One of the things Oregon Humanities does best is get people talking! Every year, we work with groups across the state and country to design custom trainings and conversations to engage their communities and facilitate events where people connect across differences of background and belief. We’ve partnered with nonprofits, foundations, corporations, government agencies, and other organizations to develop programming in response to a variety of needs. We’d be happy to talk with you about your needs and ideas and think together about whether what we have to offer is a good fit. Here are some examples of custom programming we’ve offered.

 

Facilitating Reflective Conversations Training

Our Facilitation Training equips community members and workplace teams with the skills and tools to plan and lead discussions. This approach gets a group of people talking with one another about big questions that participants may think differently about based on their beliefs and experiences. Reflective conversations are opportunities for focused yet open-ended dialogue about ideas, often by using prompts such as poems, images, articles, and videos. Instead of striving for consensus, pursuing solutions, or debating an argument, the main goals are exploration and listening to others.

During the training, participants:

• have an opportunity to practice new skills and techniques
• listen to beliefs, backgrounds or experiences different than their own

Participants leave the training feeling more confident and equipped to:

• hold space for challenging conversations
• craft questions and activities that allow people to learn more about themselves and other people in the room
• design conversations that are responsive to different kinds of community dynamics

Our custom facilitation training is offered in two different formats: in person at your site or online via Zoom, typically over a two-day period. We work with organizations to tailor the length and format of our facilitation training. These custom facilitation trainings are offered on a fee-for-service basis. Pricing varies depending on location, length, customization of the training design, and format.

"I really appreciated the tools for creating a space. A facilitated conversation is much different than a meeting to 'accomplish an action item,' and I feel I learned some valuable strategies for creating a space for conversation that is meaningful even if there is not a tangible outcome."

—Past custom training participant

 

Custom Facilitation Training

Many of the skills needed to lead a reflective conversation are transferable to a variety of facilitation environments. We know facilitation is a skill that needs continual practice. Typically we find half-day or one-day trainings work well with a variety of workplaces and communities. We can work with you to develop training to give participants tools and strengthen their facilitation skills to lead within your organization or in the greater community.

“This was a smooth and organized experience. I appreciate the meetings before starting, the materials shared, and the clear timeline. It was clear that you have an established system and that you are also flexible in adapting that system to needs. I also appreciated how once the class was underway, it was entirely handled by your organization, with check-ins as needed. I'd consider this a model for future partnerships.”

—Past custom training host

 

Custom Conversations

Want to get your community talking about themes that aren’t included in the Conversation Project catalog? In addition to offering custom training events, we also design and moderate reflective conversations for events, conferences, and workplaces around the state.

Oregon Humanities can customize conversations for staff development programs, retreats, and in-service days. These conversations can help with team-building by sparking new ways of thinking and working together. They can also help you engage more effectively with your employees, partners, and community by getting people talking as a way to reflect on important issues and learn about each other.

“It was extremely helpful to be able to work through the planning, agenda, and objects with Oregon Humanities to tailor this training with our cohort, many of whom are Pacific Islanders or have called Pacific their home for many years.”

—Past custom conversation host

 

Custom Facilitation and Moderation

We also partner with communities to design and lead public reflective conversations on a wide range of topics such as “belonging” or “what matters at work”. Oregon Humanities staff and facilitators are experts at leading thoughtful, creative conversations, and we can help your organization plan and execute programming around the issues that matter most to your community.

We are also available to facilitate meetings as well as moderate panels and onstage conversations at conferences and other events.

 

Organizations who have worked with us for custom programming

• Bridge Meadows
• University of Portland
• The Ford Family Foundation
• Virginia Garcia Medical Center
• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

Beyond Oregon, we also provide custom training and conversations for organizations and humanities councils across the United States, including, recently, in New York, Indiana, Delaware, and Colorado.

If you’re interested in learning more, please contact Jennifer Alkezweeny, Program Director, at jennifer@oregonhumanities.org.