Discussions
Discussions

Common Questions

Implementation

Facilitation

Featured Sites

Implementation

Who can host a Community Conversation?
Anyone may host Community Conversation, but only tax-exempt organizations or schools in New York State may become a featured site and receive a stipend to help defray the cost of holding the program.

Community Conversations has been developed for three distinct audiences:

  • Community Conversations for Kids gives upper elementary and middle school students the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussion of a short reading in or out of school. These conversations are also appropriate for families.
  • Community Conversations for Young Adults engages middle school, high school or college students in a facilitated discussion of a short reading in or out of school.
  • Community Conversations brings together adult members of a group, organization or neighborhood to join in a facilitated discussion of a short reading.

How do we gather an audience?
The best way to gather an audience is by advertising your event to your own patrons or members through email, newsletters, your website, and social media. The Council provides a flyer template for each Community Conversation topic and audience on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance pages. Include your contact information on the flyer and in any promotional materials, and make sure that you have clear signage at the host site to help participants clearly locate the event space.

In addition to reaching out to your own contacts, you may also want to identify program partners who would be interested in helping you gather an audience for your event. Consider local places of worship, community centers, cultural institutions, senior centers, and service organizations. Ask them to help you distribute flyers or advertise your event on their website or in their newsletter.

The Council also encourages you to register 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance Community Conversations at www.911day.org.

How large a group is recommended?
Try to gather a group of at least 10 but no more than 45 people, understanding that too small a group may put pressure on each member to participate, and too big a group may make it hard for all to contribute.

When should we schedule the conversation?
The Council recommends that you schedule your Community Conversation within three weeks of the commemoration date. Featured sites must host Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service events between January 1 and February 28. Featured sites must host 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance events between August 15 and October 15.

Your Community Conversation should be scheduled at a time that allows for the greatest number of people to take part. For established groups, scheduling the conversation during their usual meeting time is best. Organizations looking for new audiences may want to schedule their conversation on evenings or weekends.

How long should the conversation last?
Your Community Conversation should last between 60 and 90 minutes.

Facilitation

What does the facilitator do?
The facilitator of a Community Conversation will be the person in charge of asking thoughtful questions and moderating conversation between participants. While the discussion should focus on the depth and breadth of the text and its themes, it is also the facilitator’s responsibility to create a safe and inclusive space in which respectful discussion can occur. A qualified facilitator should have experience with groups or leading discussions. Though teachers will usually act as the facilitator in school-based Community Conversations, in some cases it may be appropriate to allow one or two students to lead the conversation.

To prepare for your event, the facilitator should become intimately familiar with the text you are discussing, and expand upon the questions that the Council has provided to encourage dialogue and reflection among your participants.

How should I go about finding a facilitator?
Some organizations may already have someone on staff who is experienced in interacting with the public or leading group discussions, and who would be interested in leading your Community Conversation. If you don’t already have a facilitator, often the easiest way to find one is by contacting the humanities departments at local colleges and/or universities, or local cultural institutions such as museums, historical associations or reading clubs. Don't forget to inquire about interested graduate students if you are near a university with graduate programs, and also ask about retired faculty who might still be in the area. Many cultural organizations also have scholars as board members, advisors, or volunteers who may be interested in facilitating a series, or who can recommend others. You may want to ask potential participants if they know someone who would be qualified. You may also contact the Council to ask for recommendations for scholars in your area.

Though teachers will usually act as the facilitator in school-based Community Conversations, in some cases it may be appropriate to allow one or two students to lead the conversation.

Who may attend a facilitator training webinar?

Anyone may attend a facilitator training webinar, but facilitators at featured sites are required to attend before facilitating their Community Conversations event. Each 60-minute webinar will focus on how to facilitate a Community Conversation event.

Two webinars are offered: "Facilitating Community Conversations for General Audiences" and "Facilitating Community Conversations for School-Based Audiences" (for teachers, librarians, and other facilitators working with Community Conversations for Young Adults and Community Conversations for Kids).

Featured Sites

What is a featured site?

Tax-exempt organizations in New York State can apply to be a featured site. Featured sites are eligible to receive $250 from the Council for hosting a Community Conversation.

To become a featured site, host sites must agree to:

  • Register their event with the Council, including their date and time, and complete the featured site application included on the registration form. (This application appears after you answer "yes" to Is your organization applying to be a featured site?) Sites must apply to be a featured site at least 3 weeks before their event date.
  • Use a facilitator who has attended a facilitator training webinar.
  • Recruit at least 12 participants for their event.
  • Complete a final evaluation with attendance information.

Council staff and a photographer may attend events at featured sites.

Who can become a featured site?
Any not-for-profit organization or institution with tax-exempt status in New York State can apply to become a featured site.

Teachers interested in applying to be a featured site for school-based Community Conversations are eligible for a $250 gift certificate. To receive this certificate, you must meet the above requirements.

How much is the stipend?

Host sites for Community Conversations that meet the above requirements are eligible to receive a $250 stipend. Teachers interested in hosting school-based Community Conversations are eligible for a $250 gift certificate from Amazon.

Schools and non-profit organizations that meet the above requirements and wish to host 9/11 National Day of Service Remembrance Community Conversations for Kids will receive two copies of September Roses by Jeanette Winter (reissued by the Council in honor of the tenth anniversary of 9/11) in addition to the $250 stipend or gift certificate.

Can I host a conversation without applying to become a featured site?
Yes. Anyone can host a Community Conversation. (See Who can host a conversation program? above.)

By when should I register my Community Conversation event?
You should have your event date, time and location established at least six weeks before the commemoration date.

Featured sites must host Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service events between January 1 and February 28. Featured sites must host 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance events between August 15 and October 15.

When will I get the stipend?
You will receive the stipend no more than four weeks after submitting the host site evaluation. Evaluations are available on the Admin page.

What can the stipend be used for?
The stipend is intended to help defray the cost of hosting a Community Conversation. The stipend may be used to publicize the event, make copies of the text, or to offset the facilitator’s time.