund). The group acts as a fiscalagent (using its own 501(c)3 status) forother nonprofits that can’t legally getgrants. For example, Urban Peak, aprogram for runaway youth, used CHUN-IFten years ago to get started. Now it is alarge and well funded not-for-profit group.

What can schools churches, agencies,and other groups do?

♦ Have groups work together creatively.

Example: In Mercer County, New Jersey,state agencies and a local children’s homestarted Operation Fatherhood. It workswith dads who don’t have custody of theirchildren. They offer job training andplacement, counseling and supportgroups.

Example: Several churches in Sacra-mento, California, started the Adopt aChild Abuse Caseworker program to helpstop child abuse. This program linksconcerned citizens with families in need.Now social workers can call on people tohelp out where federal, state, and localassistance programs can’t.

♦ Support youth leaders.

Example: In New Haven, Connecticut,the police started a Board of Young AdultPolice Commissioners. The board givesyouth a voice with the police. The boardstopped metal detectors going into theschools. Instead it started peer mediationto stop conflicts from getting violent. Theboard was able to expand alcohol anddrug treatment programs for youth. Itraised $2,000 for a hospice for youngpeople who suffer from AIDS.


Example: The mayor of Birmingham,Alabama, got charges dropped againststudents arrested for marching in housingprojects to promote a “Peace in theStreets” rap concert. The concert waspart of a project to stop a waste-transferstation in the neighborhood. It had beensponsored by the City Council in honorof Martin Luther King’s birthday.

♦ Look at health-care needs in thecommunity.

Example: In Brooklyn, New York, theSunset Park Family Center Network workswith medical centers in 11 schools. It offerspreventive care to 11,000 children whetherthey can pay or not. It also helps immigrantfamilies. Its low-cost day-care servicessupport welfare-to-work programs.

Example: The Abbottsford and SchuylkillFalls Community Health Centers serve twopublic-housing communities in Philadel-phia, Pennsylvania. Nurses work withTenant Council members to focus onhealth and social problems. They offerprenatal care, violence prevention, supportfor grandparents raising children, andtraining on diabetes, asthma, and stoppingsmoking. They have 12-step programs fordrugs, alcohol, and overeating. Theytransport people to other services.

Example: Each year in Tucson, Arizona, atwo-day C.A.R.E (Children’s Assistance andResource Event) Fair is held at a local highschool. At the fair, people can get healthscreening and bus passes. They also learnabout child-support services, food stamps,housing, and more. In 1998 more than10,000 people came to the fair.

Example: In Des Moines, Iowa, the YoungMoms East project works out of donatedchurch space. A small staff offers healthand social services to young mothers.They see health care as it relates tocounseling, peer support, and havingclothes and baby things.

♦ Connect schools with the community.

Example: School District Four in New YorkCity has a lively after-school program. Itincludes a seven-week summer camp. Itoffers tutoring and games for all ages.

Example: The Arizona At-Risk Pilot Projectoffers ESL classes for parents who can’tspeak English. Now, more parents cometo meetings. Also, teachers and parentsare talking with each other better.

♦ Help youth get jobs.

Example: In Boston, Massachusetts,YouthBuild Boston offers 18-24 year oldswho never finished high school a one-yearprogram. Young adults get their GED andget training in construction at the sametime. They rebuild old buildings for low-income people to live in. Each studentgets $6,000 to work in the project.

Session 4


Example: In the Benning Heights publichousing project in Washington, D.C., youthare hired and trained to do landscapingand light construction. Citizens, police,the National Center for NeighborhoodEnterprise, and the Department of PublicHousing work together. The projectemploys youth and reduces crime, gangs,and drug use.

♦ Get parents and students to worktogether in school.

Example: Public School 146 in EastHarlem, New York, hosts Family MathNight. Parents and students come to learnmath and do homework together.

♦ Start a community center for theneighborhood.

Example: In Cabot, Vermont, a highschool and local businesses built a state-of-the-art science lab both to make moneyand to educate. The school holds adult-education classes at night and added ahealth clinic. Parents volunteer in after-school activities. Voters approved a bondissue giving money to fix up the building.

Example: In Chattanooga, Tennessee,citizens, city and school officials, andbusiness people started the WestsideCommunity Development Corp. WCDC gotmoney from the Junior League and localfoundations to open a resource center inan old school. It offers job training, adulteducation, how to run a small business,youth clubs, counseling and seniorprograms. The school’s kitchen has itsfirst small business, HomeGirls Catering.

♦ Expand citizen input on school-districtissues.

Example: The Minneapolis Public Schoolsused study circles to get parents andcitizens to make decisions about schoolreform. The study circles looked at threeoptions. This helped the school districtmake better plans for the future.

♦ Address teen pregnancy.

Example: The Girls Club of SantaBarbara, California, started the Mother/Daughter Choices Program to helpmiddle-school girls talk with their moms.It helps prevent pregnancy by having girlsfocus on making good decisions and workon setting goals.

Example: In Omaha, Nebraska, CreightonUniversity and several local child-healthclinics started PEACH – Prenatal andEarly Childhood Home Visitation. PEACHsends nurses into the home to supportand educate poor teenagers who arepregnant with their first child. This andother programs in the United States havereduced by a third the number of womenhaving a second child. It also helps toreduce crime, and drug and alcohol useamong young mothers.

