When I led Stepping On falls prevention workshops, there was always a co-presenter assigned to help with setup and the other details. It never occurred to me to invite participants to take on some of those roles.
It was nothing against them, my thinking was that I was the presenter, so it was my responsibility to take care of everything and treat participants like guests. In my mind I was trying to show them respect by making sure everything was done for them.
Your post helped me see that doing everything for people can also take away an opportunity for them to contribute, feel capable, and be needed. And that would pay dividends, I'm sure, when we did participant discussions. Having a few people helping each week would help build community within the group, and they would be more comfortable sharing their stories.
I had the same realization, Ron. For a long time, I felt it was my responsibility as the instructor to set up and put everything away. I noticed participants were eager to help, and when I accepted their offers, they seemed to take greater ownership of the class and carried themselves differently.
That led me to intentionally assign small end-of-class jobs so everyone had an opportunity to contribute.
I find this especially meaningful in assisted living, where so much is done for residents under the assumption that they need or even want the help. Having opportunities to contribute reminds people that they still have something valuable to offer.
When I led Stepping On falls prevention workshops, there was always a co-presenter assigned to help with setup and the other details. It never occurred to me to invite participants to take on some of those roles.
It was nothing against them, my thinking was that I was the presenter, so it was my responsibility to take care of everything and treat participants like guests. In my mind I was trying to show them respect by making sure everything was done for them.
Your post helped me see that doing everything for people can also take away an opportunity for them to contribute, feel capable, and be needed. And that would pay dividends, I'm sure, when we did participant discussions. Having a few people helping each week would help build community within the group, and they would be more comfortable sharing their stories.
This was a real aha moment for me. Thank you.
I had the same realization, Ron. For a long time, I felt it was my responsibility as the instructor to set up and put everything away. I noticed participants were eager to help, and when I accepted their offers, they seemed to take greater ownership of the class and carried themselves differently.
That led me to intentionally assign small end-of-class jobs so everyone had an opportunity to contribute.
I find this especially meaningful in assisted living, where so much is done for residents under the assumption that they need or even want the help. Having opportunities to contribute reminds people that they still have something valuable to offer.