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Williams Community Building Program

Introduction

The Williams Community Building Program (WCBP) is a diverse group of students who work with the Multicultural Center to foster a sense of community in and around Williams College by leading workshops and discussions about topics such as diversity, prejudice, racism, sexism, homophobia, and community building. They define community not just as a group of people living together, but also as honest communication among people and groups, respect for different identities and cultures, and genuine caring for one another.

Program Goals

Recruit and maintain a skilled and capable group of community builders. Establish a safe space that promotes self-examination and sharing of cultures, identities, and interests. Provide participants with tools they can use to work towards community through their daily interactions with others.

What We Do Off Campus

The Community Builders are available to create and tailor workshops for local high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools to meet their specific needs, whether in crises or on special holidays such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. In the past, Williams College students have facilitated workshops at:

Drury High School, North Adams
Greylock Elementary School, North Adams
Mount Anthony High School, Bennington
Mount Greylock High School, Williamstown
Williamstown Elementary School, Williamstown

What We Do On Campus

The Community Builders facilitate workshops on campus throughout the academic year. Most of the on-campus work has been done with first-year entries.

Community at Williams

During First Days (the general orientation for first year students), first-years watch a video titled, “Shades of Purple: Voices on Community.” Small group discussions follow, during which students explore the definitions of, expectations for, and experience of community and diversity at Williams. Students also discuss their future roles in fostering community on campus.

Students Promoting Awareness, Respect
and Community (SPARC)

Three-hour workshops for first-year entries that offer a safe space to encourage self-examination and sharing of culture, identities, and interests.

VOICES: A WCBP Peer Theatre Group

Voices uses interactive theatre as a means to explore issues of diversity with the first year class. The material that the troupe uses is derived from individual student experiences and provides a framework for discussion with first year entries.

First Days Diversity Forums

Guest speaker presentations followed by1 hour discussion led by WCBP members with first-year entrees relating topics on diversity, pluralism, and privilege.

Experience: Our Training

The Community Builders regularly attend meetings aimed at increasing their awareness of issues of diversity and community, and at fostering community within the group. They undergo hours of sensitivity and awareness training to hone the models they use in their workshops and to further develop their own abilities. Two significant training sessions are held during the year: one in the fall led by an on-campus facilitator and one in the spring led by an outside trainer. All meetings involve exercises that enhance team-building, problem solving, and strong communication skills.

About WCBP

Simeon Stolzberg ‘92 and Phoenix Wang ‘92 started the Community Builders in 1989. Originally, the group worked with the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI), which provided students across the country with training to educate others. The Community Builders led NCBI workshops – later renamed SPARC after the NCBI stopped providing training – in all the first year entries. In 1994, local schools began to ask the Multicultural Center for assistance in providing workshops to combat racism in their schools. This led to the development of the off-campus component of WCBP, which now addresses all -isms and phobias.