Sometimes a question simmers away in the background for a long time before it is finally brought to the table. It was no different at the Burgdorf Child Protection Association. The organisation has undergone a real transformation in recent years.
And at the heart of it all is a steering group comprising the board and full-time staff, who all have one thing in common: they are passionate about children and families in the region, many of them having been involved since the organisation was founded.
Yet it is precisely where commitment is strongest that decision-making can sometimes be the hardest. For what seems clear-cut rationally can mean something quite different emotionally. And what the heart defends is not necessarily wrong.
Understand first, then decide
The pro bono workshop at the Burgdorf Child Protection Association did not begin with votes or arguments, but with a simple question: In a few keywords: What is the situation right now? Everyone in the room had their say, and the answers were written down. No comments, no objections. First of all: see what is there.
In small groups, we then looked back at the past: What are we proud of? What do we regret? And from there, we looked to the future: What are our hopes – and what are our fears?
What became clear through the ‘State of the Nation’ method was this: there were people who wanted the same thing but sought to protect it in different ways. And all perspectives are valid.
From Understanding to Action
With an eye to pride, regret, hope and fears, the group developed a set of measures: what would need to happen for hopes to be realised and fears not to materialise? Through systemic consensus-building – a process that seeks not the greatest acclaim but the least resistance – the most viable ideas were identified.
Two options were developed in small groups and then put to a vote in two rounds. First round: Which solution is the right one for the Child Protection Association? All hands pointed in the same direction. Second round: Which solution is more appealing on a personal level? Opinions were divided, and that was perfectly fine. Because both views were allowed to be expressed.
Die endgültige Entscheidung konnte an diesem Tag nicht fallen; nicht alle Vorstandsmitglieder waren anwesend. Aber sie war gut vorbereitet. Und das Wichtigste war passiert: Unausgesprochenes hatte einen Platz bekommen. Rationales und Emotionales waren nicht gegeneinander ausgespielt worden, sondern nebeneinander betrachtet.
The final decision could not be made that day; not all board members were present. But the groundwork had been laid. And the most important thing had happened: unspoken issues had been given a place. Rational and emotional considerations had not been pitted against one another, but considered side by side.
In the end: flowers, a buffet and a huge sigh of relief
The local primary school proved to be the ideal venue: close by, familiar, down-to-earth. The catering was simply brilliant. And at the end, the Child Protection Association presented a beautiful bouquet of flowers – a small gesture that spoke volumes.
For us, pro bono does not mean any less care, but the same approach as always: listening, structuring, creating space. So that teams can decide what really suits them.
Thank you for the productive collaboration!
Image: Child Protection Association
