Lessons Learned: Group Participation

When planning an event with group participation, setting a participation goal can be motivating and provide a tool for evaluation after the event. This lessons learned touches on one of my least-favorite/favorite topics; participation!

Participation is my least favorite because when it is bad, it can be really bad. We've all been to workshops or meetings with poor turnouts. Low participation can force a group to re-cover material at a future meeting that was previously discussed at a poorly attended one. On the reverse, too many participants can make a group event feel over crowded, physically or emotionally removed, and rushed.

Participation is my favorite because when you reach that ideal amount it can really make your job as a facilitator easier. For instance, some activities have an ideal amount of participants and too many or too little requires more effort on the part of group leaders to account for the "excess" or lack thereof. Also, if a group is attempting something for the first time, a smaller group can be more manageable than a large one.

Participation can also be a motivating factor and a tool for evaluation. If you haven't reached the goal you set out for in recruitment, you know you must keep up or increase your efforts. If your event had poor participation rates, you can use that as feedback in determining what changes you need to make in future to your program or its marketing strategy.

For all of these reasons I feel setting a participation goal is a prudent decision.

Lessons Learned is a RAPP Blog initiative intended for folks who hold formal leadership positions in RAPP programs to share what they're learning through their process

Lessons Learned: The Disengagement

Facilitating RAPPORT has proved to be quite different than facilitating ARJ or a workshop on campus. Working with RAPPORT since 2012 has vastly expanded how I present materials, models and how I work with members in the group. One thing to remember is that most of the people who go to RAPPORT meetings have gone through one intensive already.

When I facilitate workshops however, many of the people we reach haven't gone through a social justice education program. And even if they have attended such programs, they may only be attending a workshop because their professor or learning community has set the workshop in place. Therefore, as someone leading or co-leading the workshop I have to realize not everyone is comfortable or eager to talk about whatever materials or issues we are presenting to them.

In any enviroment, there will be people talking and talking and talking. I was one of them in my RAPP year and maybe that's why I'm here! :)
Anywho, and in every group there will be a few people not talking much. It doesn't mean I'm confusing people or not making any sense, but just that some people aren't as engaged as other. I have to remember not to take things personally and embrace the disengagement!

Lessons Learned is a RAPP Blog initiative intended for folks who hold formal leadership positions in RAPP programs to share what they're learning through their process

Lessons Learned: Flu Shot!

Well, as a person who hardly gets sick, imagine my surprise to leave a retreat with a little cough. That little cough managed to grow into a fever that morphed into body aches and sore throat. What do you know, the flu! In that moment, it was good to remember, FLU SHOTS can prevent such things from happening. It took a good week or so to re-cooperate! But I came back stronger than ever!

Lessons Learned is a RAPP Blog initiative intended for folks who hold formal leadership positions in RAPP programs to share what they're learning through their process

Lessons Learned: Self Care = Important

While in Japan last May on study tour, my host family asked me what I did for a living. I proudly told them I was working 66 hours between a few jobs. It was then that something strange happened. Instead of being given the "Wow, that's awesome" face I've become used to, I was given the "Aww, you poor thing" face. This was emphasized when I considered that Japanese work culture is one of the most diligent (and in my opinion overworked) in the world. I was subsequently hit with a barrage of self-care questions. When do you eat? How long are you sleeping at night? How do you make time for your friends and family? 

I think it really sunk in for me at that time. Self-care is important!

  

As a self-ascribed person who works too much, I feel that the concept of self-care is something I often overlook. Recently, I was forced to miss a few days of work, including a RAPP meeting, due to illness and I still haven't stopped giving myself a hard time over it. I clearly remember throwing-up in a bucket and thinking "Well, it's not that bad. Maybe I can go in...." This type of thinking is WRONG. 

Other than the glaring possibility of infecting my entire office with a super-bug, I need to think of myself as important too. Pushing oneself too hard can be bad for both your mental and physical health. We all need a break sometime!  

Lessons Learned is a RAPP Blog initiative intended for folks who hold formal leadership positions in RAPP programs to share what they're learning through their process

Lessons Learned: Review in Advance

Being a facilitator in RAPP XXIX allows me to practice session-plan execution at each meeting. I found that reviewing the session in advance of the meeting and adjusting to make it my own can help me feel more prepared and confident in-session.

Much like studying for a test, a facilitator should study their session plan. As Plato once said, "Twice and thrice over, as they say, good is it to repeat and review what is good." Improvisation is great in small doses, but it is easy to miss the main goal of your meeting when you throw your well laid plans to the side.  The effort you put into planning really shows when you stick to that plan.

The flip side of this is when you cannot put your session plan down. I struggle with this quite a bit. Sometimes if you interpret it too strictly, it becomes a crutch that can make adjusting to the group's ever changing mood/conversation difficult. Sometimes it feels as though those few pieces of white paper are an extension of my arm that I can't put down.

Going forward, I will do my best to stick to the session plan without having it stuck to me.

Lessons Learned is a RAPP Blog initiative intended for folks who hold formal leadership positions in RAPP programs to share what they're learning through their process