Listening with Generosity
SIMPLE SAFE SERVICE
Simple Safe Service activities are designed to spark generous action and youth and family conversations for the good of all.
Listening is an act of generosity. You have the ability to serve by listening. First we learn some guidelines for listening and then talk about current issues. This guide may be used by a family or small group.
- Hold a guided discussion about finding common ground related to big ideas.
- Talk about expectations for the listening activity:
- Be curious.
- Listen and seek to understand before being understood.
- Be open to people having different perspectives; be open to learning; be respectful.
- Participate fully and honestly; be willing to share your stories.
- Hold a conversation about healing our shared community. Each person takes turns speaking and listening.
- Use some or all of these discussion starters.
- Describe yourself in three words.
- What values (honesty, caring, hard working, curiosity) do you think we all share (in our family or shared community)?
- What is one way we are hurting as we come out of the pandemic and grow in equity and social awareness?
- How can we know what hurts others are experiencing?
- What does our world need to work more smoothly?
- Reflect on how the conversation went: What did you notice? What do you wonder? What does it feel like to listen? What does it feel like to be heard?
Literacy Connection: Read and discuss the book Ruby Finds a Worry by by Tom Percival using this Learning to Give literature guide. Ruby discovers that everyone has worries and that listening to a friend who also has worries helps them both to shrink their worries.
Find more Simple Safe Service activities.
Learning to Give ...
- educates youth about philanthropy, the civil society sector, and the importance of giving their time, talent and treasure for the common good (knowledge),
- equips youth by encouraging philanthropic behavior and experience (skills), and,
- empowers youth to take voluntary citizen action for the common good in their classrooms, lives and communities (behavior).
Resource Type:
Guide
Audience:
Issue Area:
Description:
A Simple Safe Service project from home: Practice active listening that values another's experience.
