Objectives & Methodologies

This integrated approach to constructive community change is based on the nationally and internationally recognized work of Initiatives of Change USA’s program called Hope in the Cities. The Community Trustbuilding Fellowship is now integrated within Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) and largely represents the racial healing pillar of TRHT through Initiatives of Change USA.

 The Community Trustbuilding Fellowship (CTF)  increases the capacity of communities to identify and address their own discomfort to overcome divisions of race, culture, economics and politics. CTF does this by creating a network of skilled facilitators, capable team builders, informed advocates and credible role models who have matriculated through the program.

 CTF equips leaders with increased ability to address critical issues and to work creatively to build shared visions for racial equity, healing, reconciliation and justice. It connects theory with practice, personal transformation with societal change, appreciation of diversity with shared vision, and reconciliation and healing with justice.

 It is based on acceptance of personal responsibility, honest conversation, and public acts of reconciliation as a basis for building new relationships and partnerships.

Learning objectives:

Friday, January 24, 5:00 pm – Sunday, January 26, 3:00 pm

This module includes an overview of IofC USA’s Hope in the Cities methodology, the Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation framework and how CTF exemplifies the racial healing pillar of TRHT, and a foundation for the entire five-module program. Fellows learn the vital linkage between personal and societal change and will examine attitudes, skills and behaviors that enable individuals to initiate and sustain constructive community change.

Skill sets include:

• Enlarge concepts of community in a diverse world

• Model change

• Create new capacity for trustbuilding and risk taking

• Strengthen inner resources

• Build relationships within cohort

• Frame CTF experience within TRHT and IofC USA

• Understand IofC history/values/methodology

• Explore notions/definitions of key concepts- trust, community, privilege, unconscious bias

• Understand and practice quiet time

Friday, February 21, 5:00 pm – Sunday, February 23, 3:00 pm

This module is a capacity building process in racial healing and reconciliation through an introduction to the work of narrative change. Fellows develop a deeper understanding of how history impacts our lives today, and how appreciating shared history and expanded historical narratives can unite deeply divided communities.

Skill sets include:

• Understand the power of unhealed historical wounds

• Hear history from the “other’s” point of view

• Expand an understanding of the necessary components to move from hurt to healing

• Build relationships within the cohort

• Learn to use the tool of creating experiential history events

Friday, March 20, 5:00 pm – Sunday, March 22, 3:00 pm

This module prepares fellows to move the community from polarizing debate into authentic dialogue.

Skill sets include:

• Handle group dynamics within an emotionally charged setting

• Move from an exchange of information to an experience of transformation

• Gain facilitation and co-facilitation practice

• Build relationships within the cohort

Friday, April 24, 5:00 pm – Sunday, April 26, 3:00 pm

This module enables fellows to gain a conceptual framework that can be used to design dialogue models.

Skill sets include:

• Discern unaddressed underlying issues in the community

• Design or adapt dialogue for different needs

• Convene and manage dialogue projects

• Build relationships within the cohort

Friday, May 15, 5:00 pm – Sunday, May 17, 3:00 pm

The final module focuses on essential skills of building and sustaining diverse teams that are capable of engaging all sectors of the community in constructive action for racial healing, reconciliation and justice.

Skill sets include:

• Identify multi-sectoral support networks, allies, and partnerships for current and future trustbuilding work

• Explore elements of a successful team

• Learn how to put trustbuilding into action from CTF alumni efforts

• Self-reflection on individual role/behavior within a team

• Strategize how to engage people of different views as potential allies