Talk Circles
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Human Rights Department
City Hall Annex, 1300 Main Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4732
Phone: (319) 589-4190
TOD: (319) 589-4193
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February 10, 1999
Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
City Hall
50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001
Dear Mayor Duggan and City Council Members:
This letter is to seek endorsement for the reactivation of the concept of "Talk Circles" in the
City of Dubuque. As you may know, an original set of activities, including structured conversations
among citizens facilitated by Dubuque Area Congregations United, took place in 1997. While these
conversations were productive, they needed more diversity of participants and a greater organizational
base.
The Dubuque Human Rights Commission has decided to make "Talk Circles" one major
objective of the current Community Education Plan. Using our commissioners and other community
leaders, we plan to organize and implement 3-4 simultaneous Talk Circles in late spring, 1999 and in
late fall, 1999.
The Talk Circles focus on issues of diversity, stronger communities during times of change,
race relations and stronger neighborhoods, to name a few. We are prepared to provide facilitators,
materials, meeting sites, and the promise of fruitful discussions among members of the Dubuque
community. Out of these meetings is likely to come ideas and recommendations which can be
transmitted to City of Dubuque government, the schools, the religious community and the
business/labor communities for their consideration.
As the Dubuque Human Rights Commission, we ask for a proclamation of support for the Talk
Circles initiative during March, 1999.
I am enclosing samples of some materials from the program for your review. In addition,
please refer any questions about the program to me at your convenience at 588-5151.
Sincerely,
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Thomas Determan, Chairperson
Dubuque Human Rights
Commission
TD:cs
Attachment
cc: Kelly Larson
Human Rights Commission Members
Service
People
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Responsibility
Innovation
Teamwork
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~ STUDY CIRCLES
Y RESOURCE CENTER
Basic information about the
Study Circles Resource Center
What is a study circle?
The study circle is a simple process for small-group deliberation. There are just a few defining
characteristics:
· A study circle is comprised of 10-15 people who meet regularly over a period of weeks or
months to address a critical public issue in a democratic and collaborative way.
· A study circle is facilitated by a person who is there not to act as an expert on the issue, but to
serve the group by keeping the discussion focused, helping the group consider a variety of
views, and asking difficult questions.
· A study circle examines many perspectives. The way in which study circle facilitators are
trained and discussion materials are written gives everyone "a home in the conversation," and
helps the group explore areas of common ground.
· A study circle progresses from a session on personal experience ("how does the issue affect
me?") to sessions providing a broader perspective ("what are others saying about the issue?")
to a session on action ("what can we do about the issue here?").
What is the Study Circles Resource Center (SCRC)?
SCRC was established in 1990 to promote the use of study circles on critical social and political
issues. It is a project of the Topsfield Foundation, a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan foundation
whose mission is to advance deliberative democracy and improve the quality of public life in the
United States.SCRC operates by creating study circle organizing and discussion materials,
distributing those materials free of charge to organizers of large study circle programs, and
providing free technical assistance to these organizers.
What is a community-wide study circle program?
Study circles can take place within organizations, such as schools, unions, or government
agencies. They have their greatest reach and impact, however, when organizations across a
community work together to create large-scale programs. These community-wide programs
engage large numbers of citizens in a community - in some cases thousands - in study circles on
a public issue such as race relations, crime and violence, or education. Broad sponsoring
coalitions result in strong, diverse community participation. Participants in study circles have an
opportunity to make an impact on an issue they care about.
How do community-wide study circle programs come into being?
Typically, a single organization such as a mayor's office, a school board. or a human relations
commission spearheads and staffs the project. In most communities, the organizing begins when
the initiating organization approaches other key organizations -to build a sponsoring coalition.
Most community-wide programs have 10-30 organizations as sponsors or endorsers. Grassroots
organizations such as churches, neighborhood associations, businesses. schools, and clubs often
take part
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697 Pomfret Street. P.O. Box 203 . Pomfret. Connecticut 06258. Tel: 860-928-2616. Fax: 860-928-3713. E-mail: scrc@neca.com
What are the outcomes of community-wide study circle programs?
