What is a Study Circle?
Study Circles are at the heart of a process for public dialogue and community change. This process begins with community organizing, and is followed by facilitated, small-group dialogue that leads to a range of outcomes. Study circles don't advocate a particular solution. Instead, they welcome many points of view around a shared concern. A study circle program...
- is organized by a diverse group of people from the whole community.
- includes a large number of people from all walks of life.
- has easy-to-use, fair-minded discussion materials.
- uses trained facilitators who reflect the community’s diversity.
- moves a community to action when the study circles conclude.
A study circle:
- is a small, diverse group of 8 to 12 people.
- meets together for several, two-hour sessions.
- sets its own ground rules. This helps the group share responsibility for the quality of the discussion.
- is led by an impartial facilitator who helps manage the discussion. He or she is not there to teach the group about the issue.
- starts with personal stories, then helps the group look at a problem from many points of view. Next, the group explores possible solutions.
Finally, they make plans for action and change. Study circles are based on the following principles...
- involve everyone. Demonstrate that the whole community is welcome and needed.
- embrace diversity. Reach out to all kinds of people.
- share knowledge, resources, power, and decision making.
- combine dialogue and deliberation. Create public talk that builds understanding and explores a range of solutions.
- connect deliberative dialogue to social, political, and policy change.
Visit StudyCircles.org for more information about how you can make Study Circles work for your community.