Session 4

A

Tips for Study Circle Facilitators


study circle facilitator does not need to bean expert on the topic being discussed. But thefacilitator should be the best prepared for thediscussion. This means ...

♦ understanding the goals of the studycircle,

♦ being familiar with the subject,

♦ thinking ahead of time about how thediscussion might go,

♦ and preparing questions to help the groupconsider the subject.

Several of the sessions in this guide offermore choices for discussion than you cancover in a two-hour session. Choose theoptions that you think will be most interestingto your group. (You may want to considerhaving extra meetings.) If you are well pre-pared, it will make it easier for you to give yourfull attention to how the group is acting andinteracting, and to what individuals in the groupare saying.

Stay neutral!The most important thing to remember is

that, as a facilitator, you should not share yourpersonal views or try to push your own agendaon the issue. You are there to serve thediscussion, not to join it.

♦ Set a relaxed and open tone.

♦ Welcome everyone and create a friendlyand relaxed atmosphere.

♦ Well-placed humor is usually appreciated.

Explain the purpose of the study circle,and help the group set ground rules.

At the beginning of the study circle, remindeveryone that the purpose of the study circle isto work with one another to look at the issue ina democratic way. Also remind them that yourrole as leader is to remain neutral, keep thediscussion focused, and guide the conversationaccording to the ground rules.

Start with the basic ground rules listed onpage 6, then ask participants to add their ownideas.

Stay aware of and assist the groupprocess.

♦ Always use your “third eye.” You are notonly helping to keep the group focused onthe content of the discussion, but you willbe keeping track of how the participantsare communicating with each other – whohas spoken, who hasn’t spoken, and whosepoints haven’t yet received a fair hearing.

♦ Consider splitting up into smaller groupsto examine a variety of viewpoints or togive people a chance to talk more easilyabout their personal connection to theissue.

♦ Try not to interfere with the discussionunless you have to. Don’t allow the groupto turn to you for the answers.


Tips for Facilitators

♦ Resist the urge to speak after eachcomment or answer every question. Allowparticipants to respond directly to eachother. The most effective leaders oftensay little, but are constantly thinking abouthow to move the discussion forward.

♦ Once in a while, ask participants to sumup the most important points that havecome out in the discussion.

♦ Don’t be afraid of silence! Peoplesometimes need time to think before theyrespond. If silence feels awkward to you,try counting silently to ten before yourephrase the question. This will givepeople time to collect their thoughts.

♦ Don’t let anyone take over the conversa-tion; try to involve everyone.

♦ Remember that a study circle is not adebate, but a group dialogue. If partici-pants forget this, don’t hesitate to askthe group to help re-establish theground rules.

♦ Keep careful track of time!

Help the group look at various pointsof view.

♦ Make it clear to participants that you willnever take sides on the issue; your role asa facilitator is to be fair and act neutral.

♦ Use these written materials to helpparticipants consider a wide range ofviews. Rely on the guide rather thanpresenting something as your idea.Referring to the guide helps you stayneutral. You might ask participants toconsider a point of view that hasn’t comeup in the discussion. Ask the group tothink about the advantages and disadvan-tages of different ways of looking at anissue or solving a problem.

♦ Ask participants to think about theconcerns and values that underlie theirbeliefs.

♦ Don’t allow the group to focus on justone particular personal experience oranecdote.

♦ Help participants to identify commonground, but don’t try to force agreement.



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General questions:

♦ What seems to be the key point here?

♦ Do you agree with that? Why?

♦ What do other people think of this idea?

♦ What would be a strong case against whatyou just said?

♦ Have you had any experiences with thisthat you can share with the group?

♦ Could you help us understand the reasonsbehind your opinion?

♦ What do you think is really going on here?Why is that important?

♦ How might others see this issue?

♦ Do you think others in the group see thisthe way you do? Why?

♦ How does this make you feel?

Questions to use when there isdisagreement:

♦ What do you think he is saying?

♦ What bothers you most about this?

♦ What is at the heart of the disagreement?

♦ How does this make you feel?

♦ What experiences or beliefs might leada reasonable person to support that pointof view?

♦ What do you think is really important topeople who hold that opinion?

♦ What is blocking the discussion?

♦ What might you be willing to give up inorder to come to some agreement?

♦ What don’t you agree with?

♦ What do you find most convincing aboutthat point of view?

♦ What is it about that position that you justcannot live with?

♦ Could you say more about what you think?

♦ What makes this so hard?

♦ What have we missed that we need totalk about?

Ask open-ended questions that don’t lendthemselves to easy answers.

Open-ended questions are questions thatcan’t be answered with a quick “yes or no.”They push people to think about why theybelieve what they do. Open-ended questionsalso encourage people to look for connectionsbetween different ideas.

Get familiar with the following questions.They are a great resource during any studycircle.



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Questions to use when people arefeeling hopeless:

♦ Say a little about how that makes you feel.

♦ Is there any hope?

♦ Can the problems that you are talkingabout be solved in any way? How?

Closing questions:

♦ What are the key points of agreement anddisagreement about today’s session?

♦ What have you heard today that has madeyou think, or has touched you in someway?

Be aware of the dynamics of cross-cultural communication

♦ Awareness of cross-cultural dynamics isimportant in a study circle setting. This isespecially true when issues of race andethnicity are a part of the conversation.

♦ Even though some of the conversationmay revolve around differences, set atone of unity in the group. While ourdifferences may separate us on somematters, we have enough in common ashuman beings to allow us to talk togetherin a constructive way.

