Community-Based Common Third
The Common Third approach uses an activity to build and strengthen relationships and was pivotal to the early phases of the project. Traditionally, the approach is used in therapeutic settings between professionals and children. We use the approach in a much broader community setting which helps to establish safe, trusting, authentic relationships.
The approach creates the opportunity for a shared experience for both participants to develop new skills and a deeper understanding of each other. The activity used can be anything, as long as it can be mutually enjoyed and provides opportunities for equal participation. During the pilot project we used activities that didn’t necessarily rely on a common language or lots of verbal communication such as clay work, gardening and sports.
It created opportunities for the women to fully participate in the sessions without the potential threats of language barriers and enables us to learn from one another as equals building respect and trust.
This concept is not new and will be familiar to many, but it helpfully explains the importance of the early activity-based sessions and is an approach that we continue to use periodically throughout the project.
The activities that the women are able to access through the project are fulfilling experiences in their own right, but also provide opportunities to continually strengthen relationships between the women and others in their community through this approach.