# Presentation: 483039

## Caregiver Discussion Groups

- Inter Tribal Council of Arizona
- Fit WIC Project
- October 2001

## What are Discussion Groups?

- Groups of caregivers get together and talk about feeding their children
- A facilitator helps to ensure the conversation goes smoothly

## Why Discussion Groups?

- Our participants loved the discussion groups we had with our focus groups and wanted more!
- Caregivers learn better from each other than from health care providers.
- Caregivers get a realistic look at how to feed their children.
- Groups can save your clinic time by processing several people at the same time.
- They are a new and different way of providing education.

## Why Facilitated Discussion Groups?

- Facilitating the groups can add to your other valuable skills.
- They will break up the monotony of providing education in the same way all the time (for staff and participants).
- They add diversity to the education being provided so different learning styles are accommodated.
- They can help establish support systems for WIC participants.
- They will help you learn more about the people you serve.

## How do you feel about discussion groups?

## Some concerns you may have

- No space
- Not enough time to do them
- Afraid, embarrassed, uncomfortable doing them
- Caregivers won’t like them
- Too hard to do them

## Getting Started	

- What do you need to do to start group discussions?
- Find meeting room
- Set dates and times
- Recruit participants
- Learn how to facilitate
- Training and Practice, Practice, Practice

## Facilitating a Group

- Greet the participants
- Be enthusiastic and positive
- Establish ground rules
- Begin with an icebreaker

## The Opening Question

- The opening question should be easy for the group to answer.
- Sometimes it may take a little time for someone to answer.
- Tell them beforehand that they may need time to think about it.
- If no one answers for a long time:
- Guess at an answer
- Pick someone that you think will be comfortable answering the question.

## Open-ended questions

- What is an open-ended question?
- Can’t be answered with a yes or no.
- There are no right or wrong answers.
- Answer the questions who, what, when, where, why, how, how much, how often.

## What are some open-ended questions?

## Too many open-ended questions

- May feel like interrogation
- Want the atmosphere to be conversational
- Balance with clarifying statements or focusing.

## Guiding the Discussion-Your Job

- Make the process go smoothly and easily.
- But stay in control of the discussion.
- Keep the group on the topic.
- Encourage speakers to give more information.
- Look for feedback.
- Allow and encourage everyone to speak.

## How to Encourage Participation

- Pay attention to the person who is speaking.
- Give positive reinforcement to the person who is speaking.
- Watch for signs that someone else may want to respond.
- Make sure seating arrangements include everyone.

## How to Focus on Topic

- Guide the conversation by picking up on points that are related to the topic.
- Ask more questions in those areas.  Ask others how they feel about what someone said.
- If an issue comes up several times, it is probably one that needs to be addressed.
- Focus esp. if conversation has rambled or jumped from topic to topic

## Focus on Feelings

- Find out how the participants feel about something or what their experiences are.
- There are no right or wrong answers here.
- This helps to avoid debates or disagreements.
- Examples?

## Practice Active Listening

- Listen carefully.
- Pay attention to what the person is saying
- Don’t interrupt their statement.
- Don’t be thinking about what you are going to say next while they are speaking.

## Clarifying

- Comes after active listening.
- Repeat what you understood the participant to say.
- Give opportunity to disagree with your interpretation.

## Dealing with Wrong Information

- Goal is to introduce correct information, avoid embarrassing person and acknowledge their experiences.
- Example statements.

## Summarize the Discussion

- Bring ideas together.
- Repeat relevant points.
- Highlight certain conversations.
- Ask each participant to share what they learned or discovered during the session.
- Even the facilitator can learn something new!

## Have Fun!!!

- Remember it takes practice to become skilled at this.
- Don’t define success by the number of people at the session.
- Enjoy yourself and encourage participants to have fun too!