♦ Facilitating in pairs is often helpful instudy circles. To help establish unity, theco-facilitators could be a man and awoman, a white person and a person ofcolor, an adult and a young person, amanager and a clerical assistant. Also, anewly trained facilitator is likely to learn alot from an experienced facilitator whohas first-hand knowledge about howcross-cultural dynamics can work in astudy circle.

♦ Sensitivity, empathy, and familiarity withpeople of different backgrounds areimportant qualities for the facilitator. Ifyou have not had the opportunity to spendtime with all kinds of people, get involvedin a community program that gives youthat opportunity and helps you under-stand cross-cultural dynamics.

♦ Help people to appreciate and respecttheir own and others’ communicationstyles. People’s cultural backgroundsaffect the ways in which they communi-cate. For example, in some culturespeople are encouraged to take charge andsay exactly what they think, while in othercultures, people are expected to be morereserved and keep their thoughts tothemselves. Some cultures value listeningmore than speaking. In others, taking astand is of utmost importance. Helpgroup members to realize there is morethan one good way to communicate.Understanding one another takespractice! Your leadership should showthat each person has an important andunique contribution to make to the group.


♦ Help the participants understand thatcultural labels, or stereotypes, are usuallyunfair.

♦ Remind the group, if necessary, that noone can represent his or her entireculture. Each person’s experiences, asan individual and as a member of a group,are unique and OK.

♦ Encourage group members to think abouttheir own experiences as they try toidentify with people who have been victimsof discrimination – in the workplace orelsewhere. Many people have had experi-ences that make this discussion a verypersonal issue. Others, particularly thosewho are usually in the majority, may nothave thought as much about their ownculture and its effects on their lives. Itmight help to encourage people to thinkabout times in their own lives when theyhave been treated unfairly. Be careful notto equate the experiences. To supportstudy circle participants who tell how theyhave been mistreated, be sure to explainthat you respect their feelings and aretrying to help all the members of the groupunderstand. Remind people that no onecan know exactly what it feels like to be inanother person’s shoes.

♦ Encourage group members to talk abouttheir own experiences and cultures, ratherthan other people’s. This way, they will beless likely to make false generalizationsabout other cultures. Also, listening toothers tell about their own experiencesbreaks down stereotypes and helps peopleunderstand one another.

Close with a summary of the discussion –provide time for evaluation, and set thestage for the next meeting

♦ Give participants a chance to talk about themost important thing they got out of thediscussion. You may wish to ask partici-pants to share any new ideas or thoughtsthey’ve had as a result of the discussion.

♦ If you will be meeting again, remind thegroup of the readings and subject for thenext session.

♦ If the groups are meeting because theyhope to have an impact on communitydecision making, be sure to document thecontent of the discussions. In some studycircles, participants record commonconcerns and points of agreement anddisagreement, as well as ideas for actionsteps.

♦ After the last session, provide some timefor the group to do a written evaluation.This allows participants to comment on theprocess and give feedback to the facilitator.

♦ Thank everyone for his and her contribu-tions!


How to Organize Study Circles in Your Neighborhood


If you want to get more people involved inefforts to improve neighborhoods for familieswith children, this guide can help you. Byorganizing study circles throughout yourneighborhood, you can give people an impor-tant chance to share their concerns andideas, form new relationships, and takeaction to solve problems.

There are several important things toremember.

♦ First, share the work. Ask for help fromother neighbors.

♦ Second, make it clear that all differentviewpoints and backgrounds will berespected in the study circles.

♦ Third, make sure that people understandthat this project will help people solveproblems in the community, not just talkabout them.

Call the Study Circles Resource Center formore detailed advice on the following steps:

1. Get a few people to help you. Single outa few people you know well, have workedwith before, and who would be excitedabout this project.

2. Hold a pilot study circle. Workingtogether, make a list of 10 or 12 peoplewho could help move this project forward.Give them a personal invitation to a pilotstudy circle, and try out one or two of thesessions. (Find someone who can serveas a neutral facilitator for that meeting.See “Tips for Study Circle Facilitators”on pages 26-30.) At the end, ask theparticipants what they think of the process,and how to make study circles happen inyour neighborhood.

3. Make a list of groups and organizationsin your neighborhood. To involve a largenumber of people, you need to tap into asmany groups and organizations as you can.Make a list of all the schools, faith groups,businesses, clubs, nonprofits, libraries,tenants’ associations, scout troops,social-service agencies and other groupsin the neighborhood. Also list key outsid-ers who work closely with the neighbor-hood, including police officers, publicofficials, and other government employees.

4. Hold another pilot study circle, withrepresentatives from different organi-zations. Invite people from some ofthese organizations to another pilotcircle. (Personal invitations work best.)If you have more than 12 people, holdmore than one circle. Try for a good mixof people in each circle.

5. Form a study circle working group. Askall the people who’ve been involved so farto join the working group. Make sure thisgroup represents all the different kindsof people living in the neighborhood. Splitthe working groups into twos and threesto start on the following tasks:

a. Plan the kickoff. This is a large meetingthat takes place just before the studycircles begin to announce the project tothe whole neighborhood. Invite one ortwo speakers who can describe thestudy circles and inspire people to takepart. Provide refreshments, and leavesome time for people to socialize andsign up.

b. Recruit and train facilitators. If youcan, find some people who are skilled atfacilitating groups. Also, invite peoplewho have the personality to be goodfacilitators – good listeners often makegood facilitators. Give them informationabout study circle facilitation (you canhand out copies of the tips on pages26-30), and schedule a training. Makesure people understand the main rule:Facilitators are neutral, and must keeptheir opinions to themselves.

c. Find sites and handle other details.Arrange for study circles to meet inneutral locations like schools, libraries,churches, firehouses, and businesses.If you can, provide child care, transpor-tation, or other services that will helppeople take part. If possible, findvolunteers to serve as recorders forthe groups.


