Revealing the shared narrative: Discovering the Tapestry of Belonging

By Week Seven of our co-design journey, something truly powerful began to emerge. After weeks of deep sharing and individual insight gathering within our five separate groups, it was time to reveal the synergies and interconnections that tied everyone's experiences together. This week was all about building our collective "map of belonging."

Clustering and Connecting: From Many to One

Our initial step involved each of the five groups clustering their individual insights into broader "headed areas of issues." This process helped to organize the rich data they'd gathered and identify common themes within their own discussions. Towards the end of that session, we encouraged participants to wander around the room and explore the insights from other groups. This informal exchange was a crucial first step in hinting at the bigger picture.

The Verbal Tapestry: Weaving Shared Meaning

In Week Seven, we brought everyone back together. Each group then had the opportunity to verbally feedback their discoveries: the key issues that emerged, the patterns of meaning they'd created, and what resonated most strongly for them. As each group spoke, we worked to capture their insights visually, starting to draw the beginnings of a map of connection between the five different groups.
Imagine a large visual representation, initially scribbled with lines, demonstrating how seemingly disparate issues were in fact intertwined. A challenge identified by one group might directly influence an opportunity found by another, or a shared feeling of disconnect could manifest in different ways across the community. This wasn't just about listing issues; it was about seeing the ecosystem of belonging and what affected it.

Resonating Themes and Future Pathways

Once this initial visual map was co-created, participants had time to reflect, view, and absorb the collective understanding. We provided coloured stickies for people to mark the parts of the map that particularly "spoke to them," felt important, or resonated deeply with their own experiences or observations. This simple act reinforced the shared understanding and highlighted areas of collective passion.
This exercise was vital for several reasons:

• Revealing Synergies: It visually demonstrated how individual experiences and group insights were interconnected, building a holistic understanding of belonging in the community.
• Building Collective Ownership: By seeing their own contributions as part of a larger, shared map, participants developed a stronger sense of collective ownership over the emerging themes.
• Preparing for Solutions: By identifying these overarching patterns and areas of resonance, we naturally paved the way for the next crucial step: moving back into smaller groups to hone in on "How Might We" statements and begin to think about concrete solutions.
  This week underscored that true co-creation isn't just about gathering individual stories; it's about discovering the powerful patterns of meaning that connect them, creating a shared understanding that empowers everyone to move forward with purpose.