participation: more than just being in the room
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Participation: More than just being in the Room. Rethinking how we engage & include Alysha Herrmann . Interrupting Transmissions. An opportunity to think about how we might interrupt unjust patterns. Taking a moment to interrupt ourselves to enable reflection - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
PARTICIPATION: MORE THAN JUST BEING IN THE ROOM
Rethinking how we engage & includeAlysha Herrmann
INTERRUPTING TRANSMISSIONS
An opportunity to think about how we might interrupt unjust patterns.
Taking a moment to interrupt ourselves to enable reflection
Transmission as a process of communication Transmission – moving from one place to
another (for eg. from ‘disconnection’ to ‘leadership’)
How do we ‘Interrupt Transmissions’?
WHO IS THIS WEIRDO UP THE FRONT? Once upon a time
High school drop out at 15 Teenage mum at 17
Today University Student (BA Teaching & Arts) Theatre Practitioner (Writer/Performer/Director) Facilitator/Speaker Community Builder & Volunteer Teacher & Mentor 2011 SA Young Citizen of the Year
Then & Now Friend/Sister/Daughter/Mother/Partner
SO WHAT IS PARTICIPATION??
Image credit: http://sccyp.net/participation/index.php
OFFERS AND OWNERSHIP
Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/morberg/3842815564/
ENCOURAGE FRIENDSHIPSEncourage Friendships between young people- lots of
benefits: They’ll keep coming to see each other Opportunity to practice lots of ‘people skills’ (like
communication & conflict resolution) Builds foundations for resilience (we all need friends who
care about us)
How to encourage Friendships: Allow ‘unstructured time’ Provide snacks if you can Subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) acknowledging
common ground as it comes up in a session, project or activity
Trust your instincts.
BE PRESENTBe ‘present’ with young people (actually ALL
people) Actively listen – don’t be thinking about the
next task, what you’re cooking for dinner or how you want to shake them for being a selfish so and so
Don’t answer phone calls!! We have voicemail for a reason. Return the call later.
Write notes if you have to/want to but ask them if it’s ok and if it’s ok to pause the conversation so you can do so, rather than looking at your computer or notebook whilst they’re talking
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Doesn’t mean we invite young people to our house on the weekend.
PR’s mean we show genuine care and respect and that we model this by sharing appropriate personal anecdotes, active listening and encouraging young people to engage in safe rituals with us.
"What most people need is a good listening too." (Mary Lou Casey)
INTERRUPTING THIS TRANSMISSION "I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough, we must
apply. Being willing is not enough, we must do." (Leonardo Da Vinci)
Image Credit – ‘Random Girls’ Maude Davey
EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO TELL “There have been great societies that did not
use the wheel, but there have been no societies that did not tell stories.” (Ursula K. LeGuin)
“If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive.” (Barry Lopez)
CONNECTED, EMPOWERED & RESILIENT
Image Credit: http://blog.cunysustainablecities.org/2010/03/urban-resilience/
ASSET BASED THINKING Young people are one of our greatest assets –
the solution, not the problem
"The greatest danger for most of us is not that we aim too high and we miss, but that we aim too low and we reach ." (Michelangelo)
See the Bank of Ideas (bankofideas.com.au) for ideas on asset based thinking & other tips for your ‘working with young people toolkit’
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
Image Credit: http://www.psfk.com/2011/01/how-small-acts-of-building-relationships-can-improve-the-world-video.html
CREATE OWNERSHIP
Image Credit: http://socialimprove.com/files/2009/03/change-in-ownership.jpg
FOSTER BELONGING
Image Credit: http://www.newcastle.edu.au/
ENABLE PARTICIPATION
“If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the people to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
(Antoine de Saint Exupery)
THANKYOU. ANY QUESTIONS?You can find me on:
Twitter - @lylyee YouTube - anishaz Email - [email protected] Facebook - alysha.herrmann http://alyshaherrmann.wordpress.com http://pressurelands.wordpress.com Or just Google ‘alysha herrmann’
OTHER USEFUL RESOURCES Bank of Ideas - http://www.bankofideas.com.au
(all quotes in this presentation thoughtfully borrowed from BOI)
TED talks - http://www.ted.com/ Youth Gas - http://www.youthgas.com/ Pulse28 - http://pulse28.com/ Type this in to remind yourself that you are-
http://iamawesome.com/
'Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work' (Thomas Edison)