Community Kōrero tikanga
Along with our general event tikanga, here are the values and practices that Changing Minds have in place for our Community Kōrero Mutual Aid Space session—
It doesn’t have to be advice
Sometimes, the kindest offering is simply being present and listening. While advice and suggestions are welcome, don’t feel pressured to come up with something for the sake of ‘saying something’. Listening is a powerful way to support your community.
Changing Minds Safety Net
This session thrives on mutual support and collective wisdom. As much as possible, we want to let the kōrero sit with participants. We encourage participants to share home remedies, holistic approaches, or tips—people helping people is what it’s all about!
However, if a suggestion raises concerns around safety or involves spending pūtea (money), the Changing Minds facilitator will enquire further. This isn’t to dismiss ideas, but to ensure we fully understand what’s being offered so we can keep our people safe.
Be curious before confident
Not knowing is a gift—it invites collaboration and learning. Ask questions often and freely. If you don’t know the answer to a question, wonderful! - “I don’t know” can open doors to shared discovery. There may be solutions the speaker has already tried and tested, or there may be a necessary piece of information we’re yet to discover. It’s both acceptable and encouraged to listen and understand before contributing. Confidence grows from curiosity and expanding our collective wisdom together.
Excercise good judgement
What works for one person may not work for another, and that’s alright! Doing your own research on advice or suggestions offered is always recommended. We encourage you to trust your gut and not pursue advice which doesn’t sit comfortably. Part of empowering community knowledge involves empowering ourselves, so trust your own judgement regarding suggestions or advice offered.
Sometimes people are wrong, and that’s OK
We ask that all advice is offered and received in good faith. Even if someone’s home remedy or suggestion didn’t work for you, or their information was incorrect, remember it will have been offered with kindness and the intention of helping. People make mistakes. Our community is strong enough to hold those mistakes and remain strong.