the fishbowl
A fishbowl workshop approach creates a space where participants can watch a small intimate circle sharing stories or discussing a topic common to everyone. This method is also useful for role-play sessions. The setting is important, a space for an inner circle sitting in a physical circle of chairs and a space for an outer circle or ‘reflecting team’ who are encouraged to listen and feel 'in the round' as a conversation progresses.
It works well to gather and include a mix of ‘lived experience’ and ‘learned experience’ around an issue - a circle of expertise. Everyone can see and be seen. Therefore everyone is included in a process that may involve a small number of participants in the first stage of discussion. After the inner circle concludes, the outer circle gets their chance to reflect on what has been said.
circles
A circle of chairs on a venue floor can be powerful. A circle is a visible, practical way of arranging participants to demonstrate the invitation for all to be included. A circle can be a cue to slow down, listen, and feel our bodies' presence with others. When we have used the fishbowl approach at events, hand-held microphones help enable all comments to be heard while allowing for the gentle facilitation needed to open and close the circle.
Our article Becoming Unstuck With Relational Activism features an example of us using the fishbowl method at our Relationships Making a Difference event (pictured)
“The format was a “fishbowl”: a small, intimate circle of participants shared stories while being observed by an outer circle of the remaining attendees who were then invited to reflect on what they had heard and felt. As the outer and inner circles changed places, each participant moved from contributor to listener. More than 100 people from across the country turned up: citizens with lived experience, activists, academics, local residents, and senior local government officials (there was even an assistance dog named Kingston).”
Full article https://ssir.org/articles/entry/becoming_unstuck_with_relational_activism
*Our fishbowl method and this description has been inspired by others that use and describe it, particularly the book Speak Out; Workshops in Indigenous Australia.