Loomio
Tue 22 Feb 2022 9:30PM

Aims and Means (the big picture)

TH Tim Huegerich Public Seen by 4

Vision

We can make it easier to find someone to exchange NVC empathy with. And we can do this in a way that empowers NVC trainers and supports in-person communities.[1]

Challenges

  1. Foster privacy and a respectful environment, while at the same time not giving the false impression that it can be guaranteed

  2. Welcome and incorporate newcomers, while also enabling those with more experience to find buddies at a similar skill level

  3. Make the platform as self-governing as possible, not requiring extensive staff time to administer

Strategies

  • Streamlined path to trial empathy buddy chats

    • Try an empathy chat with someone without needing to exchange contact information

    • Integrated scheduling, video chat, and resources (e.g. timer, feelings/needs lists)

  • Mechanisms for fostering trust and satisfaction with exchanges:

    • LinkedIn-style networking (with measures discouraging too-easy connections)

    • Group hosts empowered to experiment with other gate-keeping strategies (choosing how to allow otherwise unconnected users to exchange empathy)

[1] Whereas we would be happy to have pre-existing empathy buddies meet via empathy.chat rather than by phone or via Zoom, we aim to avoid displacing in-person encounters. And we hope to provide a tool to NVC trainers that adds value to their offerings, supporting their indispensable work of gathering people together and sharing their knowledge and skills.

J

James Thu 31 Mar 2022 10:40PM

I like what I read very much, especially about being honest that safety can't be guaranteed, seeking to balance ability to connect with others and safety and seeking how to create a self governing system to reduce operational costs, so a greater number of people can be involved.

MT

Makarios Tabor Mon 4 Apr 2022 2:08AM

This is inspiring to read.

For the Vision, it may be helpful to distinguish between the desire for people to have on-demand empathy sessions versus this being a means by which people can find long-term empathy buddies. If the former is desired (Vision: "For each and every person to have access to empathy when they need it."), another challenge will be getting an initial pool of participants such that it is viable to have on-demand empathy.

For the 'gate-keeping strategies': could trainers potentially use this platform as their go-to resource for different cohorts in their various training programs? That could allow for participants to join those closed groups while also using the site in a less restricted way with other participants.

TH

Tim Huegerich Mon 4 Apr 2022 4:23PM

Right, I tried to right the Vision in a way that it encompasses either of the aims you distinguish. I do tend to think of "each and every...whenever they need it" as the ultimate, aspirational vision. But I've been thinking of "help a few people find long-term empathy buddies and a few more get at least a one-time taste of an empathy chat" as the shorter-term focus--a worthy goal in itself which I also see as the necessary bridge to scaling up. Maybe it would be helpful to spell that out, whether under "Vision" or "Strategies" above?

TH

Tim Huegerich Mon 4 Apr 2022 4:30PM

That's exactly what I've hoped trainers would do. And that's how I envision it working: users could access empathy partners both via closed groups and via their personal network of "links." In particular, users who initially join the site via closed groups (without any "close links") can "link" to each other and connect to the larger network that way, hopefully knitting different groups together and also making users less dependent on group hosts the more they participate and link with others.

J

James Wed 6 Apr 2022 3:26AM

An interesting distinction, on-demand with whoever is available and long term or doing empathy just within one group on the network.