26 July 2008
Usability & Warmth
Part of our way of working at circleindigo is to explore different venues for running sessions; testing out the usability and warmth of a place, whilst working on our own dreams and plans. This week we were back at Wallacespace but this time trying out their new place between Euston and St. Pancreas http://www.wallacespace.com/. It was good to experience more of the same as its original Covent Garden home. Rooms are wonderfully functional and have a touch of personality with all of the ingredients in one place for good workshopping: space, natural light, great food, refreshments on tap and a welcoming and responsive team of staff. The stairs to the very top were a bit steep for my liking (no-one else seemed to mind!!!) however, this is apparently very good for the thighs and a way of getting some exercise built in to the day…”
25 July 2008
Outside in.
On her way to deliver a team development workshop on a hot July day Sarah wondered if the room that had been booked in a small Surrey hotel would be what was needed to support great engagement and participation. She was delighted to find that the workshop room had French windows leading directly onto the garden which had a series of small round tables nestled amongst the trees and shrubs an ideal setting for some outdoor group work and a great way to increase the size of the working space without the need for builders…
20 July 2008
The Challenge of Hierarchies
Gary has just facilitated a three day ‘Managing Change’ workshop for a client in Bangkok, Thailand. An interesting challenge was presented by the participants that were local to the region:
We were debating how successful a programme can be if it is driven or pushed not top down, not even bottom up, but by a group of senior middle managers who then have to implement the programme to others who have not been through the same programme, in particular to more senior people back in their regions.
It was felt by the far east Asian participants that this can be quite problematical as they are often (if not always) working in very hierarchical companies where trying to influence someone more senior than you to do something can be very difficult. No easy answer but it does bring a different perspective to the Margaret Mead quote: “never doubt a small band of citizens can change the world, in fact it’s all that ever has”. I wondered what in addition might be needed to help enable people in this environment, to support the process of introducing something new.
We were debating how successful a programme can be if it is driven or pushed not top down, not even bottom up, but by a group of senior middle managers who then have to implement the programme to others who have not been through the same programme, in particular to more senior people back in their regions.
It was felt by the far east Asian participants that this can be quite problematical as they are often (if not always) working in very hierarchical companies where trying to influence someone more senior than you to do something can be very difficult. No easy answer but it does bring a different perspective to the Margaret Mead quote: “never doubt a small band of citizens can change the world, in fact it’s all that ever has”. I wondered what in addition might be needed to help enable people in this environment, to support the process of introducing something new.
17 July 2008
Enchanted Evening
The nowhere http://www.nowheregroup.com/ summer party was a delight for all the senses and was held at the Delfina studios, restaurant and project space in Bermondsey St, London SE1 http://www.delfina.org.uk/. Sumptuous canapés excited taste buds, the nowhere book, tools and projects provoked thinking and conversations with friends old and new encouraged connectivity. And finally an outstanding array of entertainments by The Petebox, The Kakatsitsi drummers and the breakers from Soul Mavericks & Flowzaic crews encouraged everyone to limber up and dance the night way…
14 July 2008
Enhancing Children's Learning
Sarah has been taking part in the CoLPI programme (community of learning, practice and innovation) for the past 7 months run by the nowhere foundation http://www.nowherefoundation.org/. Connected to this she recently went to a talk given by Judith Hemming one of the Directors of the nowhere foundation on Education.
As I stepped from the busy streets of Bloomsbury into the October Gallery http://www.octobergallery.co.uk/ I suddenly found myself in a quiet oasis. In the centre of the building I entered a large open air garden courtyard with fruit trees and shrubs and made my way up an iron staircase to the Club Room where Judith Hemming was to give a talk on Education: the development of systemic ways of enhancing life and learning for children.
Judith’s talk began with a brief meditation where the audience recalled memories of their own learning as children. This was followed by dialogue that included head teachers sharing how whole systems based approaches had successfully been used in schools with children, parents and teachers to improve learning, emotional awareness, engagement and creativity. A series of ‘tools’ that have become part of the classroom kit were also introduced and these included the ‘feelings thermometer’ that helps children identify and understand a range of emotions and develop sensitivity to their own and others feelings. This innovative research project has been developing over the past 4 years and is called enhancing children’s learning, to learn more visit: http://www.enhancingchildrenslearning.org/
As I stepped from the busy streets of Bloomsbury into the October Gallery http://www.octobergallery.co.uk/ I suddenly found myself in a quiet oasis. In the centre of the building I entered a large open air garden courtyard with fruit trees and shrubs and made my way up an iron staircase to the Club Room where Judith Hemming was to give a talk on Education: the development of systemic ways of enhancing life and learning for children.
Judith’s talk began with a brief meditation where the audience recalled memories of their own learning as children. This was followed by dialogue that included head teachers sharing how whole systems based approaches had successfully been used in schools with children, parents and teachers to improve learning, emotional awareness, engagement and creativity. A series of ‘tools’ that have become part of the classroom kit were also introduced and these included the ‘feelings thermometer’ that helps children identify and understand a range of emotions and develop sensitivity to their own and others feelings. This innovative research project has been developing over the past 4 years and is called enhancing children’s learning, to learn more visit: http://www.enhancingchildrenslearning.org/
06 July 2008
Youth Act
Last (very rainy) Sunday afternoon Gary and Sarah could be found as part of the audience at The Street Weapons live debate hosted by Jon Snow. www.channel4.com/news/microsites/S/street_weapons_commission/index.html
This was an opportunity to meet with others who care deeply about the issue of gun, gang and knife related crime especially young people as so many of them are directly affected by this issue. We met young people who are taking action in their local areas to address crime on their streets and heard about the projects that are supporting them.
One interesting training project is ‘Youth Act’ from the Citizenship Foundation, the education and participation charity, for young people aged 11-18 who want to achieve political or social change in their community. One of the Youth Act groups in London is ‘Value Life’ from Gladesmore Community School in Haringey. Talking with a couple of the young people it was good to hear how the project has grown since 2003 and that now there are at least eight other schools involved in the campaign. Over the past few years the group has successfully run and organized annual marches and rallies against gun crime, each attended by over 500 people from the local community and the next one will be held on 22nd July 2008 where there will be open top buses traveling the streets of Haringey. Check out the Citizenship Foundation at http://www.citizenshipfoundation.org.uk/ for more information on Youth Act.
This was an opportunity to meet with others who care deeply about the issue of gun, gang and knife related crime especially young people as so many of them are directly affected by this issue. We met young people who are taking action in their local areas to address crime on their streets and heard about the projects that are supporting them.
One interesting training project is ‘Youth Act’ from the Citizenship Foundation, the education and participation charity, for young people aged 11-18 who want to achieve political or social change in their community. One of the Youth Act groups in London is ‘Value Life’ from Gladesmore Community School in Haringey. Talking with a couple of the young people it was good to hear how the project has grown since 2003 and that now there are at least eight other schools involved in the campaign. Over the past few years the group has successfully run and organized annual marches and rallies against gun crime, each attended by over 500 people from the local community and the next one will be held on 22nd July 2008 where there will be open top buses traveling the streets of Haringey. Check out the Citizenship Foundation at http://www.citizenshipfoundation.org.uk/ for more information on Youth Act.
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