Wanted: Volunteer Book Discussion Leaders

August 5, 2009

We’re seeking staff and student volunteers to help the UW’s Common Book Project have a good first year. The Book Discussion Planning Committee of Go Big Read is putting together a roster of trained volunteers to facilitate small group book discussions around campus and out in the community. You don’t need to have any prior experience or particular expertise to volunteer, just a willingness to get involved in helping out with the Chancellor’s new community-building initiative.

Facilitated discussions of Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food are an important part of the year-long program that will help build momentum and will give students, staff, and faculty an opportunity to get together to talk about a common subject. And for volunteer facilitators, this will be an opportunity for some great experience — and for some fun, too. In terms of time commitment, you may choose to facilitate just one discussion, or several. It will be up to you, depending on your schedule and availability. We only ask that you commit to attending one 1 1/2 hour training session and to leading one small group discussion sometime during the academic year. We’ll also be holding optional quasi-social monthly meetings for our volunteer facilitators so we can discuss any challenges we’ve faced and share our success stories.

Drop me an email if you know you’re interested–or even just think you may be interested–at horning at education.wisc.edu. We have three training sessions scheduled for facilitators in the next few weeks and they’re filling up fast so if you’d like to volunteer, now is the time.

We hope you’ll join us!

–KT Horning