Study Circles Overview

Study Circles is a process for public dialogue and community change. It begins with inclusive community organizing that draws people from all parts of the county to work on an issue of shared concern.

Next, many small facilitated groups (Study Circles) meet simultaneously across the community. They consider the issue from many perspectives and explore possible solutions.

Then, moving to action, people connect the ideas from the dialogue to outcomes. These may range from changes in an individual’s attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs to new projects and collaborations and to institutional and policy change.

• Study Circles are held at a variety of times and days for the convenience of participants
• 8-12 people in each Circle coming from different parts of the community
• Groups meet together for five two-hour sessions
• Two facilitators lead each group

Progression of Study Circles Sessions

1. Getting to know one another: what is my connection to the issue?

2. Create a vision for our community

3. What is the nature of the problem?

4. What are some approaches to change?

5. Moving from dialogue to action: what can we do?

Study Circles on Supporting Our Middle Schoolers – 2025

Middle school has always been hard for biological and social reasons – now it’s harder than ever due to changes in technology and COVID-19.

Study Circles is a trusted platform for the community to explore how we can support this age group and and the adults around them.

Study Circles on Mental Health – 2021

Mental health issues affect nearly everyone in our community. We have struggled to have an open and honest conversation about this subject. Misperceptions, fears of social consequences, discomfort talking about these issues with others, and discrimination all tend to keep people silent. Meanwhile, if given access to help, most people with mental illnesses can lead happy, productive, and full lives.

Study Circles on Mental Health will raise awareness, break down misperceptions, promote understanding, and address needs in our community.

Click here for a downloadable PDF of the Study Circles on MH Discussion Guide 2021.

Click here for a downloadable PDF of Sheridan County Mental Health Resources

Click here for a downloadable version of Wyoming Mental Health Statistics and National Mental Health Statistics

Outcomes from Study Circles on Mental Health

• Mental Health Public Awareness Campaign
• Mental Health Coalition
• Mental Health Resource Center
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Affiliate
• High School Initiatives
  • Mental health marketing to high school students to improve access to resources and reduce stigma
  • Create a community network to check on people in crisis
  • Annual mental health checkups with physicians

Click here for a more detailed list of the Mental Health Initiatives.

Outcomes from Study Circles on Creating a Dementia Friendly Community – 2015

• $1.1M Federal Grant Awarded
• Caregiver Support Center
• Healthcare Continuum
• Creation of Dementia Friendly Wyoming
• Dementia Care Educator
• Community-Wide Dementia Awareness & Education

Click here for dementia-related resources.

Outcomes from Study Circles on Poverty, Thrive vs. Survive – 2012

• Community Connections

• Bridges Out of Poverty Training
• Goose Creek Transit
• NextLevel Graduation Coach
• Parent Liaisons
• High School Mentoring Program
• NAMI Affiliate

Outcomes from Study Circles on Early Childhood Education – 2009

• Increased Awareness of Importance of Early Childhood Education
• Progress on Quality Childcare Options
• Community Outreach for Resources

Essential Photovoice

Essential Photovoice (EPV) uses amateur photography and reflective structured dialogue to facilitate group discussions to capture people’s perspectives on a chosen subject. The project unfolds over six weeks with a group identifying, photographing, and discussing strengths, challenges, and themes. It concludes with an exhibition when participants share the stories behind their photographs.

The most recent EPV was held at the Schiffer Collaborative School with the photography class on youth mental health. The exhibition was a photo collage hung on campus for the school community.

In January 2023, the CVC piloted the first Essential Photovoice workshop facilitated by the original cohort. Committing to two and a half hours every Wednesday night for six weeks, 22 local participants built relationships, understanding, and empathy as they used photographs to discuss their shared experiences and concerns about our community. The exhibition, held in March of 2023 resulted from those conversations. The hope for it was to initiate conversations around the stories behind the photos and what they represent to both the photographer and observer. By creating meaningful dialogue about different views of our community, talking about growth and change becomes more comfortable.

Essential Partners of Cambridge, MA, leveraged the power of Reflective Structured Dialogue with the help of Interfaith Photovoice of Grand Rapids, MI, a photo-based community engagement methodology, to create Essential Photovoice. Essential Photovoice training weaves together dialogue skills with a process for generating reflection and conversation through visual prompts.

The CVC has a five-year working relationship with Essential Partners. It credits the training of 65+ community members with many successful Community Conversations – constructive dialogue around difficult subjects.

Jim Barth, Erin Butler, Cathi Kindt, Grace Cannon-Wallace, Julie Greer, and Amy Albrecht were the members of the first Essential Photovoice pilot project in the Spring of 2022.

Community Conversations is a result of our 2017 focus on civility.

Fifty-eight diverse community members spent two full days with instructors from the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Essential Partners, learning how to facilitate constructive discussions around difficult topics.

Since then, we have hosted nine conversations on such diverse and controversial topics as affordable housing, public lands, and the impact of media on politics.

Attendees have been surprised and pleased that the format doesn’t allow for arguments, ‘gotcha’ questions, or talking over each other. The entire point is to listen for understanding and learn more about each other and how we arrived at our opinions and viewpoints.

This is an overview of Community Conversations:

• A series of small group discussions open to all members of the community.
• The discussions follow an established format and are led by a trained facilitator.
• The topics are current, relevant, and vary from session to session.
• We are seeking individuals’ unique perspectives, not solutions.
• We strive to have as many viewpoints as possible to participate in the discussion.
• Everyone is given an equal chance to speak and share their thoughts.