caravan
Group debriefing
Peacebuilding work can be extremely intense. A group or team debriefing allows all involved to obtain important information, leading to improved future processes and decisions for the sake of the work and the communities needing it. Leaders on peacebuilding teams in particular need the feedback that a group debrief provides. Without the intentionality of a debriefing, leaders lose what is otherwise very important information for continued operations.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Process your experience as a team
Caravan is the group counterpart to Passage, our personal debriefing retreat. Caravan offers the same intentional space for reflection, communication, and processing but in an intentional setting with a team or group that works closely in the field.
Best practices indicate that regular debriefing sessions after a set term on the field or following an important project completion lead to increased productivity and higher morale. Often, what is needed is not merely more information or training (information overload may be one of the most significant management crises of the 21st century) but rather, processing what you already know and use in a context that helps you grow from it, i.e. debriefing.
Team from Kurdistan, Iraq in Malaga for ‘Caravan’ debrief program - 2019
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"Debriefing" is originally a military term, where participants went through a debriefing after a mission. They exchanged information on what happened, broadened their experience by viewing it from the perspective of their teammates, discussed how effective the mission was, and came to terms with any problems or emotional issues related to the task.
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We believe the peacebuilding sector stands to lose much by neglecting team debriefing; after all, best practices which are known but not applied often lead to frustration, a frustration that today's peacebuilding teams simply cannot afford. And given our passion for championing peacebuilders, we feel the people building peace are the most deserving of this kind of regular processing in order to continue evaluating, growing and contributing their very best.
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The full Caravan program is typically a minimum 2–3-day commitment and like our other programs, it can be held year-round. Participants may choose to participate in further programming to benefit from further services in conjunction with Caravan, whether critical incident debriefing (Oasis), personal coaching (Thrive), or just an extended personal retreat with no explicit agenda (Restore).
