Start a Group

Invite family, friends, colleagues – really anyone – to join you in discussing the cultures, complexities, and challenges of the world we live in.

The Basics

Creating a group isn’t complicated, requires minimal effort, and is flexible in format. Here’s how to get started:

  • Decide who the participants will be and how you will communicate with them
  • Decide on a meeting date, time, and location
  • Decide which topics you will discuss at each meeting
  • Choose your meeting format and consult the Great Decisions program guide for ideas, such as
    • Enlist a speaker to lay the framework for discussion
    • Use a half-hour video segment to outline the issue for discussion
    • Organize a discussion based on reading the article in the Great Decisions briefing book
  • Contact us at 612.625.1662 to discuss plans and order materials

Group Leader Responsibilities

All leadership positions come with responsibility. To help groups get the most out of their discussion, leaders are asked to:

  • Organize the meeting – topic, date, place, time (and speaker, if necessary)
  • Promote the meeting details to your group members or community
  • Contact speakers well in advance of the presentation date
  • Communicate clearly to speakers about logistics, including location, parking, security/arrival info, and stipend payment arrangements
  • Arrange audio-visual equipment for the speaker or video, if necessary
  • Communicate with the speaker on how the discussion will be moderated
  • Maintain meeting records and report attendance to Global Minnesota
  • Follow up with speakers after the event and arrange stipend payment
  • Provide feedback about program quality to Global Minnesota

Global Minnesota Responsibilities

We’re here to help make starting and managing a group easy and offer the following help along the way:

  • Inform groups of the annual Great Decisions topics chosen and serve as a Great Decisions resource for all groups in Minnesota
  • Process orders for materials in a timely manner
  • Recruit speakers and produce a directory of speakers
  • Provide orientation, training, and consultation to leaders and speakers
  • Collect data on group attendance and feedback on program quality
  • Provide speakers with a complimentary Great Decisions briefing book
  • Send monthly updates to group leaders and speakers with program announcements, monthly companion articles, and information about Global Minnesota events and programs