How to Organize…

d. Recruit people to join the study circles.Remember, personal invitations workbest. Get everyone in the working groupto recruit people from their organizationor circle of friends. Go door to door.Create flyers and signup sheets to passout in neighborhoods. Get your informa-tion into local newsletters, churchbulletins, and newspapers. Think ofother ways to get the word out.

e. Plan for action. Invite study circleparticipants to a large meeting, or actionforum, at the end of a round of studycircles. Use the records from eachgroup to identify the main areas ofconcern. At the forum, allow enoughtime for someone from each studycircle to give a quick summary of thegroup’s ideas (no more than fiveminutes each). Encourage people tosign up for action groups. Give theaction groups some time to get ac-quainted and begin planning. Closethe meeting with a speaker who willcongratulate everyone on his or herefforts. Make sure there is food, andtime for socializing. Think about howto keep the action groups going afterthe forum.


6. Hold the kickoff meeting. Try to get thelocal newspaper to cover the kickoff.

STUDY CIRCLES BEGIN

7. Support the study circles. Bring thefacilitators together for a meeting so theycan compare notes on how their groupsare going. Start new study circles forpeople who are joining late. Collect therecords from each circle to give you asense of the discussions and help youdocument the process.

STUDY CIRCLES END (for now)

8. Hold the action forum. This is a chanceto celebrate what your neighborhood hasdone, and to move from talk to action.

9. Keep the momentum going. Keep trackof the action groups to see how they’redoing. Try to get local media to cover theaction efforts. Work with people who wantto get a new round of study circles going.

10. Pause and reflect on what you’velearned, and start planning the nextround. Get the working group together,and talk about how things went. Record(and applaud!) your achievements, andlook for ways to make the programstronger. Check in with SCRC. Let us knowthe outcomes of your program, so we canuse them to inspire other programs. Givefeedback and encouragement to volun-teers. Use what you learned to plan forthe future. Try to expand your workinggroup so that your study circle programwill grow and you can help build a stron-ger community.

How to Organize…

Keys to Organizing Study Circles on Families and Children


houghtful organizing of a study circleprogram leads to a successful program.Experience has taught us that certain earlydecisions and actions are important tosuccess. Here are some questions to con-sider. For more detailed information, pleasecontact the Study Circles Resource Center.

Why are you organizing study circles onthis issue?

Considering this question will help youunderstand the nature and scope of thechallenge facing your neighborhood. Then, youcan talk about whether and how study circleswill help you get to the root of the matter.

What are the goals of the program?Set clear goals from the outset. Being clear

about your goals is important because it makesit easier for you to explain why people shouldjoin the working group, and to inspire peopleto join the circles. It also makes it much easierto plan a strategy for reaching those goals.

Who should participate?Successful programs have a diverse mix

of participants from all parts of the neighbor-hood. For this issue, you also need “buy-in”from city leaders, and the city departments thatserve the neighborhood. Consider whose voicesyou need to hear, and whose support you needto make changes in the neighborhood.

How will you recruit the participants?Think about why people would want to take

part, and what would keep them from partici-pating. Then decide what to say to persuadethem, and how to get your message across.

An exampleHere’s how one working group began

planning its program. Keep in mind – yourneighborhood might have very differentanswers to these questions.

What are the goals of the program?The primary goal is to connect neighborhood

people to each other and to bigger institutions.Another goal is to give people a way to makechanges on the issues that affect them mostclosely. More productive, long-term relation-ships between people and institutions mightlead to positive changes in procedures andpolicies in agencies, organizations, and citygovernment.

Why are study circles the right tool for this issue?The neighborhood wants the people who live

here to build better relationships with eachother and with the institutions that serve them.

Who should participate?To accomplish its goals, the program must

include a diverse group of neighborhoodresidents and leaders, police, school and cityofficials, business leaders from the neighbor-hood, young people, and agency workers.

How will you recruit the participants?Representatives from each of these groups

will form a study circle working group. Possiblepartners could include: representatives of theneighborhood association, the child carecenter, the police department, City Hall, socialservices, the parole office, the ministerialalliance, youth organizations, the communitycenter, the neighborhood business association,and the schools. The working group shouldbrainstorm the best ways to recruit partici-pants from all over the community.

T


Keys…

Other questions for the study circleworking group to consider:

Will the working group go through pilotcircles?

Taking part in a pilot study circle will helpbuild trust within the working group, and helpmembers to be more effective when they startrecruiting participants for the study circles.

Who will coordinate the project?Recruiting people from all parts of the

neighborhood, training facilitators, andorganizing the circles takes a lot of work. It’simportant to find a coordinator who is good atmanaging details and can devote enough timeto the project.

Who will facilitate the circles?Ideally, there should be two facilitators for

each circle. The facilitators must be able togain the trust of all the participants. Generally,people in positions of authority should notfacilitate, so it’s important to talk aboutwhether it would be fair to all concernedbefore asking government or agency officialsto act as facilitators.

