Discussion 02: Building a Group
Please note: In order to successfully complete the program, you must respond to this post. Your comment/response should answer the questions/show that you completed the given activity (if any). Read the post carefully and implement the learning in the chat rooms. If you didn't participate in Discussion 01: Introduction to Group Support, then check here!
Welcome back, crew! In this discussion, we will learn about building a group.
As you have observed and noticed, some chat rooms are the busiest space while some are pretty quiet or slow. That means many factors contribute to a group building. It could be the topic, time of the day, members already there, social anxiety, facilitator, and so on. Each one of them has a critical role to keep the room active and supportive.
The first thing to acknowledge: 7Cups is a global platform. We are available to 189 countries and we have users who speak more than 140+ languages. That is, we have a large group of diversified members and have demographic and cultural differences. But, the challenge is how to connect them?
So, to do that, we structured and created certain rules and policies in order to facilitate group interaction. One of them is to use English as a common language to communicate. As per the research, 20% of the Earth's population speaks English, that is, the highest percentage for a language used for communication followed by the Mandarin language.
Then, we placed the chatroom rules regarding what is acceptable or unacceptable behavior in the chatroom so we are able to ensure the room is well moderated, safe, healthy, and compassionate space to connect and interact to get and provide support to each other.
That means in order to build a group, you need to identify the common grounds, and based on that you can structure a group for group support. Anxiety Support Room, for example, serves the purpose to support the members struggling with anxiety or to share the progress they make and what is working for them. Sharing Circle Room, another example, serves the purpose of the most structured and uninterrupted space to share and vent.
So, how as a group specialist/ facilitator, leader, one sets up the group is crucially important for its success. One needs to have an eye for details, structural features of a group to ensure a good environment for participation. It is important to reduce the unproductive anxiety, foster compassionate interaction among the members, increase the likelihood of good attendance and active participation, therapeutic processes, and discourage any unhealthy cliques to build a healthy group.
Discussion: Share a challenge experienced while building a group in the chatrooms? What did you learn?
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.
@ASilentObserver
To attract people you must have something they want. If that is only the presents of others you will get the same result as most the rooms have which is they are used very little and by very few people.
For the most part people want help but they only get socialization at best from the rooms. How about a room that has a bot that brings up a new subject to discuss every 20 minutes so that people are prompted to reply.
@Gettingbettertoday Sometimes in groups, they have planned and approved discussions that a mod might host. For example, I know in disability chat we have them every once in a while :)
@ASilentObserver
I think challenge can be when someone makes or presents such challenge. For example, in a work setting, a boss will give an employee ask an employee to create a presentation for the company that employee works for. The employee will find it challenges especially since they have a certain amount of time to complete the presentation.
This type of challenge is a good learning experience because it can expand the employers knowledge and it can make good headway for future challenges.
@ASilentObserver
I help out a lot in the Disability Support Room (thats really the only member support room I have hung out in). I am also Room Support for that room.
I think the biggest challenge is allowing everyone to be heard and validated. If there are multiple people wanting to talk about their problems at any given time, it is hard to really make sure everyones concerns are talked about. It's also hard because theres not usually a mod in there when I'm in there and sometimes things get out of hand very quickly...
@beck1 I forgot to put what I learned
Something that I have learned in these experiences is to really look out for people in the group that maybe aren't getting any replies to their messages
@beck1
Great tips. Thanks for sharing ❤
A chalange i have found is handling the amount of different conversations, to over come this I put a compassion herat on messages that are intended for me to reat and to reply to
@ASilentObserver
@pianoplayer1253
That's a helpful tip. Thanks for sharing ❤
@ASilentObserver
Discussion: Share a challenge experienced while building a group in the chatrooms? What did you learn?
1. Make sure everyone feel welcomed, heard and validated.
2. Start new conversation when chatroom is quite and encourage everyone to participate in ongoing conversations.
3. Make sure room is supportive and healthy environment for everyone.
Welcome everyone when they enter to the room and Ask how they are doing.
Ask open ended questions or ice breaker questions to start new conversations. Invite everyone to join the ongoing conversation or discussion if they are comfortable.
Follow community guidelines and chatroom rules and encourage everyone to do same. Respect everyone and make sure not to mention triggering topics.
