Local Hub Cluj: How Do We Create Safer Spaces for Sensitive Topics?
How Do We Create Safer Spaces for Sensitive Topics?
Their voice cracks, and we can sense strong emotions beneath their words. We're grateful that they found the confidence to respond openly, but at the same time, the discomfort in the room is palpable. Your participants are having a more intense experience than anyone was expecting.
What do you do?
As facilitators, educators, and L&D professionals, we regularly navigate topics that come with emotions attached — whether it's organisational change, diversity and inclusion, mental health, or simply the fear of unfamiliar territory. These moments can be the most transformative in a session, but only if we know how to hold space for them.
The truth is, none of us have all the answers. But collectively, we have a lot of experience. This session is designed as a peer learning experience — not a lecture, but a space where professionals who face this challenge can share what has worked, what hasn't, and what they're still figuring out. You don't need to be an expert. You just need to be curious about how others have navigated these moments.
What will you take away?
Concrete ideas and approaches for facilitating emotionally sensitive discussions, drawn directly from the lived experience of your peers — people who have been in that room, felt that tension, and found ways through it.
How will the evening work?
The session has two parts. First, we'll use structured connection exercises to get to know each other on a deeper level — think guided conversations in pairs that go beyond small talk and into real, personal sharing. These are designed to build trust quickly and create the kind of openness that makes genuine exchange possible.
Then, with the ice broken, we'll come together in a sharing circle to pool our collective knowledge and discuss strategies, stories, and lessons with the whole group.
About your facilitator
The session will be facilitated by Jonathan Melhuish, founder of Makuma Connection Games. Jonathan works as an AI Service Designer, but his parallel path in facilitation has taken him across a wide range of contexts — from Systems Thinking workshops for the EU's climate innovation programme and design sessions for multinational organisations, to intimate group experiences focused on authentic human connection. It's this combination of structured methodology and genuine human warmth that shapes how he facilitates.
The space
We'll be hosted in Makuma's home in the city centre, play:space — so expect cushions, candles, and a cozy atmosphere. The space is intentionally informal, because the best conversations happen when people feel comfortable.