Workshops

Some of the ways we work include:
Bringing together diverse stakeholders in dynamic collective processes to identify shared needs, pool ideas and experiences and develop joint plans or evaluate work – using a mix of participatory approaches and tools. We have recently done this for the National Empowerment Programmes and Oxford University.

Training people to work with members of the public or local community to hear their experiences and views as part of local planning – drawing on action research methods. In this way, we have just trained local government officers, community workers and service users for the East of England Development Agency and local staff for Citizens Advice.

Designing and delivering an in-house workshop to engage staff and strengthen internal communications through designing an organisation's wide strategy. We have recently provided this for Friends of the Earth.

Training individuals and groups in a range of skills and methods useful for building better understanding in all kinds of situations at home, at work and in the wider community such as empathy, listening, mediation and negotiation – drawing on NonViolent Communication (NVC).

We offer these following training courses for anyone who works in organisational development processes. You can come to us or we can come to you, as we can also provide in-house training, either a one-off workshop or a series of courses.

We draw on a wide range of approaches and techniques to equip people for engaging and getting involved and bring them together in specially designed packages:

Action learning
One day introductory training for taking part in Action Learning Sets
Cycle of six action learning sessions for groups of peers

Action planning
Collective analysis, design and planning for projects and programmes with small or large groups within or across organisations, communities and countries

Action research (Participatory Appraisal)
INVOLVING EVERYONE: One day taster introducing the essential principles and a selection of tools
ENGAGE Foundation: 3-day programme that includes the art of facilitation, participatory tools, live research with a local organisation, community or project and tips for effective communication with your stakeholders

Change

Communication
Personal:
SKILLFUL CONVERSATIONS - 1 day NVC taster
CONNECTING COMMUNICATION - 3 day NVC introduction

Internal / public:
GET YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS
MEDIA MATTERS
POWERFUL PRESENTATIONS
INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

Community empowerment
ENGAGE
ENABLE - courses for local councillors /elected members and local government officials

Conflict resolution
NVC

Consensus decision-making
ACHIEVING CONSENSUS

Cross-cultural communications
CROSSING BORDERS

Diversity awareness
DIVERSITY DIALOGUES

Empathy 
CONNECTING COMMUNICATION - NVC

Emotional Intelligence
CONNECTING COMMUNICATION - NVC

Enquiry
POSITIVE PURPOSE - introduction to Apprieciative Enquiry and Action

Evaluating
COMMON GROUND

Events
MEMORABLE MEETINGS
CREATIVE CONFERENCING

External communications
GET YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS
POWERFUL PRESENTIONS 1 - the essentials
POWERFUL PRESENTIONS 2 - perfecting your technique

Facilitation
THE ART OF FACILITATION 1 – Introduction
THE ART OF FACILITATION 2 – Advanced

Conflict
MANAGING CONFLICT

Influencing

Internal communications
BUILDING BRIDGES - designing and delivering an internal communications strategy and plan
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
SPREAD THE WORD - combines methods and techniques for internal communication
with training in how to get your message across publically using the media.

Large group methods 
COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE - introduction to Apprieciative Inquiry, Open Space, and World Café and creative adaptations
PEOPLE POWER

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Leadership and team development

Listening
HEAR AND BE HEARD

Media 
MEDIA MATTERS
INTERVIEW SKILLS
NEW MEDIA

Mediation
NVC

Meetings 
MAKING THE MOST OF MEETINGS

Mentoring

Online communication
NEW MEDIA SAVVY
WEB WISE

Negotiating

Networking
THE ART OF NETWORKING

Presenting
POWERFUL PRESENTATIONS
PUBLIC SPEAKING

Project design

Public speaking

Publishing skills

Running workshops

Service user involvement

Stakeholder engagement

Telephone skills
TALKING TELEPHONES – 2 ways conversations for fine tuning your communicating skills

Values

Virtual team working
MANAGING AT LARGE – managing teams in a multi-cultural, virtual environment

Visioning

Writing
WRITING TO GET READ – how to produce effective reports
PUBLICITY THAT COUNTS
NEWSLETTERS MADE EASY

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