Discussion 01: Introduction to Group Support
Before we dive into the Group Leadership & Development aspects, it is important to know what 7Cups Group Support.
As per Merriam Webster Dictionary, Group is a number of individuals assembled together or having some unifying relationship. While group dynamics are the attitudinal and behavioral characteristics of a group. It is focused on how groups form, their structure and process, and how they operate. More specifically, why and how groups develop.
This is what you will notice in the 7 Cups Group Support. 7Cups started with providing support 1-1s. But as we grew up, we realized that 1-1s are not enough. There is a need for group interaction as well. To meet the community's needs and demands, we added group support. We created and used chat rooms to structure a safe environment to facilitate group support. We have dedicated chat rooms for both listeners and members to provide support as per their needs.
Currently, we have more than 150+ chat rooms to serve different purposes and needs of both members and listeners community for both adults and teens. Amazing! Right?
We are a vast community and we recognize our diversified members and their needs and demands. And, these chat rooms became safe spaces to connect, interact, engage, learn, share, and grow collectively. These rooms are not only used for support reasons but also to brainstorm and problem solves, celebrate small and big achievements, and gain a sense of belonging to this community.
Moving forward, we identified the needs of moderating these rooms, so we introduced the chat room moderator role, figured out we need facilitators to lead different sessions in the chat rooms, so added Support Session Leader and On-spot Host as the recent addition to it. We figured out the safety issues in the chat rooms, and we badge locked the rooms. So as we learned more about the needs and demands, we kept iterating and evolving group support for better experiences and support for everyone. We are on a journey to build the best group support. And, we will continue to progress …
Discussion: Share 3 highs and 3 lows you experienced in the group support chatroom!
Activity: Respond to at least two of your fellow trainees' comments with thoughts on their share.
After fulfilling the requirements of this post, please check out the next discussion here! Ensure to implement the learning from these discussions in the chat rooms to build and support the group. You must take part in the brainstorming/activities given in all of these discussions to successfully complete the program.
I don't really have the best memory, so I don't have specifics but I can share what I like about 3
3 highs during group support experiences
1) Leading support sessions and developing connection with multiple members.
2) Providing support for fellow listeners in the Listener Support Room.
3) I love leading Listener Sharing Circle because it allows me to see how people are doing in their listener journey.
3 lows during group support experiences
1) My social anxiety makes it hard for me to join group support when there is no one I know around.
2) The rooms get a little overwhelming when chat is going fast and there are a lot of people in the room.
3) When there are people arguing with expreienced group support leaders in the room. I don't like disrespect.
@ASilentObserver
I had been using 7 cups from long time. Hardly ever had tried group support discussion. Recently i started doing it. Below are the my
3 highs
1. The welcoming environment i expeirneced in listener sharing circle.
2. Openly share challenged and get insight from other and support.
3. Member group room i left i would not be able to open up i did and enjoy being part of it.
3 lows
1. Crowded room and so many people coming and going. I felt uncomfortable.
2. There is one room i havent tried because i feel it sentive one i might not hurt anybody in speaking wrong. so i feel it my low
3. while on conversation in grouop disucssion with few member all of sudden one member start talking about some drug being zero knowledge i dont know what they were talking but it left confused and weird feeling.
@ASilentObserver
3 highs
~ as a newbie, TL was the biggest and safest learning space for me, rather be it by reading questions and answers of other or how everytime i asked a question to a CS, mod or any other of more experienced listeners they were so supportive, even when i was faulted
~ group support rooms are a place to make friend given the mixture of support and fun convos, that makes it easier to look forward to come back to cups, to meet the regulars you see as friends again
~ hosting a discussion has always been really fulfilling for me everytime i did it, getting to interact with everyone in the room and to hear different perspectives is great
3 lows
~ feeling outed: the same friendship and knowing eachother well thing that is a good point in my idea can make new joiners to the room feel excluded at times, this can also happen when someone joins in the middle of a conversation and has no idea about the previous part of the story
~ triggers: given the fact many more people are sharing at the same time, there is a high chance of triggers
~ confidential chat information being shared in TL usually simply becasue the listener is not aware of the rules and doesn't know they shouldn't share that info while a mod is not around to remove it fastly
all of these three lows are things that can improve and get fixed (first and second needing more support from mods, RS and regulars which i know all, including myself, are trying) and the last one: can it probably added to the list of tips which are showed everytime you eneter a room??
3 lows
During a group discussion, two members began arguing. I tried unsuccessfully to divert the conversation. Then he helped divert the conversation to the support room, but he didn’t succeed either. Eventually a mod came and he didn’t really succeed either, but eventually one of the members left the group.
At first I wasn't sure. Didn’t I know I could talk now, or just the members? I was not yet aware of the role of all the rooms.
During a group conversation, * someone wrote that in turn. When he was next, I said you could talk. It turned out that he was a listener and this member happened in a sharing circle. I am very careful who is the student, who is the member.
3 highs
On one occasion, a member we had a chat with before praised me. It was a little uncomfortable, I didn’t know how to handle the situation, but it was very nice feedback.
I led a group for the first time and got positive feedback.
It is very good that members return to group discussions.
@ASilentObserver
So three highs for me were
- Support, everyone is so willing and open to give and share great support in the rooms!
- Conversation, whether you need support or just want general discussions there are so many time zones that someone is always available
- Learning, even being in the rooms and taking on different roles within the rooms such as a listener discussion host ive learnt so much!
lows -
- Conflict, the rooms can be an very emotional place so conflic can naturally arise from that
- guideline enforcement, sometimes guidelines have to be enforced in the room and this can sometimes be a really difficult and nerve wracking thing to do!
- cliques, unfortunately sometimes the rooms can be clique - this is the nature of socialising, but I was delighted so see the initiative 7cups have just recently put in place!
1 lows when point rules and people las out.
2 Listener. Making fun of it
3 liseners or members breacking rules and causes conflicts.
Highs
how help the the lsr is.
Lisiter sharing circle listener guides chats on chat topics
hostint listener check in.
@ASilentObserver
3 Highs
When I was a newbie these group chats really helped me explore more about 7 cups.
Listeners were always there to support you when in doubt as to what to reply or handle a situation a member is in .
When we are down or low after chatting with other members I would directly go and chat with the other listeners and they would console me.
3 Lows
Previous chats cannot be viewed
There is no typing symbol if anyone is typing.
The topics are easy deviated and I have found people rude to each other.
@ASilentObserver
I've been hosting SC, HH, and LSC consistently for a while now, so it's hard to pick only 3 for each. Regardless, here's what stood out in my mind.
3 highs during group support experiences
1) I've messed up countless sessions when I first started hosting. The support from com mods and the regular community kept me going and helped me become the host I am today.
2) Many positive memories from light-hearted chats and just joking around with members and com mod on duty. The most recent memory would when the com mod on duty pretended to 'remove' me from the room even though I was the host. This 'incident' did cause a bit of confusion among the newer members initially but, things cleared up quickly.
3) Getting recognition from members as someone they can rely on to sort out confusion on Sharing Circle when I enter even though I am not a room supporter or mod yet. (I've been consistently helping out in this room with de-escalation and clearing confusion when there are no mods or room supporters around.)
3 lows during group support experiences
1) Someone openly called me 'idiot' after I volunteered to take over leading a Sharing Circle session because the host who volunteered earlier had to leave early.
2) Triggering topics for me personally sometimes pop up without warning while I'm the host. I had to hide my emotions and feelings in front of others because com mods were caught up in another room and could not take over hosting. (I've since learned that I can set a timer and step away if triggering topics pop up and I'm the host.)
3) Members continuously talk over me when I'm trying to go over the introduction and guidelines because I was the host. It made me feel ignored, and I felt frustrated. As a result, newcomers miss the guidelines, and I end up having to repeat myself.
3 High
Listeners participating in discussions hosted by the Listener Discussion Team
Additional Chat Supports and Chatroom Mentors
Listeners participating in Listener Sharing Circle
3 Low
Sometimes LSC Sessions do not get much participants
Sometimes no Peer Support is available for listeners who request one
N/A
@ASilentObserver
I'm not a listener, mod, or anything of the sort, just a member who utilizes the site to better myself.
Three Highs:
1. There is a lot of empathy and kindness in the 24/7 Support Group Chat; it is relieving, refreshing to be surrounded by people who show care.
2. While the five-minute cutoff in the 24/7 Support Group Chat seems short, a lot can be said, vented, and shared. Those five minutes can be all you or you plus some supporting comments. It's also a good way for everyone to have their time to share.
3. Also most important factor, it has helped me feel less alone.
Three Lows:
1. Unfortunately, there are a lot of interruptions in chats that have a lot of people joining. I remember a time when a person kept interrupting after the que was set, and someone was speaking during their respected turn. Luckily, the host informed them what was going on.
2. I have seen the Support 24/7 chat become very overwhelmed with people talking over one another. While I didn't stay for long, I can see that it would have been easy to get lost.
3. Hmm...I can't think of a third.
