What we have learned from generational focus groups

Four themes that emerged after meeting with representatives from the Generation Z, Millennial, Generation X, Baby Boomer and Pre/Post World War I and II cohort groups, as well as a beta group of close friends who helped us get started.

In July of 2021 CHLL had our first four-day retreat at Cally’s home in Draper, Utah. There we drafted our mission statement:

Our mission is to host ongoing conversations that leverage intergenerational wisdom and arts practices to improve education, so that people will have the knowledge, skills, confidence and relationships to address, adapt to, and/or solve the urgent issues humanity faces in the world.

During that retreat, we made a plan to begin this project with a set of 6 generational cohort focus groups to receive responses and input on our premise and strategies.

Since then we have had the privilege to meet with representatives from the Generation Z, Millennial, Generation X, Baby Boomer and Pre/Post World War I and II cohort groups, as well as a beta group of close friends who helped us get started.

Here are some of the messages that clearly emerged across the conversations:

Conversations are an important action

There has been general agreement that our general premise is worth pursuing. Everyone agreed that the challenges of the world and of education are interrelated and that conversations, structures for creating connections, and accessing intergenerational wisdom and creativity are important.

Opportunities for deeper and better listening are needed

Across generational cohort groups people said that listening, embracing diverse viewpoints and perspectives, telling one’s truth, and creating a spaciousness for multiple truths and pluralistic approaches were urgently needed. The arts and arts practices provide unique opportunities to pause, listen, look, and wonder. The arts and arts practices open up space for ambiguity and provide spaces for deeper listening, unpacking conflict, and holding complexity without needing to always resolve it.

Examples of creative, love-centered, inquiry-based, purposeful, community building, and life-affirming educational and learning environments exist and need to be lifted up

Identifying and sharing what people are already doing is an important strategy so that people can connect with and learn from each other so that what is working can be nurtured and grow.

Focusing on what we love and value matters

News outlets and social media provide a steady stream of doom, gloom, and blame. We need more venues for uncovering the enthusiasm and curiosity of the collective body so that a culture of possibility can be cultivated, and we can get to work on what we care about most.