Many individuals reach out to us when they hear about our work, asking us what they can do to help bring conversations to their communities, where do they start? We’ve pulled together some of our most frequently asked questions and created a set of new resources to help provide answers! We hope this helps you get started or provides a nice kick start for those whose work has been on hold.
Q: You have a lot of resources, what’s the best way to make the most of your website?
A: Grab a cup of tea or coffee and listen to Getting Started with The Conversation Project (TCP): Orientation to TCP Resources and Common Questions. This recorded session will help you navigate our website and find out all we have to offer (for free) that you can use/adapt to suit your needs. No need to feel overwhelmed, this session will help you take it one step at a time!
Q: I want to bring this to my community, but just don’t know where to begin. Any advice?
A: The first steps are figuring out your approach, who you may want to reach, and then how to do it. Is it your family, neighbors, book club or wider social circle? Maybe it’s your fellow students, co-workers, faith community members? Perhaps you want to go bigger and reach a wider swath of your community to help get resources into their hands to help them jumpstart these important conversations? Take a look at our updated Getting Started Guide for Communities and Community Planning 101 recorded session, which walks you through some of the questions and examples we have in the guide to get you started.
Q: I’m looking to host an event, can TCP help?
A: TCP has resources to help support you along the way. Organizing an event, in-person or virtual, with TCP resources is a great way for you to help people in your community talk about their wishes for care through the end of life. An event can help you spread your mission and raise awareness of any services you may have for your community. There’s no right or wrong audience for these events — we’ve seen successful events of every size, scope, and timeframe. And, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Check out these 6 Steps for Introducing The Conversation Project to Your Community with suggested resources to get you started. Included in these steps are links to a full orientation and training on how to run a Conversation Starter Workshop and Tips for Facilitating and Teaching about The Conversation Project from years of experience in the field. And, for a little motivation, watch this short introduction to hosting a workshop.
Q: How do I get copies of your materials?
All of our materials, including the Conversation Starter Guide, are available to download and print for free. Professionally printed copies of our Starter Guides are also available for purchase through our online, Mimeo Marketplace.
Q: Are we allowed to edit your Conversation Starter Guides?
A: Yes! You are permitted, under our Creative Commons license, to edit the Starter Guides, provided you follow these requirements.
Q: What if I have additional questions? Who else is doing this that I can learn from?
A: We’ve got several ways to get additional support and network with others. You can always connect with us directly, or connect with hundreds of others, like you, who are championing this cause in their social circles and community at large. You are NOT alone and we are happy to be with you on this journey together.
If you have a question that isn’t addressed above, check out our other frequently asked questions on our website. Any comments, questions or additional resources you’d like to share with others? Please add your thoughts below!
Want to keep connected to The Conversation Project? Sign-up for our newsletter(s), follow us on social media (Twitter, Facebook), download our conversation starter resources and feel free to reach us at ConversationProject@ihi.org.