Where should the circles be held?The circles should be held in places where

everyone feels comfortable. Public buildingslike police or fire stations, schools, or placesof worship often are centrally located andaccessible.

What should the study circles look like?How many neighborhood people, agency

workers or city leaders should there be ineach circle? It’s important to talk about how tocreate “balanced” study circles where allgroups will be well represented.

How will you reach people who are thehardest to recruit?

To meet your goals, it is important toinclude people who are often left out. Lookfor trusted community leaders who can reachthem. You could hold a sample study circle intheir “territory” to give people a chance to tryout the process.

Will young people and adults participatetogether?

If one of the goals is to build trust betweenyoung people and adults, then they need to bein groups together. This can be tricky. Parentsmay worry about having their children in thecircles, and some young people may not feelcomfortable speaking up in the groups. Insome neighborhoods, organizers make surethat there are at least two or three youngpeople in a group. Sometimes, the youngpeople discuss the material together beforejoining one of the neighborhood study circles.

What will happen after the dialogue?People will not want to participate if they

think the program is just a public relationstool. It’s important to have “buy in” from cityleaders, so that people know that their actionideas will be listened to.

Resources for Further Action and Discussion


Community Building

Alliance for National RenewalNational Civic League1445 Market Street, Suite 300Denver, CO 80202-1728Phone: 303-571-4343Web site: www.ncl.org/anrA network of more than 150 community-buildingorganizations working to address the serious issuesfacing America and its communities. Publishes theCommunity Resource Manual, and a newslettercalled The Kitchen Table.

Asset-Based Community Development InstituteInstitute for Policy ResearchNorthwestern University2040 Sheridan RoadEvanston, IL 60208-4100Phone: 847-491-8711Fax: 847-467-4140Web site: http://www.nwu.edu/IPR/abcd.htmlEstablished in 1995, the institute is built upon threedecades of community development research byJohn Kretzmann and John L. McKnight. Spreads itsfindings on capacity-building community develop-ment through interactions with communitybuilders, and by producing practical resources andtools for community builders to identify, nurture,and mobilize neighborhood assets. Offersnumerous publications about building community,and finding and mobilizing community assets.

Building Healthier CommunitiesMcAuley Institute8300 Colesville Road, Suite 310Silver Spring, MD 20910Phone: 301-588-8110Fax: 301-588-8154Web site: www.bhconline.orgA national advocacy, education and community-building initiative that works to create partnershipsamong organizations involved in housing, healthcare, education, economic development, andhuman services. Publishes the newsletter BuildingHealthier Communities three times a year.

Center for Neighborhood Technology2125 West North AvenueChicago, IL 60647Phone: 773-278-4800Web site: www.cnt.orgPublishes the bimonthly magazine, The Neighbor-hood Works, which covers community organizingand development in low- and middle-incomeneighborhoods around issues of housing, energy,environment, economic, and community develop-ment, and transportation.

Civic Practices NetworkBrandeis UniversityWeb site: www.cpn.orgProvides an online journal of tools, stories, and“best practices” of community empowermentand civic renewal.

Housing

U.S. Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment (HUD)451 Seventh Street, SWWashington, DC 20410Phone: 202-708-1112Web site: www.hud.govMaintains local offices in all fifty states, in additionto a user-friendly “store-front” office in Washing-ton, D.C. Provides information on a variety ofsubjects – from buying a home and finding housing,to building a community center, or opening abusiness.

Habitat for Humanity International121 Habitat StreetAmericus, GA 31709Phone: 229-924-6935, ext. 2551 or 2552Web site: www.habitat.orgA nonprofit, Christian housing ministry dedicatedto eliminating substandard housing andhomelessness. Builds and rehabilitates houseswith the help of the homeowner (partner) familiesand volunteer labor. Habitat houses are sold topartner families at no profit, and financed withno-interest loans that are recycled into a revolvingloan fund.


Resources…

Mentoring

Big Brothers/Big Sisters230 North Thirteenth StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19107Phone: 215-567-7000Fax: 215-567-0394Web site: www.bbbsa.orgMatches children in need with caring adultmentors. Research shows that children withBig Brothers and Big Sisters are less likely to usedrugs and alcohol, skip school, and exhibit violentbehavior. Provides positive mentoring relationshipsfor young people in hundreds of communities in all50 states. There are currently 140,000 active adultparticipants nationwide.

International Telementoring Center3919 Benthaven DriveFort Collins, CO 80526Phone: 970-491-1700Fax: 970-491-2005Web site: www.telementor.orgA program at the Center for Science, Mathematics& Technology Education at the Colorado StateUniversity that facilitates electronic mentoringrelationships between professional adults andstudents worldwide. By spending about 30-45minutes per week communicating via e-mail, adultmentors can share their experience and expertise,helping students achieve academic excellence inmath and science, improve communication skills,and explore career and educational futures.Telementoring is a process that combines theproven practice of mentoring with the speed andease of electronic communication, enabling busyprofessionals to make significant contributionsto the academic lives of students.

America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth909 North Washington Street, Suite 400Alexandria, VA 22314-1556Phone: 703-684-4500Fax: 703-535-3900Web site: www.americaspromise.orgDedicated to mobilizing individuals, groups andorganizations from every part of American life,to build and strengthen the character andcompetence of youth. Information on mentoringand other volunteer activities that individuals andgroups can do to support youth.

