Transforming Communities Through CARE

“Transforming Communities through CARE“ is a training program intended to bring about systemic change and this is emphasized when entire congregations embark on such a journey. For communities seeking to grow in their capacity to live more interdependently, to embrace the values of mutuality. CARE provides the means for transforming the very culture of communities (i.e., their fundamental orientation and lived expression of community).

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Transforming Communities through CARE helps communities “get on the same page” around a common frame of reference for dialogue and relationship-building. Through CARE they develop a common language and common value base for living interdependently. They learn a language of nonviolence and the values of interdependence.

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Beyond these ideals CARE provides a common experience. Communities that go through the training together become a “learning community”. Participants have fun, struggle, fumble and stretch themselves to learn. The experience of being-in-it-together is a powerful component of CARE. While CARE is not explicitly intended to create reconciliation, through the skills and safety that accumulate, reconciliation and healing of otherwise broken relationships is a common experience of CARE.

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In addition to the values, and the experience of being a learning community, participants learn. Older and younger participants alike learn new skills of communicating and relating. They learn how to listen empathically and how to speak directly. Most importantly they learn how to work through conflicts that otherwise can bring communities to their knees.

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Go to CARE Described or for a more complete description download “Introducing CARE in Community” for more information. Contact us directly for a hard copy of “Introducing CARE to Communities” which describes in detail the specific goals, rationale of the training, the time frames for such training and the logistics for setting it up.