The We Listen program starts from a place of empathy. By recognizing the diverse and powerful stories of those around us and taking the time to listen with interest and intent, we can learn so much about the communities of which we are a part. Partners bring We Listen to their own community when they begin working with our team to create a tailored program offering.
Through conversation about what makes a campus or location unique – both in the past and at the present moment – we aim to define the parameters of a program roll-out that makes sense in the local context. Once established a We Listen coordinator is identified and begins recruiting participants who will collect stories. These participants are trained in the methods of intentional story listening by the We Listen team and are also provided simple tools for recording the stories they find in the field.
The most important element of We Listen is reflection. Through a Day of Listening, the community comes together to view the stories captured by participants and hear about the experiences of their neighbors, friends, classmates and colleagues. We Listen coordinators also take feedback from participants and hold conversations with other local stakeholders to evolve the next offering. This constant iteration helps We Listen to follow the needs of its community – and to provide an empathetic ear to the stories that need to be heard – as the program grows.