Dins Dialogue Workshop Series

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Dins Dialogue is a signature initiative of Furman’s Intergroup Dialogue (IGD) Program which was created so that students, faculty, and staff could learn how to have conversations about identities that unite and divide us. Dins Dialogues Peer Facilitators receive ongoing development in dialogic pedagogy and facilitation skills that prepare to be thought and conversation leaders on campus and beyond. Dins Dialogue Workshops create spaces for participants to engage with one another across differences of race, gender, sexuality, class, faith and politics in ways that promote mutual understanding, compassion, and social change.

Program History

In Fall 2015, as a way to gauge the experiences of underrepresented students at Furman, open forum discussions revealed a lack of critical dialogue on Furman’s campus around topics related diversity, inclusion and social justice. In response, the Dins Dialogue program was created as a co-curricular offering to the campus community. In 2018, the Dins Dialogue program formally launched with a group of trained peer facilitators who led workshops on social identity, power and privilege, and community engagement. As of 2021, the peer facilitators have led hundreds of workshops in which participants engage one another by having honest conversations about identity with a commitment to learning from each other’s experience. The program was built on the labor of Deborah Allen, Emilee O’Brien, Morgan Danyi, and the several student facilitators who have expanded the program in both breadth and depth. The Dins Dialogue program collaborates with and complements Introduction to Intergroup Dialogue (IGD 101), credit-bearing courses that are led by faculty and staff facilitators.

 

Dins Dialogue Workshop Request Form

We are excited you are interested in requesting a workshop for your group, class, or organization! Each workshop can be tailored to fit the needs of your group. We follow a workshop request process so that your experience as requesters meets your expectations and addresses the growing needs of our campus.

Workshops requests are accepted by semester: We will begin accepting workshops for the Fall (September-December) starting on August 1st and for the Spring (January-April) starting on November 1st and for the Summer (May-August) on April 1st.

To request a workshop, please complete the Workshop Request Form below​.

  • All requests should be made at least 3 weeks in advance in order to give adequate time to assign facilitators. We can only officially confirm your workshop once we have confirmed facilitators who can lead it.
  • Please provide multiple options for workshop dates. We appreciate flexibility in coordinating schedules.

For more information or questions please contact us at dinsdialogues@furman.edu.

 

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Workshops Offered

Become a Dins Dialogues Peer Facilitator!

Dins Dialogue Peer Facilitators are the core of the Dins Dialogue program.  The Peer Facilitators undergo extensive training along with leadership and professional development on topics that include, but are not limited to dialogic pedagogy, facilitation strategy, social change theory, social justice education, and curriculum development.

Applications for student facilitators will open in January 2024!

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a Dins Dialogue workshop?

This depends on which workshop you request. While we are mindful of time constraints, we are equally mindful that our workshops require at least 90 minutes for full participation. Each workshop is tailored for each requesting group, course section, or organization so reach out to us before deciding not to go forward with a request.

Is there a minimum attendance requirement?

In order to create a more effective learning environment and use engaging activities, our workshops work best with 8-40 participants. Please reach out to us if you would like to request a workshop for a group outside of this size range, and we talk through the options.

I work with student leaders/peer advisors/peer mentors, etc. who would like to develop their facilitation skills. Can I request a Dins Dialogue workshop to train them?

Dins Dialogue cannot offer “train-the-trainer” workshops. We would love to host your students in one of our workshops, but we cannot train them in facilitation skills.

Can I request a Dins Dialogue workshop for staff, faculty, or other non-students?

Dins Dialogue is founded on a peer-to-peer facilitated model. As such, our students facilitators cannot facilitate workshops for faculty and staff. If you are interested in working with IGD (Intergroup Dialogue) for a session/workshop for non-students, please fill out our workshop request form and we will be in touch.

How do I know if a Dins Dialogue workshop is right for me?

A Dins Dialogue workshop may be for you if:

  • you want to create a group or environment where folks recognize the different modes of communication.
  • you want to create an interactive space to engage in dialogue about social identity and social change.
  • you have noticed difficulty navigating conversations within your group due to social identities such as race, gender, class, sexuality, etc.

A Dins Dialogue workshop may not be a good fit for you if:

  • you want a workshop entirely centered on leadership, team building, or conflict resolution. Though our sessions may enhance these skills, we do not directly cover workshops on these topics.
  • you want to report a bias incident. You may report a bias incident here: Online Bias Incident Report
  • you are seeking mediation for your organization/class/residence hall.

Should I request a Dins Dialogues workshop for a training on implicit bias, microagressions, affirming terminology, etc.? 

While our workshops explore these concepts, our workshops are not designed as trainings. Please contact Jocelyn Boulware Bruce at jocelyn.boulware4@furman.edu to design a training for your course section or organization.