National Mentoring Partnership1400 I Street, NW, Suite 850Washington DC 20005Phone: 202-729-4345Fax: 202-729-4341Web site: www.mentoring.orgAdvocate for the expansion of mentoring, anda resource for mentors and mentoring initiativesnationwide.

Fighting and Preventing Crime

National Association of Town Watch7 Wynnwood Road, Suite 215P.O. Box 303Wynnwood, PA 19096Phone: 610-649-7055Web site: www.nationaltownwatch.orgNonprofit organization dedicated to the develop-ment and promotion of organized, law-enforce-ment-affiliated crime- and drug-preventionprograms. Sponsors the annual “National NightOut” (NNO) program to promote communityinvolvement in crime- and drug-preventionactivities, strengthen police-community relations,and encourage neighborhood camaraderie aspart of the fight for safer streets.

National Crime Prevention Council1000 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 13th FloorWashington, DC 20036Phone: 202-466-6272Web site: www.ncpc.orgA private, nonprofit organization whose missionis to prevent crime and build safer, more caringcommunities. Offers a variety of publications andresources for communities, including a detailedlist of 350 tested methods to prevent crime.

Community Relations ServiceU.S. Department of Justice600 E Street, NW, Suite 2000Washington, DC 20530Phone: 202-305-2935Web site: www.usdoj.gov/copsResource on community policing. Arm of the U.S.Department of Justice, a specialized federalconciliation service available to state and localofficials to help resolve and prevent racial andethnic conflict, violence and civil disorders. CRShelps local officials and residents find solutionswhen conflict and violence threaten communitystability and well being.

Upper Midwest Community Policing InstituteProvides a list of regional community policingorganizations.Web site: www.umcpi.org/websites.html


Resources…

Community Organizing

Center for Community Change1000 Wisconsin Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20007Phone: 202-342-0567Fax: 202-333-5462

160 Sansome Street, 7th FloorSan Francisco, CA 94104Phone: 415-982-0346Web site: www.communitychange.orgHelps poor people to improve their communitiesand change policies and institutions that affect theirlives by developing their own strong organizations.For almost 30 years, CCC has been nationallyrecognized for its work helping people buildorganizations and create better communities andpolicies. The Center’s staff includes many of thenation’s leading experts on community develop-ment, community organizing, leadership training,coalition building, housing, welfare reform, jobs,economic development, banking and reinvestment,and Native American issues.

Community Organization & Family Issues(COFI)954 West Washington BoulevardChicago, IL 60607Phone: 312-226-5141Provides a family-focused community-organizingmodel for strengthening parent voices at the localneighborhood level and at broader policy levels.

National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise1424 Sixteenth Street, NW, Suite 300Washington, DC 20036Phone: 202-518-6500Web site: www.ncne.comA research and advocacy organization focused onempowering low-income Americans. Works withneighborhood organizations to reduce crime andviolence, restore families, create economicopportunity, and revitalize low-income communi-ties. Identifies positive neighborhood agents andsupports these movements through training,technical assistance, and links to outside supportsources.

National Neighborhood Coalition1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 410Washington, DC 20009-5728Phone: 202-986-2096An information and education clearinghouse onnational public policies and federal programs thataffect inner-city neighborhoods. Tracks federallegislation on neighborhood issues and conductsoutreach to the Executive Branch and Congress.Sponsors monthly information forums andpublishes a newsletter.

NeighborWorks Net1325 G Street, NW, Suite 800Washington, DC 20005-3100Phone: 202-220-2300Fax: 202-376-2600Web site: www.nw.orgProvides resources with information relating toa host of community-revitalization efforts fromacross the country. Web site is a function of theneighborhood revitalization and educationalservices offered by Neighborhood ReinvestmentCorporation, Neighborhood Housing Services ofAmerica, and a national network of public andprivate partnerships.

Equality

National Urban League120 Wall StreetNew York, NY 10005Phone: 212-558-5311 or 212-588-5300Web site: www.nul.orgNational, nonprofit, nonpartisan, community-basedmovement dedicated to helping African-Americansattain social and economic equality.

Community Fundraising

The United Way of America701 North Fairfax StreetAlexandria, VA 22314-2045Phone: 800-892-2797Web site: www.unitedway.orgComprising 1,300 local affiliates that providefundraising for community organizations andprograms. Each United Way is supported by privatefunds and volunteer efforts. The funds are directedto a variety of programs and services that meet thespecific needs of each community and focus onissues such as health care, drug abuse andprevention, literacy, poverty, and homelessness.

The Grantsmanship CenterWeb site: www.tgci.com/resources/foundations/community/index.htmlProvides a list of community foundations by state.Community foundations are nonprofit, tax-exempt,publicly supported, grantmaking organizations. Thesefoundations are public charities, since they developbroad support from many unrelated donors witha wide range of charitable interests in a specificcommunity. A community foundation has anindependent board that is broadly representative ofthe public interest and it maintains a diverse grantsprogram that is not limited in scope. In additionto making grants, these foundations often play aleadership role in their communities, serve as aresource for grant information and broker training,and provide technical assistance for local nonprofits.

Resources …


Support for Families

Child and Family Policy Center218 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1021 Fleming BuildingCedar Rapids, IA 52401Phone: 515-280-9027Fax: 515-244-8977Web site: www.cfpciowa.orgOperates the publication clearinghouse andtechnical assistance resource network of theNational Center for Service Integration. Providestechnical assistance and support to construct morecomprehensive, community-based systems ofsupport to families and children.

Family Research Council801 G Street, NWWashington, DC 20001Phone: 202-292-2100Fax: 202-393-2134Web site: www.frc.orgReaffirms and promotes nationally, and particularlyin Washington, D.C., the traditional family unit andthe Judeo-Christian value system upon which it isbuilt. The Council does this through advocacy,information and education.

Family Resource Coalition of America20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 1100Chicago, IL 60606Phone: 312-338-0900Fax: 312-338-1522E-mail: [email protected] site: www.frca.orgWorks to bring about a completely new societalresponse to children, youth, and their families. Buildsnetworks, produces resources, advocates for publicpolicy, provides consulting services, and gathersknowledge to help the family-support movementgrow. FRCA is also a resource for communitieswishing to start a family resource center.

Job Training

The U.S. Office of Apprenticeship Training,Employer and Labor ServicesWeb site: www.doleta.gov/bat/An excellent place to start for information aboutoffering apprenticeships or being an apprentice.Every state has a local office.

Focusing on Kids

Search Institute700 South Third Street, Suite 210Minneapolis, MN 55415-1138Phone: 612-376-8955Toll Free: 1-800-888-7828Fax: 612-376-8956E-mail for general information: [email protected] site: www.search-institute.orgAn independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian organiza-tion whose mission is to advance the well being ofadolescents and children by generating knowledgeand promoting its application. Conducts researchand evaluation, develops publications and practicaltools, and provides training and technical assis-tance.

Child-Friendly Initiative184 Bocana StreetSan Francisco, CA 94110Phone: 1-800-500-5234Web site: www.childfriendly.orgA nonprofit organization devoted to makingcommercial, institutional, governmental, and real-world spaces friendly to children. Encourages thedevelopment of active and healthy children bypromoting an understanding of children’s needsand designing public and private spaces to ensurethese needs are met.

Kids Count Data BookWeb site: www.aecf.org/kidscount/kc1999/KIDS COUNT, a project of the Annie E. CaseyFoundation, is a national and state-by-state effort totrack the status of children in the United States. All1999 KIDS COUNT data is now available from aneasy-to-use, powerful online database that allowsyou to generate custom graphs, maps, ranked lists,and state-by-state profiles.

The Children’s PartnershipP.O. Box 40278Austin, TX 78704Web site: www.childrenspartnership.comThis nonprofit, nonpartisan organization informsleaders and the public about the needs of Americanchildren. The site includes a newsletter and lists ofpublications that may be downloaded.

Resources


Community-built Playgrounds

Learning Structures97 High StreetSomersworth, NH 03878Phone: 1-800-533-1553 or 603-692-2227.Web site: www.learningstructures.com/index.htmlA company that offers comprehensive services tocommunities wanting to build a community-builtplayground. All-inclusive services cover planning,design, construction supervision and budgetmanagement. Each project is custom designedto fit the community’s site and needs.

KaBOOM!2213 M Street, NWWashington, DC 20037Phone: 202-659-0215Fax: 202-659-0210Web site: www.kaboom.orgThis national nonprofit organization helpscommunities set up the partnerships needed tocreate a community-built playground. By the endof the year 2000, KaBOOM! will build, renovate orprovide technical assistance to develop 1,000community-built playgrounds. This campaignfocuses on 10 “child-rich and playground-poor”cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles,Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco andWashington, DC. However, for other areas, theKaBOOM! Playground Pool offers opportunitiesfor organizations to receive matching funds toinitiate and support community playgrounds.

Work and Family Issues

Families and Work Institute330 Seventh Avenue, 14th FloorNew York, NY 10005Phone: 212-465-2044Fax: 212-465-8637Web site: www.familiesandwork.orgFamilies and Work Institute is a nonprofitorganization that addresses the changing natureof work and family life by finding research-basedstrategies that help families, workplaces andcommunities support each other.

Entrepreneurial ParentWeb site: www.en-parent.comThis site is a community and career resourcefor parents looking to balance work and familyon their own terms. It addresses the needs ofentrepreneurial parents on both the business andparenting front – from colleague camaraderie toprofessional career counseling, from quick-tiparticles to inspirational profiles.

Things for Kids to Do

Afterschool AlliancePhone: 202-296-9378Web site: www.mott.orgWeb site: www.ed.gov/21stcclcWeb site: www.jcpenney.net/company/candoCoordinated by the Charles Stewart MottFoundation, this alliance of public, privateand nonprofit groups is committed to raisingawareness and expanding resources for after-school programs. The goal is to ensure thatevery child in America has access to qualityafter-school programs by the year 2010.

Boy Scouts of AmericaWeb site: www.bsa.scouting.orgMore than 300 local councils that providequality youth programs, including Tiger Cubs,Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, and Venturing.

Campfire Boys and Girls4610 Madison AvenueKansas City, MO 64112Phone: 816-756-1950Fax: 816-756-0258Web site: www.campfire.orgThrough informal educational opportunities inclubs, child care settings, classrooms andcamps, supports the development of motivated,self-confident boys and girls.

