How The Convergence Project Works

Read testimonials about The Convergence Project

Finding common ground involves an easy to follow series of steps known as the Converged Path. This process is facilitated by Path Guides trained and certified by TCP. During this experience, each group is enabled to find a common ground vision with the other group without compromising its beliefs or values. Part of the process involves Path Guides facilitating each group to identify their beliefs, fears, and hopes and to listen in a non-judgmental way to those things about the other group. From this process, the common ground, the area in which the groups already agree, emerges, and action steps to achieve it are chosen.

To conceptualize how this process works, imagine two groups with totally differing beliefs on pregnancy and birth control that may agree to seek common ground. After working with a Path Guide in a 1-2 hour process that identifies beliefs, fears, hopes, and the beliefs and values that neither group wishes to compromise, the two groups may find common ground by agreeing to work together on a 3 month project involving literature distribution or other education on how to reduce unwanted pregnancy in their community. To do this, they have agreed to disagree on all but the common ground task, as it is precisely defined. They have found an area of agreement without compromising any of either group’s beliefs or values. And now both groups have achieved more of their goals.

A “green” organization that focuses on sustainability might link with a group of ATV enthusiasts to find a common ground project. After working with a Path Guide, the groups may work on building or maintaining a wilderness trail, thus furthering both groups’ goals while compromising nothing. In fact, while participating in the common ground experience, both groups may realize that their values were not as incompatible as they had perceived, that the illusion of incompatibility was different from the reality.

A third scenario might find two community groups partnering that are really not opposing at all, say an organization that supports community art projects and a group of parents whose children attend a private school. They may choose to work on a fundraiser that creates a scholarship fund for students attending an art college. Though they have not bridged a gap in their belief systems, they have still found common ground that creates a stronger community by combining their human resource potential.

And finally, there may be groups that no matter how hard they seek to find a common ground project relating to their official missions, they are unable to do so. An organization focusing on peace and anti-war efforts may find it too emotionally charged to partner with a veteran’s group on a project having to do with either group’s primary mission. Yet, they may find their common ground in a more neutral area like joining to help create a senior center or working to staff a soup kitchen—both of which benefit the greater community without compromising the values of the groups involved. This kind of partnering reinforces a central belief of The Convergence Project that all groups, in every community across the globe, no matter how dissimilar or divided, can agree on a common ground task that creates a stronger community.

Other examples of common ground linkages with groups that are seemingly too polarized to work together can be found by focusing on many of the issues that are faced by all communities, large and small across the globe. Some include:

--Projects that improve education and the school systems
--Projects that benefit the elderly
--Projects that support youth activities
--Projects that benefit the economically disadvantaged or homeless
--Project that support the local economy

Ultimately, the common ground projects that the groups select will reflect the needs of their particular community and the desire of the groups to make their communities better. TCP prefers to allow the specific common ground projects to be defined by the groups involved, believing that the way that each project evolves is what makes the process work.