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  • Poetry as a Gateway to Free Expression with Kate Clanchy MBE

    Poetry as a Gateway to Free Expression with Kate Clanchy MBE
    2025/07/20
    Tessa and Kate talked about • Poems can create the shared space; poems that are appropriate for and speak to who is there • Poetry as a joining-in activity to be shared aloud as in the tradition of oral history, not like a pressed flower in a book • The poem creates a structure for people and children to organise their thoughts and even learn a language • As a facilitator, she narrates the experience to support the momentum of writing: a series of cues of what they could try, reading parts of the poem again • Poetry circles can work for very small groups and large ones, in person and online • Create an encouraging environment by giving praise as they work, need to affirm their poetry because will tend towards being critical • 90 minutes is a good amount of time to introduce the poem, have time for writing, then sharing • Guidelines such as encouraging clapping are to help it be a positive experience – in groups not about an analytical approach but to ‘react to it like it’s a song. • Kate will chose a line she thinks is really great from the poem as an introduction and if someone is shy and doesn’t want to read their poem, she will ask if it’s okay to read it for them • She welcomes feelings to arise because they come when the person is ready to express them • Important to give options for people to write about – she gives prompts that aren’t directly emotive, but often they will write something emotional from a light / general prompt e.g. food, something you remember • A poem can feel like a safe space because it’s expressing something beautifully • These poetry circles enable people to create their own safe spaces and get into a habit of expressing themselves • Good sources of poems, other than Kate’s books of course, are ‘Being Alive’ and ‘Poetry Foundation’ and Tessa uses John O’Donohue’s ‘Benedictus’
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    36 分
  • Taking Circle on Retreat: Cultivating Connection

    Taking Circle on Retreat: Cultivating Connection
    2025/07/16
    In this episode, Tessa and Julia talked about how circle time can utilise the special environment of a retreat to deepen practices and sharing. They give some examples of where circle was used well and where it wasn't used at all.
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    24 分
  • Boys, Masculinity & Rites of Passage with Davis J Williams

    Boys, Masculinity & Rites of Passage with Davis J Williams
    2025/07/13
    In this interview with Davis J Williams and Julia Davis, they talked about: • Moving from the competitive field of football coaching where some young people struggled to participate to supporting youth in the community • In Gambia, found that young boys went through a rite of passage at 13 years old and saw the difference that made to their self-respect, discipline, self-control and ambition • The journey to manhood builds throughout the boys’ lives, involving the whole community • Wanted to bring this rite of passage experience to the boys becoming involved in violence in London whose parents are struggling alone to guide them • Is important to involve parents to support their skills – developed the Parenthood Academy e.g. to create more intimacy at home like parents holding hands to model caring environment, eating meal together at a table • Bring in cartoons and animations to talk about manhood to combat narratives on social media e.g. through talking about Batman story and trauma of losing his parents • Programmes are run by volunteers from the community who want to support positive masculinity, rather than getting funding from local authorities or referrals from schools • Too important to wait for public funding to be provided, parents pay subscriptions for the kids to attend because they value the programme • Focus on building accountability to each other and the practitioners – a brotherhood – and once built rapport take them away for a deeper emotional experience of overcoming a challenge • Sit in circle without distraction – no mask wearing, no bravado - finding connections with safe people rather than with gangs • Alongside, Parent Lead is working with the parents to go on their own emotional journey and remembering their own goals, encouraging ongoing conversations between parents and youths • Length of time youths are involved varies – longest is 4 years of holding space for transformation • Peer leaders who volunteer come from different professions – all have in common that they have capacity to care • Strict screening process in place • Not easy because have to overcome the boys’ resistance to authority figures • Have to allow conversation to go where the boys want to take it, even when uncomfortable or controversial, for someone to have the courage to give different opinions
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    47 分
  • Which Is For You? An Open or Closed Talking Circle with Julia and Tessa

    Which Is For You? An Open or Closed Talking Circle with Julia and Tessa
    2025/07/10
    In this conversation, Tessa and Julia talked about what open and closed circles are, what the benefits are and what you might consider when setting them up. Enjoy!
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    19 分
  • Making Space for Difficult Conversations with Ariel Kahn

    Making Space for Difficult Conversations with Ariel Kahn
    2025/07/06
    In this interview with Ariel Kahn and Julia Davis, they discussed: Building relationships through a shared passion for literature The importance of creating spaces where everyone feels comfortable Changing the location of your circle The use of food and drink to build community How creative writing can be used as a bridge between communities The power of curiosity Literature as an olive branch for constructive conversations around difference The use of literature as a tool for crossing cultural boundaries Using circle in an education setting and the use of educational tools Enabling listening amongst cultural conflicts: modelling disagreement Circle as a space for digesting and formulating new ideas Vulnerability as strength in LGBT+ circles Stories as a vehicle for transformation The use of props in circle Workshops with an element of circle Creating firm guidelines around anonymity - the Chatham House rules
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    51 分
  • Highlights and Reflections on Series 2: Our Favourite Bits! with Julia and Tessa

    Highlights and Reflections on Series 2: Our Favourite Bits! with Julia and Tessa
    2025/03/19
    In this episode, Tessa and Julia shared their highlights of the past 14 episodes including: - the power of circles with children and young people (Roy Leighton, Sophie King-Hill and Nellie Harden) - the importance of embodiment in talking circles for the participants and as a circle facilitator (Henika Patel and Marta Fabregat) - the spectrum of circles from in your living room to an international, decades-old organisation (Nicky Yazbeck and Mike Irwin) - the gift of being authentic as a group facilitator rather than being 100% perfect or professional!
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    13 分
  • Working with Families: Meeting Children's Needs So They Can Thrive with Nellie Harden

    Working with Families: Meeting Children's Needs So They Can Thrive with Nellie Harden
    2025/03/07
    In this episode, Tessa and Nellie talk about: • Circles show up in all sorts of places like music groups and choirs • Growth happens in relationship, not isolation, which makes circles perfect for change • Modern life with devices and social media makes it hard for families to do active listening with each other • Get clarity about your child’s learning language so your message gets through e.g. pictures, words, movement • Playing loud music really helped to prepare the 12-18 year olds for listening later – think of your attendees’ needs • A clarity board enables you to write or draw what you hear the other person is saying and check you’ve got it right (up to 5 things you hear) • A facilitator can provide third-party validation where a change in relationship / communication is the goal • Aim is to create a space to develop truth and trust with the circle so that the amygdala doesn’t shut down processing too much flight and fight • Rules for Nellie’s session is ROCKS: Respect, Obedience, Compassion, Kindness, Self-discipline • Can take a break if things get heated to re-establish calm or use ‘square breathing’ (also known as even breathing) with tracing the square on the leg • Make the participants aware of defence mechanisms such as sarcasm, mocking, dismissing, interrupting, ignoring and distraction – these are destructive forms of communication and you need to take a break if it happens • In terms of time keeping, you can put a leeway / buffer for latecomers but also at the end in case you are in something deep and don’t want to interrupt the process • A firm boundary is having phones away • Acknowledging the role of hormones in relationships is important in this age group.
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    44 分
  • Online vs In Person Circle: Which One Do I Choose?

    Online vs In Person Circle: Which One Do I Choose?
    2025/03/05
    In this episode, Julia and Tessa covered: - The benefits of both online and in person circles - The challenges of online and additional guidelines you might put into place - The additional work that an in person circle might involve in setting up the physical space - Examples of how both online and in person circles have worked with different demographics.
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    24 分