The Australian Study Circles Network aims to assist and work with individuals, organisations and communities wishing to establish a community wide study circle program.

A community wide study circle program is not a 'one off' intervention.

Working together, with communities wishing to establish a community wide study circle program, ensures that we learn together.

The Australian Study Circles Network doesn't 'manage', but we 'organise' together. Jointly we develop and organise the process. The issues, dialogue, solutions and action outcomes come from the diverse participants in the community.

This also relates to any resourcing, funding and support for a community wide study circle program. The Australian Study Circles Network can work with you to secure support if you require it.

A key goal is that those who we work with develop the capability to eventually organise their own community wide study circle programs on any issue that arises in their community.

The Australian Study Circles Network aims to work with organisations in a learning partnership helping them to implement the process themselves.

From this initial pilot circle, if successful, a Working Group will emerge from the participants and we will have diversity from the start. This Working Group will bring diversity and extra resources to the initiative and they can then start the organising stage in earnest.

The benefit of the above recommendation is that there is no commitment to an entire community wide study circle program, but to a small initial, discrete stage. It also allows us to be flexible to community issues as well as the format and structure that the future community wide study circle program may take. This is important as the program needs to be adaptable to the community needs.

We may need to meet once or twice before we carry out the above, to discuss who will be invited to the pilot, the venue, the initial issue and some scoping in regard to the organising stage in preparation for a positive response to the pilot.

An example of a typical schedule for this early organisational work could be:

• Initial meetings (Month 1):
  Between two Australian Study Circles Network partners and some members of your community who are willing to help organise and be drivers.

• Planning pilot circle (Month 2):
  Via phone, email, etc, we organise a Community Wide Study Circle Orientation Workshop.  

• Conduct Community Wide Study Circle Orientation Workshop (Month 3):
  Australian Study Circles Network would prepare and facilitate the Workshop. From this Workshop we establish a small Working Group.

• Evaluation (Month 4):
  Evaluation and recommendations for further action. 

Please feel free to discuss any of these or other options:

Mark Brophy, 0401 009 113, EMAIL mark.brophy@studycircles.net.au