Discussion 2: Building a Group
Hi everyone! As you may have observed and noticed, some chat rooms are the busiest space while some are pretty quiet or slow. That means many factors contribute to 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 in keeping 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 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 Mandarin.
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 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, or leader, one sets up the group is crucially important for its success. One needs to have an eye for details, and structural features of a group to ensure a good environment for participation. It is important to reduce 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.
Here is how you build and maintain effective groups!
- Common Ground: Identify shared interests, needs, or experiences to bond diverse members. (e.g., Anxiety Support Room, Sharing Circle Room)
- Clear Structure: Set rules, norms, and schedules to create a safe and predictable environment.
- Facilitator Expertise: Skilled moderators foster compassionate interaction, reduce anxiety, and encourage participation.
- Global Awareness: Respect cultural differences and utilize English as a bridge language.
Question for reflection - Think of one topic you would like to create a group on.
- What is the common ground for the target participants?
- What structure will you put in place?
- How will it be facilitated?
- How will you account for time zones, language differences, and differences in culture if it is a cross-cultural group?
@Hope
I am hosting my Academy chat on 11/23. This is how I am anticipating it will go.
What structure will you put in place?
How will it be facilitated?
I've asked a moderator to help host my discussion. My role is to create a kind and empathetic atmosphere, lead a fun and informative discussion, and gently re-direct the conversation if it's off track. Moderators are also skilled in group discussion, and as a Room Supporter, those are the people I learn from, and look to for direction. They also make sure the room is compassionate and safe.
@Hope
1/the common ground:
Reflection about what made us happy the most in the past few months
@AReineRose
2/clear structure:
The most important rule is to keep order and stick to the main topic
@AReineRose
3/ I will Insha'Allah invite a moderator to attend the session . In corporation with him, we'll keep the session active and everyone motivated.
Question for reflection - Think of one topic you would like to create a group on.
Growth Support Room
1. What is the common ground for the target participants?
The common ground for participants is just being human. People who want to grow and don’t want to grow. A fun group with 2 parts; they can discuss controlling emotions to change someone’s mind after someone has shared their opinion about growing in 2 minutes. The time to share an opinion is 5 minutes. Everyone can switch sides every day from their reality to find validation. The discussion is a drama, so it needs to be in a timing. Participants can have emotional opinions in 5 mins too.
2. What structure will you put in place?
They can share their story, but can’t force others to do like them. They can only persuade the opponents in 2 mins. They can boot those who have the same willingness as them. No harassment in pm, if more than 2 minutes, it can break the room rules as well as the 7 Cups guidelines about inclusivity
3. How will it be facilitated?
I will lean on the rules and remind them once. Kick them immediately if they make a scene to prove their point. Mod will have more power to keep the peace in this room.
4. How will you account for time zones, language differences, and differences in culture if it is a cross-cultural group?
It can be in a one-time zone, like workshops. Feel free for different cultures. Culture is an important part of growing.
@Hope
Question for reflection – Think of one topic you would like to create a group on.
I don't know if this exactly counts as a topic, but I'd love to create a group on "Appreciation."
What is the common ground for the target participants?
The group would be for anyone who wants to celebrate themselves a little more. We often focus so much on what we haven't achieved that we forget to acknowledge the small wins. People could come in and share something they're proud of, something they accomplished recently, or even just something they like about themselves. For example, someone might have made it onto their local football team, finally spoken up in class, or simply managed to get through a difficult week.
What structure will you put in place?
I'd start with a quick check-in where everyone shares how they're feeling. Then, everyone who wants to participate gets a chance to share one thing they're proud of or grateful for. After that, other members can encourage them or celebrate that achievement with them. Towards the end, we'd have a short discussion about how appreciating ourselves and others can improve our confidence and overall well-being before wrapping up with a positive takeaway.
How will it be facilitated?
I'd make sure everyone gets an equal chance to speak, but there would never be any pressure if someone just wants to listen. The main goal would be to keep the space positive, respectful, and supportive. If the conversation starts drifting too far away from the topic, I'd gently guide it back while still making sure everyone feels heard.
How will you account for time zones, language differences, and differences in culture if it is a cross-cultural group?
I'd try to schedule the group at different times on different days so more people have a chance to join. I'd also encourage everyone to use simple language and be patient with one another, especially if English isn't someone's first language. Since people from different cultures may celebrate achievements in different ways, I'd remind everyone to keep an open mind and respect each other's experiences.
