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Forest

Affinity Group

Affinity Groups

Affinity groups are small groups that meet daily during WitchCamp. They are usually randomly selected, to create a group that has a mix of knowledge and experience and they are important in that they nurture diversity, equity, and inclusion. They are designed to take us out of our comfort zone and give us an opportunity to meet and get to know people we might not ordinarily spend time with. Participation is strongly encouraged and your willingness to engage will reflect upon your overall experience with camp.

These groups act as anchors, particularly for new campers, by providing a safe space for open dialogue and self-care. Campers build friendships, confidants, and forge lasting connections. The impact is both personal and collective, enriching the camp experience for all. They provide a chance for social connections, personal sharing, and discussing issues that arise during camp. Discussions might cover what’s happening in each path; the all-camp rituals; what challenges and joys are arising for each person.

Affinity groups are part of the Reclaiming tradition, based on the affinity group model that has been used in political actions all over the world.

ON THE FIRST DAY

  • It’s good just to get to know your affinity group.

  • You might like to set some group agreements (such as confidentiality and time sharing)

  • Share a little about yourselves – where you’ve come from geographically, magically and what stage of your life you’re up to.

  • You might each want to say what you hope or expect to get from being at camp.

  • There’ll be time as well to tell those from other paths what happened in the path you attended (while respecting any confidentiality agreements), and how you are feeling about it.

  • Resist the temptation to think this is not the group for me!


ON THE SECOND DAY

  • Turn up to the group. If you cannot make it, let your group know that you can’t. (Consider what it would mean to the group if you were absent).

  • You might like to begin your affinity group time with a song or chant, or a few minutes of group meditation. This can be a way of deepening the space you’re holding, so that when you move onto sharing, you bring focus, clarity and depth.

  • Leave some time to talk about how you’re going with the all-camp rituals – if you enjoy them or to discuss ritual aspects you would like to know more about.

  • Share the time - remember your camp agreements - be aware of new campers in your group.


SECOND DAY ONWARDS

  • You might choose to cast a circle at the beginning of your affinity group meeting.

  • Give some time for each person to check in.

  • Discuss the content of the different Paths, as much as it interests the group.

  • Discuss the ritual of the previous day.


ALWAYS

  • Give space and time to each person to share about their day.

  • You can encourage those who seem shy, or ask that each person speaks only for a few moments if some seem to dominate the group.

  • Keep in mind the way your group forms and functions is a core part of camp. Your collective energy and support significantly influence the overall experience.


ANYTIME

  • You can ask for a volunteer to bring a chant, activity or a question for discussion to the next affinity group meeting.

  • You can arrange to share a meal together; this especially is good if some of you don’t know anyone at camp, or are having a hard time feeling at home.

  • Talk about how magic and ritual work in each of your lives – and how you might like to develop these, once you leave camp.


IF YOU GET STUCK

  • If you feel you are not getting as much out of your affinity group meetings as you could, ask yourself and the others if they are willing to go deeper.

  • Spend most of a session asking people to take turns in talking about their lives, as deeply as they are able to.

  • Or risk a trust exercise,

  • Or share a dream,

  • Or cast a circle, call on your allies, breathe together in silence,

  • Or create a small ritual – where each person lets go of something that is holding them back, for example, and invokes a quality they’d love to have more strongly.


IN SUMMARY:

  • Affinity groups are what you make them.

  • They are designed to be a small ‘homegroup’ within the bigger camp.

  • They can be fun, supportive, challenging, rewarding and surprising.

  • Put as much of yourself as you can into your affinity group … it will transform what you and camp get out of it.
     

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