Mosaic Partnerships is a program offered by Idea Connections Consulting Group that utilizes a systemic methodology to expeditiously build trusting relationships between diverse people. The program provides a means to overcome issues relating to human difference within organizations and communities. 

Why? To transform our society, two hearts at a time.  Mosaic Partnerships is a transformational process based on the idea of the fundamental goodness and nobility of every human being.  It relies on the assumption that societal changes are most effectively set in motion through the initiative and empowerment of individuals.

In the Mosaic Partnerships Program, two people of different backgrounds are paired across race and/or ethnicity and engage in a yearlong guided process that facilitates the development of friendships and trust. From these friendships and the bonds of trust they engender, our community—made up of people of all cultures, races, ethnic backgrounds, and religions—begins  to change.

Communities that are more socially connected and trusting tend to have less crime, fewer social problems, better performing academic institutions, and citizenry that are healthier and happier.  In addition, they enjoy faster economic growth as they attract businesses and talent by creating an environment of welcomed diversity and mutual cooperation.  This environment not only attracts and retains diverse talent but provides the condition necessary for that talent to be actualized, allowing a community the benefit of the full range its human potential.

Mosaic Partnerships Provides:

• A mechanism by which social capital (social connectedness) in a community or organization can be increased
• A process that stimulates the transformation of how people view and behave toward one another, impacting both societal and individual change
• A catalyst for understanding, accepting, appreciating, and leveraging human difference
• A program that enables communities to open channels to more effectively attract new business, employees, clients, and residents 

Who? A community (or organization) effectively changes by maximizing the effective use of natural opinion leaders from the community and its subcultures.  The natural opinion leaders are trusted individuals with broad influence in the community.  When a sufficient number of people are influenced by the opinion leaders, a shift in common values occurs and cultural transformation begins.

Following this approach to social transformation, participants in the first phase of the Mosaic Program are the senior leaders of the community.  They represent the racial and ethnic demographics of the larger community and come from a broad range of sectors in the community—for example, sectors range from non-profit, religious, government, business and industry, public housing, immigrant rights organizations, media, finance, neighborhood organizations, community organizations, etc.

What? The Mosaic participants experience a yearlong transformational journey with a community leader from a different racial and/or ethnic background.  The Mosaic Process involves face to face social meetings utilizing personal exercises to expedite the relationship building and group meetings involving content and discussion.  The Process promotes breaking down pre-conceived notions which hinder the building of a meaningful relationship.  It enables the participants to view the world through the eyes of their partner.  This new perspective changes how the participants engage every other relationship in their life—friend, family, professional, etc.

Mosaic Partnerships provides three levels of interaction, each with a specific purpose.

• Meetings Between Partners:  Individual meetings are the heart of the program and are left to the partners themselves to organize and enjoy journeying through a guided process. They receive a flexible model for getting the meetings started, and materials to spur conversations of increasing understanding, friendship, and intimacy over time.
• Cluster Group Meetings:  Each partner-pair belongs to a small cluster group.  The cluster groups meet seven times during the year to discuss and reflect on various topics related to relationship building, race, culture, higher societal ideals and regional challenges.  Two volunteer coaches from the local community facilitate the meetings.
• Large Group Meetings: The two large group gatherings are the orientation and the finale.  These gatherings bring all the participants together.  A portion of the orientation is devoted to partner-to-partner and cluster group interaction.

Results: There are several outcomes this program fosters:

• A change in people’s unconscious judgments of others based on race and ethnicity
• Overcoming barriers to inclusion by creating bridges across human difference
• Development of friendships, increased levels of trust, and improved communications among a diverse set of community leaders
• Increased level of social connectedness for individuals and networks of individuals
• Valuing diversity and increasing the understanding of how it can be a source of strength
• Ultimately, the revitalization of communities with the goal of the reduction in crime and other social ills, an increase in economic well-being, and the creation, and fulfillment, of opportunities for all people

For more information, visit Rochester Mosaic's website at www.rochestermosaic.org.