Love our city? Interested in positive communication? Care about housing? Join our Idea Lab on March 31


Do you love our city?

Are you willing to role model problem-solving dialogue?
Does housing concern you? Then the Ink Link Idea Lab is calling!

We’ve assembled a group of residents willing to take part in a short Idea Lab workshop centered on having more productive dialogue on divisive issues and we need a few more participants. We’re hoping Ink Link readers might join us. We gathered a team of mediation and business training pros who will share skills on communicating through conflict in a workshop.

After the 90-minute workshop, we ask you to use your newly learned skills with two other participants to discuss housing in Manchester. You’ll meet twice, as your schedules permit during the month of April, to discuss housing. Don’t worry, we’ll give you some discussion prompts on housing in Manchester if needed. After your discussions, you’ll report back on what you may have learned – or what didn’t work. Ink Link will be there every step of the way reporting on your experience. We hope you love your newfound conversation skills and we hope the group dialogue starts a community discussion on housing in Manchester.

A typical Manchester neighborhood with a mix of housing options. File Photo/Allegra Boverman.

Details for the workshop:

Friday, March 31st from 10:15 a.m.- 12 p.m.
The Palace Spotlight Room
Park on Hanover or Chestnut street or at the Victory Parking Garage, 25 Vine St. We’ll reimburse for parking.
Refreshments and nibbles served.

We expect a 5-hour total commitment over about a month; two hours on workshop day; one hour for each of the two meet-ups with your group; then up to an hour for discussion with Ink Link and reporting back. Did we mention we’re also making a video to go along with the story that will document the project? And, we’re making a community toolkit with videos and handouts on what you’re learning in the workshop so those that follow your journey on Ink Link can learn what you’re learning and use it to start their own neighborhood discussions.

My big hope is that we can role model productive conversation, start listening to the varied experiences and needs of our neighbors, and maybe open some eyes on how vast the housing issue is. The only requirement is that there be a willingness to try communicating in the way the workshop leaders are asking.

We hope you’ll join us for this fun project.

To learn more or sign up for the March 31 workshop, contact Kate Marquis.