A challenge that I have been facing recently is an initially empty room. I am talking about the teen Sharing Circle. It is a popup room. That means that the room is empty when it is opened. The problem is that you cannot begin your session before you have enough participants in it to make those who want to share feel that it is worth sharing. Especially at certain times of the day it takes time for people to join. But you lose those who already joined while waiting, if you do not keep them engaged.
I think the room should never be silent. Of course, we welcome everyone who enters. But that is not enough. There should be a topic of discussion that works for everyone. I think personal topics are best (how they feel, about their sleep, their day or dreams, work, weekend and plans). When doing that, we must be careful to include everyone because some are not self confident enough to say something and lack of engagement makes us lose them to other rooms. Addressing them directly is a good option. Changing topics frequently can also help. Icebreakers are also good for engaging those in the room. But I think that too many can make it feel forced.
A tricky question then is when to move on to the session. I ask the participants what they think and if they think they would like to share now. If not, I continue with the semi-open discussion until the room is livelier.
@MagnificentSunrise wow yes I agree
@MagnificentSunrise
Sharing circle is such a valuable time/experience, I’m so glad the ATLs brought it back from the dead! I like the idea of asking personal questions (how did you sleep, how are you feeling, etc.)
@ASilentObserver
A challenge experienced while building a group, I would have to say cultural differences, I've looked at the different responses, and I can see some of the challenges were people being quiet, and that's understandable; however, there are always ways around that, a challenge i have is when something acceptable for them might not be for me, or the other way about. Perhaps sometimes, it's a sense of humour that doesn't get translated and could give off the wrong message to people.
I've learnt to be mindful of my words, and I've come to an understanding that some people might have difficulty to communicate and there might be other barriers to the English language, and I need to keep an open mind.
@FrenchMarbles
The cultural differences and neurodiversity is definitely cast here and some may have mentioned it’s easy to forget this when we’re on an anonymous online platform. So remembering this every time before going into the group chats makes it for us to be prepared and be mindful of what share to try to come together.
@ASilentObserver
One of my challenges in building groups is remembering regulars and what they've shared. Being recognized and remembered is a big part of feeling connected to a community and I want to provide that. I have a hard time remembering names and faces generally and online it is even harder. I have started taking private notes to remember usernames and basic info like pronouns and what room I met folks in. But normally during a group chat there is too much going on to take my own notes too, so I haven't been actually doing it much.
@cinnamoncocoa
Ah yes, this can certainly be a challenge. There are so many wonderful cups users that it can be difficult to remember everyone’s names, pronouns, and experiences!
@cinnamoncocoa
Thats a smart idea and by doing this shows you’re putting the effort to create groups where people feel belonged in. It is nice when coming in and someone recognizes you so by noting facts of each person it does help those rehúseles feel noted and more compelled to come in again even if not so much for the learning but to further connect with others.
@cinnamoncocoa
I have experienced the challenge of remembering regulars and their stories as well. Sometimes I tend to gravitate toward the regulars and forget to welcome and engage more with the new people
@ASilentObserver
I would have to agree with some people above who said the challenges they faced were people “lurking” and not participating. However, during my last discussion, there were many people participating and few lurkers! I like the other people’s suggestions of icebreaker questions and offering cookies. 🍪
@ASilentObserver
Discussion: Share a challenge experienced while building a group in the chatrooms? What did you learn?
As a listener discussion host, a challenge I’ve experienced while building a group in the chat rooms was finding a way to bring mutual understanding amongst everyone on what to do or what’s expected Also finding a method for me to see whoever read or acknowledged what to do in the discussion. So because of these kinds of challenges I faced in the beginning I added what I call essentially an objective and what’s expected For example, I would put along the lines that the responses people can share are not right or wrong, just what their insights of the questions would be and to have the liberty to comment, ask questions and interact with those responses I learned that by making sure I put this objective and expectations and letting others know to put a like once people read these that this can help everyone I know what to do I have also learned that each leader has their own specific way of handling groups so my specific way so far is adding an expectation where I share the question, then give a few minutes for people to share and interact and then I share my own intake after acknowledging what others shared and right after let them know when I’ll put next question
@Mari228 that's good to hear that you have a strategy/ method that would help bring the group together and stay on the same page. And yes, I also agree that many group leaders have their own way and hosting style for their group discussions.
