Fishbowl – Cross Generational Discussion

by Michele | Jul 25, 2023 | Affirming, Anti-Racism, Children & Youth, Community, Events, Global Community, Learning Opportunities, LGBTQIA+ and Two-Spirit people, News, Regional Council, Social Justice, The United Church of Canada

Youth and Non-Youth Fishbowl Gathering

Regional Councils of ARW, HF and WOW in partnership with The Hub and Trinity UC Kitchener-
Tuesday Sept 26, 2023, evening

Background: Post-COVID, Youth leaders struggle to put together groups. A message often heard from youth in the church is that what’s being offered doesn’t work for them. Being an intercultural church includes finding ways to bridge communication between different age groups/generations.

Goal– To offer a forum that brings together youth and non-youth in the church– a forum that allows the two groups to hear one another and be heard by one another, and to consider what might be the Spirit’s invitation to the church for youth ministry at this time.

FISHBOWL PROCESS:

Eight Youth (teens to twenty-somethings) and eight Non-Youth (40s-90+) from WOW, HF and ARW Regional Councils will gather via Zoom.

• Discussion questions will invite each to share and listen to experiences of their own youth faith formation, and hopes and challenges for youth ministry then and now.
• On each question, using the Zoom spotlight feature to focus on one group of eight:
  • Youth will invite one another to share, while the Non-Youth listen.
  • Places will be switched, and the Non-Youth will invite one another to share while the Youth listen.
  • For some questions, the order might be reversed, with Non-Youth sharing first
• After several rounds of sharing in separate groups, Youth and Non-Youth will have an opportunity to reflect together as one group.

Each group will be invited to reflect on what they have heard and consider possible next steps.

Participants will be given questions for reflection and feedback, to be submitted in writing following the session.

This is a cross-cultural listening event, and a pilot project. This session will not focus on problem solving or planning. The focus of this event is to listen and learn about one another as a first step of re-visioning youth ministry in ARW, HF and WOW in this post-pandemic time.

An HONORARIUM of $105 is available for participants who are not otherwise paid for their time in this discussion.

To apply, complete the Application Form :

https://forms.office.com/r/3qf3JJtxt6

Application deadline Sept 12, 2023

For more information contact:

Thérèse Samuel tsamuel@united-church.ca

Kathy Douglas kdouglas@united-church.ca

Adam Cresswell – hubleadership@gmail.com

Bethany Herlihey- bethanyherlihey@gmail.com