To the Workshop Leader

1. Please read the sections on Goal, Objectives, Time, Setting, Size of Group and Materials, set out below.

2. Go to the "Process" section for suggestions about how to conduct a workshop.

The Goal of the Workshop

The goal of this workshop is to have participants consider carefully the concepts in the bishops' pastoral letter on work and to relate those concepts to their own experience in Ontario.

Some Specific Objectives

• To analyze the meaning of the pastoral,

• To critique it in the light of their own experience,

• To become familiar with the teaching of the Church regarding work,

• To outline some steps that could be taken by individuals, groups and governments to improve our experience of work.

Time Required

This workshop is designed to be completed in one session of about two and a half hours. However, it could be spread over two or three shorter sessions or, by choosing activities carefully, it could be completed in less time.

The Setting

It is assumed that the workshop will be held in a fairly large room where groups can be formed at tables. If such a facility is not available, some of the activities can be done in groups of two or three or even alone in preparation for sharing with a larger group. Most of the activities could be done in one group if the group is small enough.

Size of Group

The assumption is that the group will be one of a dozen or more people who can be divided into groups as needed. If there is only one group, the activities can be done with the whole group or in pairs with feedback to the whole group. If there is a large gathering with numerous groups of people, the feedback will need to be selective.

Materials

You will need:

• Copies of the pastoral letter and of the summary.

• Hand outs as indicated in the "process" section.

• Writing paper and pencils or pens.

• Chart paper and markers, ideally for each group.

• A place to display the completed charts.

PROCESS NOTES

Welcome (5 minutes)

• Greet the people and tell them a little bit about yourself. People like to know who they are dealing with.

• Ask the participants to introduce themselves in any way with which they feel comfortable.

  Introduction to the Session (10 minutes)

  • Share your goal for the session, as set out above.

  • Introduce the idea of specific objectives and state one or two, as above.

  • Ask them to share any objectives they might have.

  • Ask them to join you in a prayer for guidance and success in pursuit of these objectives.

  Warm up for the Session (15 minutes)
  

  OPTION ONE

  Small Group Activity:

  The group should draw on their experience to quickly respond to the following questions:

  • What makes them or people they know happy at work?

  • What do they or their friends find detrimental about work?

  • What made them choose to come to this workshop?

  Press the groups to respond quickly to these questions and take one comment from each group.

  OPTION TWO

  Informal Survey of the whole group

  Ask the group to respond to the following questions by raising their hands:

  • Who knows someone in a workplace where they had to take pay cuts to preserve a job?

  • Experienced unemployment in the last three years?

  • Currently has a job where they receive less money or benefits than a previous one?

  • Works part time or on a contract?

  • Works very long hours and is seldom at home?

  • Is over qualified for their current job?

  • Has had to move to find employment?

  • Has had experience of workfare?

  • Has been in a trade or industry which has become obsolete?

  • Has retrained for a new career?

  Take a few moments for explanation at the end. Challenge them to suggest questions which the "survey" missed.

  
  Working with the Scenarios (30 minutes)

  Ask the participants to form the same groups as they did for the previous activity. Have the scenarios on separate sheets of paper.

  OPTION ONE

  • Give a different scenario to each group.

  • Ask the group to discuss the scenario and be prepared to report verbally on the following:

  • From their experience how typical or realistic is it?

  • State clearly one, or at most two issues, raised by it in their minds.

  Put the issues raised on chart paper for later reference.

  
  OPTION TWO

  • Give all of the scenarios to every group.

  • Ask them to select a scenario because of its importance in their thinking.

  • Ask them to be prepared to say why it is important.

  • Ask them to state two important issues it raises.

  Write the feedback on chart paper for further reference.

  
  OPTION THREE

  (This option would probably be most useful where there is a single group.) Give the group the summary of the pastoral. Ask them to focus on the brief references to the scenarios.

  • Have them brainstorm about the issues they see being raised overall through these scenarios.

  • What are the really important issues in their minds.

  Put these up on chart paper for further reference.

  BREAK

  This session could be followed by a "walk about, talk about" during which participants would be invited to have a coffee, etc., and exchange ideas on what they have heard so far.

  The Wisdom of the Church (40 minutes)

  In this session, the participants will have an opportunity to discuss the section which deals with the teaching of the Church with regard to work. Again there are several options. A choice of activity will depend on the preference of the facilitator and the size of the group.

  OPTION ONE

  Again, invite the participants to form groups.

  • Ask all groups to examine the whole section.

  • Invite them to pull out three clear principles which they find in the section.

  • Ask them to rank these principles in order of importance for Ontario today.

  • Have each group report briefly (in four sentences) to the whole group.

  
  OPTION TWO

  Ask the participants to form groups.

  • Assign different parts of this section of the pastoral to different groups.

  • Each group would be asked to explain the issues raised in the section as if they were speaking to someone with no background in Catholic social teaching, that is, the essential message only.

  OPTION THREE

  Participants are asked to work alone for ten minutes and then move into their groups.

  • They are asked to review this section on their own.

  • Write down one thought in the section with which they strongly agree and one with which they have difficulty.

  • In groups, the participants share these convictions and doubts.

    Reporting back only if some feel a real need to share their opinions.

  
  OPTION FOUR

   

• The facilitator makes a short presentation in which she/he outlines some key principles being addressed in this section.

• The participants are asked to react to the following questions.

• How well are these principles being followed in Ontario by individuals, groups and our governments?

• What suggestions can you make to have them followed more closely?

  The Issues (40Minutes)

  For this section it would be advisable to have the issues printed on a separate sheet.

  
  OPTION ONE

  Small groups

• Distribute the issues and assign one (or more than one depending on the number of groups) to each group.

• Ask them to assess the importance and validity of the issue with regard to Ontario.

• Ask them to write down one thing that individuals, groups and government could each do about it.

• Was there anything missed in the pastoral?

• Ask them to be ready to report back.

  OPTION TWO

  Small groups

   

• Look at the issues globally.

• Which two or three are most urgent in Ontario today.

• Justify your choice.

• What can individuals, groups and governments do about them?

• Was there anything missed in the pastoral?

  OPTION THREE

  The whole group works together

• Ask people to tell about actions they know of which are addressing some of the issues raised.

• Ask them for specific suggestions about what we could do as individuals and the parish could do to improve attitudes to and the conditions of work in our lives.

• Ask them to outline anything that was missed in the pastoral.

  Conclusion (5 minutes)

  Thank the people for attending. Express a hope that they attained some of their objectives.

  Lead a concluding prayer.

   
  Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario