Thursday, May 3, 2012

Rules and Norms for Group Work


In the groups we set up in Russia, a great deal of time is spent on establishing the "Group Rules". At first I was suspicious of their processes but I learned to appreciate and affirm the way they do the group work.


       Each person may share his/her feelings and thoughts at the beginning.
       Everyone may pass
       Greet each person and lay the ground rules
       Arrive on time. Apologize if late
       We shall stay focused on the meeting’s agenda & avoid other matters
       No side talk or discussion. Speak when the moderator recognizes you.
       No cell phones on during group
       We will not fix each other or solve the problems of others. We can have pain without interference.
       We grow while expressing ourselves or listening to others
       Do not give advice unless others ask
       Personal items shared stay in the room
       No quoting others without permission.
       No Blaming, Shaming, put-downs, personal attacks or quoting past failures
       If you leave early, inform the group
       We pray for people as the Lord leads
       Anyone may mention a rule violation
       We will honor the facilitators and follow their lead

See Healing Souls, Touching Hearts for more on developing healthy groups. 


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