In a globalised environment our societies and organisations are becoming increasingly complex places. It is only when tensions break out that we recognise the power of thoughts and feelings that have been unexpressed and perhaps till now avoided – whether for fear of the backlash or because there is no room for them. Unfortunately this means that when they do break through it is a way which takes us by surprise.
To work effectively with people and the systems they live and work in, organisational development practitioners, consultants, mediators, leaders, activists and community facilitators rely on finely honed facilitation skills.
Participants of our advanced practitioner development program will learn about and experience a large and small group facilitation method known as Worldwork.
Worldwork is a powerful tool for working with complex social and organisational dynamics, supporting diverse voices to be heard, addressing conflict and creating awareness about the effect of our subtle biases and unconscious use of rank and power.
To facilitate teams and systems well, we must consider many factors including the group’s history, patterns and style of interacting, the context, rank differences, leadership, values, perceptions and more. Worldwork strengthens facilitators skills in working with the many and ever-present layers of group dynamics and diversity.
Worldwork is a powerful way to hear marginalised voices and perspectives that frequently offer new insights and breakthroughs for the society, organisations and culture. Offering a profound experiential learning, it supports participants to recognise the impact of their own behaviours and the conscious and unconscious rank dynamics at play in society.
Familiarity with the Worldwork methodology will deepen your own confidence in working in conflicted and potentially volatile situations. It equips you to think on your feet and work with what’s in the room.
This course will enable participants to:
There will be a strong focus on skill development but also on your personal development as a facilitator.
The course will comprise of six days of training including an initial introductory two-day workshop for those new to Worldwork.
Our first workshop will focus on key concepts and applications as well as the core skills underpinning the subtle art of Worldwork facilitation.
Topics covered in the first workshop include:
This workshop will be a strong grounding for facilitators new to or developing their confidence in Worldwork facilitation.
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This workshop will include an Open Group process in which members of the group facilitate dynamic group interactions and receive private supervision feedback.
This workshop will cover:
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Effective facilitation lies first and foremost with a facilitator’s own personal awareness. An advanced facilitator recognises they are in a relational dialogue and is required to track and anticipate a group’s needs and process along with their own personal process.
Participants will learn how to recognise roles, biases and beliefs within themselves and others. You will learn to use this information, rather than be caught by it, to deepen dialogue between parties with differing interests as a basis for shared understanding, decision making and consensus.
This workshop will develop participant’s capacity to:
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This workshop will equip participants to work with conflict providing an understanding of the causes of escalation and de-escalation.
An open group process will be held, enabling participants to apply some of these skills in the heat of polarized debate.
Participants will develop techniques for:
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The impact of rank and power on organisational, community and team dynamics is rarely discussed, and hence poorly understood. Yet the capacity to use power effectively is dependent on our understanding of the factors shaping our experience of power and that of our staff and colleagues.
This workshop explores ways to:
Full Series: Early Bird: $1,800 inc gst Full Rate: $1,950 inc gst
Workshop 1 only: Early Bird: $900 inc gst Full Rate: $1,000 inc gst
Workshops 2 – 5:* Early Bird: $900 inc gst Full Rate: $1,000 inc gst
A limited number of scholarship places will be available for those working in community leadership roles.
*Option available to current students only.
Early bird available until 1 February 2016.
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Workshops will run 9.00am-4.30pm each day.
Participants will be asked to undertake some reading to support their skill development.
For more information on the program please email or call 03 9077 2163.
If you are interested in this topic please read our blog “History Is Not In The Past“. While you are there, why not make a comment, and add to the discussion?