JoFacilitator's Stories: Ordinary People Making a Positive Difference

The clustering stage of the Consensus Workshop Method is often really challenging, especially to those (most of us) who have been deeply trained to sort and categorize ideas: "Which of these is not like the other?" Somehow the capacity to see new constellations of ideas, a "gestalt" of the detailed ideas into bigger ideas that hold new insight, is a real challenge. [ 435 more words ] http://jofacilitator.ca//making-clustering-ideas-easier-u/

A restaurant owner, a photographer and a dance studio operator are all finding ways to help their communities.

We can make a difference.

An not-so-ordinary gesture, but one that demonstrates how powerful thinking of others can be.

All it takes is a connection...

Community support of each other!

Everybody Welcome Story Immanuel Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, Virginia, Rev. Matthew Bucher, August 2016 On the invite to the birthday party there is an image of a sign saying Everybody Welcome, from East Enders Against Racism. The sign recalls the ones printed by Immanuel Church in Harrisonburg, Virginia during the 2016 US election. The pastor, council and congregation started printing election style lawn signs stating No matter where you are from, we’re glad you’re our neighbour, in English, Spanish and Arabic. [ 217 more words ] http://jofacilitator.ca//ordinary-people-making-a-positiv/

Virginia Kanyagonya’s Story Pidia Joseph Allieu has made it his life's work to eradicate sexual violence in Sierra Leone. Although the precise figures are impossible to confirm, it's estimated that more than 200,000 women were the victims of gender-based violence during the country's devastating 1991-2002 civil war - and this legacy of abuse has endured. In February 2019, the president of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, declared rape a national emergency. [ 364 more words ] http://jofacilitator.ca//virginia-kanyagonyas-story-ordin/

Another stir of ordinary people making a positive difference.

How can each of us do this in our own situations?

Vicki Ziegler’s Story A year ago last summer, some of us neighbourhood acquaintances were chatting as we rolled up our mats after a pleasant, early morning yoga class in the local park with which we are all loosely associated as "friends of the park". The subject was book clubs, and the somewhat wistful lament was that most conventional book clubs never seem to work out or last: participants don't like the books selected or feel that certain participants dominate the selections and discussions, or it's too much pressure to finish reading and prepare for rigorous questions and analysis at the meetings, or it's not enough about the books and more of an excuse to just drink wine and gossip. [ 754 more words ] http://jofacilitator.ca//vicki-zieglers-story-ordinary-pe/

I’m running out of stories from my birthday party after a year, but here are 5 more that are inspiring.