Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement

 

Objectives:

• To explore the meaning of taking action for the common good
• To become better acquainted with the other participants in the group
  

Activity Theme:

“A community is only as healthy as its most unhealthy part.”

~ Anonymous

The facilitator explains that in the definition of philanthropy we speak of the common good. In this activity we are going to explore what is meant by the common good. Post the following definition on newsprint:

DEFINITION: Thoughtful, intentional, and ongoing giving of one’s time, talent, and treasure for the common good.

Activity:

The facilitator asks the participants to gather into pairs. The pair’s assignment is to identify things they have in common; things that are not obvious. Instruct the pairs they will have two minutes to identify everything they have in common. Instruct one person to take notes as they name all the things they have in common. Example: They both have two siblings; they both like a certain kind of music; they both have or had golden retriever dogs. The facilitator keeps the amount of discussion time brief so the exercise keeps moving.

Have the pair with the most things in common share with the entire group. The pairs are then challenged to find another pair and form a quad. Again, the instruction is to find things that the four of them have in common in just two minutes. The quad with the most responses will share with the large group.

Depending on the size of the group, this exercise can continue on to form groups of eight, sixteen, etc.

 

Processing Questions:

The facilitator begins to explain that in each organization and community there are many commonalties among people but often we focus on the differences among people. It may take some time to discover them but once that is done, a team, composed of diverse individuals, can begin to take on projects which serve the common good of the organization and community.

Discussion:

1. What would the list look like if we considered everyone in this room?
2. How would the list look if we considered everyone from a given community or state?
3. What are the common things that all people want in life? Examples might be safety, shelter, love, education, belonging, friends, caring community, etc.

When we talk about the “common good” what are the key words that help us understand what we mean when we say the “common good”? Write these words on flip chart paper. Make sure that words given represent consideration of others and not just ourselves when we act. You may ask for examples of considering the common good at home, school, church or your organization.

The facilitator explains, “As human beings we have certain needs and desires in common. Understanding that we have these things in common helps us begin to care for the common good. The common good is the ability to look at the world with a wide view to see what is good for as many people as possible.”

 

Application:

Ask participants during the next week to consider their actions in light of the common good. Ask them to decide if their actions contribute to the common good or distract from it. Examples might include how they treat classmates at school or other members of their family.