By participating in study circles, citizens gain "ownership" of the issues, discover a connection
between personal experiences and public policies, and gain a deeper understanding of their own
and others' perspectives and concerns. They discover common ground and a greater desire and
ability to work collaboratively to solve local problems - as individuals, as members of small
groups, and as members oflarge organizations in the community. Community-wide study circle
programs foster new connections among community members that lead to new levels of
community action. They also create new connections between citizens and government, both at an
institutional level and at the level of parents and teachers, community members and social service
providers, residents and police officers.
Where are community-wide study circle programs going on?
In 1992, Lima, Ohio, became the first city to create a community-wide study circle program.
Since then, 30 communities have followed Lima's lead, ranging in size from Orford, New
Hampshire, to Los Angeles, California. Over 100 other communities are in various stages of
planning and organizing community-wide programs. SCRC also collaborates with a number of
national organizations that are working with the community-wide study circle model, including
the National Crime Prevention Council, the YWCA of the USA, the League of Women Voters,
the Education Commission of the States, the National Association of Human Rights Workers, and
the Alliance for National Renewal.
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~ STUDY CIRCLES
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Topical Discussion Programs and Other Resources
Publications of the SbJdy Circles Resource Center (SCRe) include topical discussion guides and how-to material for sbJdy
circle organizers, facilitators, and trainers.
f
Price OUan. Amt
Comprehensive Discussion Guides
See carespocKing Busy Citizen's discussion guides below
Education: How Can Schools and Communities Work Together to Meet the Challenge? - A multiple- 5.00
session discussion fJfO!11IITI examining the challenges schools face and the ways in which citizens and educatOlS can
improve education; 1995
Confronting Violence in Our Communities: A Guide for Involving Citizens in Public Dialogue and 5.00
Problem Solving - A four-session discussion fJ(O(;T8ITI examining how violence affects our lives, what causes
violence, and what can be done in nekjIbothoods and in schools; 1994
.Can't We All Just Get Along?- A Manual for Discussion Programs on Racism and Race Relations - 5.00
A five- session discussion protpIITI including recommendations for taloring the discussions to a particular community
or organization's concerns; 2nd ed, 1994
Youth Issues, Youth Voices: A Guide for Engaging Young People and Adults in Public Dialogue and 5.00
Problem Solving - A multiple-session discussion program to help young people and adults address the commu-
nity issues which involve and impact them; 1996
Toward a More Perfect Union In an Age of Diversity: A Guide for Building Stronger Communities 5.00
through Public Dialogue - A four-session program examining ideas about unity, diversity, and pluralism, and
how they affect us as members of our communities and our country; 1997
The Busy Citizen's Discussion Guides
Compact and concise; the Busy Citizen's guides on education, violence, race, youth, and pluralism correspond to the
comprehensive guides listed above
The Busy Citizen's Discussion Guide: Education in Our Communities (1995) 1.00
The Busy Citizen's Discussion Guide: Violence in Our Communities (1994) 1.00
The Busy Citizen's Discussion Guide: Racism and Race Relations (1994) 1.00
The Busy Citizen's Discussion Guide: Youth Issues, Youth Voices (1996) 1.00
Gufa de discusi6n para el ciudadano ocupado: EI racism 0 y las relaciones interraciales - SpanIsh 1.00
translation of Busy Citizen's booklet on race relations (1994)
Gufa de discusi6n para el ciudadano activo: subtitle in Spanish - Spanish translation of Busy Citizen's 1.00
booklet on violence (1995)
The Busy Citizen's Discussion Guide: Toward a More Perfect Union In an Age of Diversity (1997) 1.00
Balancing Justice: Setting Citizen Priorities for the Corrections System (1996) 1.00
The Busy Citizen's Discussion Guide: Sexual Harassment (1992) 1.00
The Busy Citizen's Discussion Guide: Civil Rights for Gays and Lesbians (1993) 1.00
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continued on back
Study Circles Resource Center. PO Box 203, 697 Pomfret St. . Pomfret, CT 06258
Phone (860) 928-2616 . Fax (860) 928- 3713. E-mail <scrc@neca.com>