Start a Circle
Start a Circle
Your WCM Starter Pack
Dear Friend,
Thank you so much for your willingness to be of service and your deep yes to starting a circle. Your heart, your courage, and your devotion to creating sacred space for women are what will allow this movement to grow into the global sisterhood we all long for.
This is how the Women’s Circle Movement begins: with one woman raising her hand, opening her home (or venue), her heart, her Zoom room—and inviting others in.
I want you to know the deeper roots of what you are stepping into. I founded this movement, but I am not the leader. You, as a facilitator, are also not the leader. This is a movement of trusted servants, not directors. We are each holding space from underneath—lifting, listening, encouraging. That’s what makes it powerful. That’s why it works.
The spiritual foundation of this movement is inspired by the 12-step traditions of recovery. It’s decentralized, self-supporting, and guided by spiritual principles rather than personalities. That means each circle is autonomous, and each of us is simply here to serve love.
This Starter Pack is here to help you begin. Please know: it doesn’t need to be perfect. This is just the beginning. There will be changes, adjustments, growing pains—and that’s all okay. The point is to start. To gather. To listen. To love.
Once you’ve started your circle - on Zoom or in person - send us an email, and we’ll share your circle information through our networks. The more circles, the better.
The structure will form as we go. The clarity will deepen as we continue. As long as we trust a Higher Power, hold each other in kindness, and stay spiritually guided, everything we need will be revealed to us.
I will stay behind after the Monday circle to help anyone who has any questions about this process.
Thank you for being part of this unfolding vision. I see you. I trust you. I love you.
With all my heart,
Lizzie
Founder, The Women’s Circle Movement (WCM)
Using the Starter Pack
Thank you again for joining with us to help create a movement of women supporting one another. Below you will find an overview of the documents in the Starter Pack to help you start a local WCM circle.
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Facilitator’s Agreements:
These agreements reflect the intentionality behind the Women’s Circle Movement. While all local circles are autonomous, it’s important that we are aligned with the WCM values and principles. This document explains the agreements you are asked to commit to as a facilitator.
Logistics & Hosting Guide:
This guide will provide you with suggestions for hosting in-person or online circles. You’ll find ideas on how to choose a venue, set up your physical or virtual space, and some tips for being mindful of accessibility and inclusion. You can also learn more about our self-supporting donation-based model.
Circle Facilitation Guide
Reading through the Facilitation guide will give you a greater sense of understanding on the overall structure of a circle meeting. Rather than a script (see below), this guide provides the grounding and structure to stay within the spirit of the WCM while adjusting to the needs of your local circle.
Editable Circle Script/Template for Facilitators:
This template will be a starting point for you as you begin to facilitate circle meetings in a way that resonates with your local group. You will find a suggested rhythm to follow when leading a meeting, including a script you can read to guide your circle. This includes opening the circle, sharing time, and the group closing process. The accompanying Women Circle Readings is a PDF file that corresponds to the readings outlined in this script.
Women’s Circle Readings:
As mentioned above, this file corresponds to the readings outlined in the Circle Script/Template for Facilitators. If hosting a virtual (Zoom) circle, it is helpful to have the tech volunteer of your circle share these on screen as they are read.
Women’s Circle Financial Structure:
This document will explain the financial structure within the WCM that allows the movement to stay independent and self-supporting. This is where you’ll learn how funds are collected, what is done with excess funds, and how we can ensure accountability and transparency are maintained.
WCM - Service Positions & Conscience Meeting Guide:
Each Women’s Circle in the Women’s Circle Movement (WCM) is autonomous, which means your circle has the freedom to shape itself in a way that best serves the women who show up. This document will help you understand the positions that are helpful to have volunteers fill. In addition, it explains what a Conscience Meeting is and how to use the meeting to keep our circle transparent, fair, and collectively empowered.
