|
Listening Helps Cross the Divides
By Porsha Lackey
Truly listening to other people, no matter how different they are, is the
key to mutual understanding.
That is the
central message of The Listening Project, sponsored by the Rural Southern Voice
for Peace, which offered one of the numerous workshops offered at a recent
Bonner Scholar Conference hosted by Mars Hill College. The
project is designed to support people working for social change.
As the group of young Bonner Scholars and Bonner Leaders entered Peterson
Conference Room, the atmosphere was relaxed and laid back. Workshop speaker
Herb Walters, creator of the Listening Project, was sitting, legs crossed and
arms folded lightly, awaiting their arrival.
The chairs were placed in a circle, and everyone calmly took seats as Herb
(what he likes to be called) introduced the workshop to the group. “Since
the topic of your conference is Crossing
the Divides, why don’t
you go around and introduce yourselves and state how you feel you can cross
the divides in the U.S.”
Many participants said that ignorance and lack of understanding are the main
barriers to communication between diverse groups. Some said that religion and
race are also issues that create obstacles between groups.
“It should begin with the children,” said a student from
Lees-McRae. “…it all starts with our children and learning to
train them up right.”
After the group finished their introductions and first thoughts, Herb then
went into explaining the importance of being a good listener.
“You must listen in order to achieve or understand,” he
said. “What
is more important than our ability to get along?” That was the next question
posed to the group.
After seconds of silence and minutes of discussion, Herb said, “As a
human race we are always expecting ourselves to be loving, kind, compassionate,
but what is teaching us to do that?”
Herb explained that there are several forms of listening. The first is facilitated
dialogue, where one-on-one communication takes place. The second form is mediation,
where a mediator or neutral party sits in on a discussion of the issues at
hand. The third way is the Truth and Resolution point, where both parties
reach an agreement after discussing the issues.
Herb gave some examples of how true listening, facilitated by the Listening
Project, has resulted in community change, not just in North Carolina,
but nationwide and abroad. For example, in North Carolina, the Partners
in Sustainable Agriculture project used the Listening Project to assist in
the development of understanding and general support for sustainable agriculture
in conventional farm communities.
Nationwide the project has helped with issues such as health and justice. The
Health for Hispanics Project led to the improvement of health services and
a health advisor program for a fairly new and increasingly growing Hispanic
community.
For more information on The Listening Project, go to www.listeningproject.org
Give us your feedback. We value your opinions.
The Hilltop reserves the right not to post anonymous comments, personal
attacks, or any comments that could be judged slanderous, that make unverifiable
allegations of fact, or use language we consider in bad taste.
All fields must be filled in.
HOME
| 
