1. The Cycle of Giving
NOTES:
A CYCLE OF GIVING: CREATING ENGAGING SERVICE & PHILANTHROPY EXPERIENCES FOR MEMBERS
AFLV Central Conference Hot Topic Program ‐ St. Louis, MO ‐ February 12, 2011
Teniell Trolian, Kent State University and Whitney Swesey, The University of Akron

2. Post‐Service Reflection Activities
Note Card Discussion
Write open‐ended questions on note cards and have each person draw a card and respond to the
question on it. Questions might include:
 What did you learn about the issue/need the agency addresses or the population it serves?
 What are the societal issues that influence this problem?
 How responsive is this organization to community needs?
 What have you learned about yourself through the experience today?
 Were there any stereotypes you held about this issue/these people? In what ways were your
stereotypes or assumptions challenged?
 How has this service experience supported your values?
 Would you want to serve with this organization again? Why or why not?
Concentric Circles
 Divide participants into two groups and place them into two circles (one facing out, one facing in,
so there are pairs of people).
 Ask participants to respond to specific questions, giving each half of the pair two minutes.
 Ask the outside circle to rotate once to face a new partner, and continue with a new question.
A Day in the Life
Ask participants to imagine living a day in the life of one of the service recipients, and respond (in
writing or in group discussion) to the following questions:
 How does this compare to an average day in your own life?
 What did you learn about how people impacted by _________________ might live?
 Does this make you want to offer more service? Why or why not?
Web of Impact
 Have participants stand in a circle, and give one person a ball of string.
 Ask the person with the string to talk about his or her experience, then throw the ball of string to
another group member while holding onto the end of the string.
 Leaders and participants ask the person now holding the ball of string a question about his or her
experience.
 Have participants continue to toss the ball and share their responses.
 When everyone has had a turn, process the exercise by pointing out the pattern that has emerged
in the string.
 Emphasize the connections that were made and the role each person had in the finished design.
 You can use this as a metaphor for community and to illustrate the importance each person's
actions has on others.
A CYCLE OF GIVING: CREATING ENGAGING SERVICE & PHILANTHROPY EXPERIENCES FOR MEMBERS
AFLV Central Conference Hot Topic Program ‐ St. Louis, MO ‐ February 12, 2011
Teniell Trolian, Kent State University and Whitney Swesey, The University of Akron