Appreciative inquiry

One of the key goals of the Summer Foundation is to enable young people in nursing homes and their families to be informed, make choices and tell their stories. It is essential that we engage people with disabilities and their families and collaborate with them to resolve the issue of young people in nursing homes. How do we do this in practice?

 Appreciative inquiry is a process I read about recently which is highly relevant to a community buildng approach to resolving social justice issues. This process, developed by David Cooperrider (Case Western Business School) is based on getting all stake-holders together to ask each other meaningful questions.

 It brings together people from all levels of an organisation and pairs up participants, each person interviews his or her partner. Questions are designed to encourage people to open up to each other and, in the process break down any hierarchical differences.

People begin to see each other as individuals. After interviewing each other, participants form circles where they are encouraged to dream and brainstorm. During the brainstorm every idea – regardless of who came up with it – is given credence.

 Appreciative inquiry draws upon knowledge from the edge of the network. Because everyone feels they have been heard, participants become more likely to support a new plan. This approach is based on the assumption that the best knowledge is often at the fringe of an organisation e.g. people with a disability, disability support workers and families.