Girl Scouts420 Fifth AvenueNew York, NY 10018Phone: 1-800-GSUSA4U or 1-800-478-7248Web site: www.gsusa.orgProvides girls opportunities to develop theirpotential and have fun with their peers in asupportive, all-girl setting. A movement thatgives girls from all segments of American life achance to develop their potential, to makefriends, and to become a vital part of theircommunity. Based on ethical values, it opens upa world of opportunity for girls, working inpartnership with adult volunteers. Its sole focusis to meet the special needs of girls.

Resources …


Also from theStudy Circles Resource Center

Changing Faces, Changing Communities:Immigration & race, jobs, schools, and languagedifferences, 2nd ed. 1997. A discussion guidedesigned to help communities face the challengesand meet the opportunities that come withimmigration. In addition to six discussion sessions,this guide also provides pointers on how to involvepublic officials in study circles.

Facing the Challenge of Racism and RaceRelations: Democratic Dialogue and Action forStronger Communities, 3rd ed. 1997. Built on thesuccess of two previous editions, this guide offersfive sessions that discuss history, institutionalracism, economic opportunity, public policy, andstrategies for change. It also provides tips fororganizing community-wide study circle programsaction examples from around the country.

Confronting Violence in Our Communities: AGuide for Involving Citizens in Public Dialogueand Problem Solving,1994. A four-sessiondiscussion guide examining how violence affectsour lives, what causes violence, and what can bedone in neighborhoods and schools.

Education: How Can Schools and CommunitiesWork Together to Meet the Challenge?: A Guidefor Involving Community Members in PublicDialogue and Problem Solving. 1995. A multi-session discussion guide which examines thechallenges schools face and the ways in whichcommunity members and educators can worktogether to improve education.

Protecting Communities, Serving the Public:Police and residents building relationships towork together. 2000. A five-session discussion guideto help communities improve working relationshipsbetween residents and police departments bybuilding trust and respect, developing better policies,and making changes for safer communities.

Toward a More Perfect Union in an Age ofDiversity: A Guide for Building StrongerCommunities through Public Dialogue. 1997.A four-session discussion guide examining ideasabout unity, diversity, and pluralism and how theyaffect us as individuals, as members of organiza-tions and businesses, as residents of ourcommunities, and as citizens of our country.

Smart Talk for Growing Communities: Meetingthe Challenges of Growth and Development.1998. A five-session discussion guide which helpscommunities address the effects of developmentand find ways to make growth work for them. Thisguide also provides pointers on how to involvepublic officials in study circles and numerousaction examples from around the country.

Youth Issues, Youth Voices: A Guide for EngagingYouth and Adults in Public Dialogue andProblem Solving. 1996. A multi-session discussionguide geared toward bringing young people andadults together to address the community issuesthat involve and impact them, from race relationsto substance abuse.

A Guide for Training Study Circle Facilitators.1998. Presents a step-by-step agenda for a basicstudy circle training program, as well as informationon building and supporting an ongoing trainingprogram, including recruitment, skill building,training young people as facilitators, and otherrelated information. Training and evaluationmaterials are also included.

A

Acknowledgments


special thank you to the people whoorganized study circles to test this guide in Waco,Texas; Arlington, Texas; Indianapolis, Indiana;Des Moines, Iowa; and Tacoma, Washington.We learned a great deal from their observations.We also thank the many people who shaped thisguide by reading drafts and offering constructivecriticism and useful suggestions. These review-ers, along with organizers of the field tests, arelisted below. (The Study Circles Resource Centeris solely responsible for any errors in the guide.)

Diane Arnold, Hawthorne Community Center,Indianapolis, Indiana

Cindy Sesler Ballard, Coalition of CommunityFoundations for Youth, Austin, Texas

Bettie Beard, Heart of Texas Council ofGovernments, Waco, Texas

John Borquist, Dane County Department ofHuman Services, Madison, Wisconsin

Gail Brandt, Home, Safe, Tacoma Washington

Charles Bruner, Child and Family Policy Center,Des Moines, Iowa

Deanna Carlson, Family Research Council,Washington, D.C.

Janet Dougherty-Smith, ClackamasEducation Service District, Marylhurst, Oregon

Donna Freeman, Fort Howard/JeffersonNeighborhood Family Resource Center,Green Bay, Wisconsin

Sid Gardner, Center for the Collaboration forChildren, California State University, Fullerton,California

Edith Johnson, People Helping People, Tacoma,Washington

Beth Kelly, People United for Families, Denver,Colorado

Reverend Phyllis J. Leopold, Council ofChurches of Greater Bridgeport, Connecticut

Loretta Milam, Hampton Coalition for Youth,Hampton, Virginia

Jackie Mitchell, The Center for Rural Lifeand Economic Development, Alcorn, Missis-sippi

Kent Newman, Wallace House Foundation,Des Moines, Iowa

Michelle Sargent, Portland, Maine

Jackie Schley, Hunter Pointe HomeownersAssociation, Arlington, Texas

Penfield Tate, Colorado State Representative,Denver, Colorado

Mary Lou Tietz, Community Family LifeServices, Washington, D.C.

John Young, Waco Tribune-Herald, Waco,Texas

Elaine Zimmerman, Connecticut Commissionon Children, Hartford, Connecticut

This guide is a manual for study

circle participants, organizers,

and facilitators.

A project of the Topsfield Foundation, Inc.

Study Circles Resource Center

P.O. Box 203

Pomfret, CT 06258

Telephone: 860-928-2616

Fax: 860-928-3713

E-mail: [email protected]

Web site: www.studycircles.org

building strong neighborhoods for families with …...the study circles resource center developed...

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