Role and responsiblity

WHO	Group
WHERE	Group-room
MATERIAL	Pen, paper, computer
FACILITATOR	Head of Program
CONCEPT / HABIT OF MIND IN FOCUS	#

To do before this task: Read the following documents in the Introduction: 1. Role description. LINK 2. Expectations of Host. LINK 3. Safety. LINK

Intention:

The intention of this task is to open up the room to become aware of your responsibility as a host. We are holding a deeply transformational space, which demands that we take the time to reflect upon our responsibility and boundaries in doing this work. Through this task, our aim is that you: 1. Become more aware of your responsibility and what is expected of you. 2. Thought clarity in terms of what this role is and what it is not. 3. An awareness of the impact and power you have in this role. 4. That all hosts commit to a certain degree of discipline in terms of showing up, being prepared and setting a good example for everyone.

How:

1	Read through all the documents at the top of this task. (10min) Discuss together if you agree with what is written. Is there something you want to add, and/or change? (Update Evelin Grauen with all necessary changes to these documents)
2	Practical: For this program to be effective, it requires a certain degree of discipline from the whole team, including hosts, head of program, coordinators and locals. You will have to set a good example, stay longer, meet earlier and prepare more. (10min) Reflect upon this alone for ten minutes. What habits, structures, and group guidelines do you need as a team? What do you expect from the rest of your team, in terms of practicalities? What effect can all of these small things have on the participants? (10min) Share your thoughts with the rest of the hosts. (20min) Find/design your host-group habits, structures guidelines. What can you as a team commit to, and how will you implement these commitments?
3	Power: Through your role as a host, you will have the possibility to influence other people. By just having the role, all your words will be remembered a little more clearly, and have a higher impact. It is important to be aware and cautious of this phenomenon. It is, in a microcosm, a test of who you are when you have power. (10min) Reflect alone on the power you have through your role. Why is this happening? What can you do as hosts to level the perceived gap between you and the participants? What would be unethical of you to do as a host? (20min) Share your thoughts to the group. Discuss the topic further with the aim of setting some guidelines for what not to do as a host.
4	Responsibility: Through your work as a host, you will have a higher responsibility than the participants. You are (at least in the beginning) holding a learning space for 6 other people. You are not responsible for the individual actions of people in your group, but you are in many ways responsible for the group. That the group is a healthy space for everyone. This may require that you put your own likes/dislikes aside, and arrest your own biases. (10min) Reflect alone on the responsibility you have for the group: What kind of situations would make it hard for you to facilitate? How would you react if someone in the team feels alienated from the rest of the team? What can you do to facilitate a space where diversity of thought, behavior, world-views etc is celebrated? What can you do to facilitate a space where everyone, (including you) is regarded as equals? (20min) Share your thoughts to the group. Discuss the topic further
5	Wrap up this session with a reminder of your guidelines, tips, commitments etc. Find a way to save them so it is easy to revisit them at a later time. What can you do to ensure that these are implemented and practiced throughout the year?