Holding space for diversity
Embodying our values in our groups and organisations can involve facing deep challenges in relation to anti-oppression practices and honouring diversity. People facilitating group processes and holding spaces for others need additional support to explore and understand the dynamics involved, and to learn practices and approaches that can help our groups to meet these challenges in ways that are creative and empowering.
In our work with groups, many of us are familiar with the challenges this course seeks to address. What does it really mean to honour diversity? How do we build the understanding we need to integrate anti-oppression practices effectively? And how do we do this in a way that genuinely increases awareness, justice, care and mutual understanding?
This is a training and inquiry for experienced trainers and facilitators. The in-depth 8 day course will provide a space to explore, learn, and deepen awareness and understanding of how to integrate equality, diversity and inclusion into learning and development, including content delivery, the learning and development process at every stage, within the group dynamics and learning climate, and specific facilitation and training approaches designed to support the needs of participants (individually and collectively).
As educators, trainers and facilitators there are a myriad of opportunities to broaden and deepen the awareness, knowledge and understanding of equality diversity and inclusion of the people on our courses and workshops, whether it’s a course with a specific focus on equality diversity and inclusion related topic, or as a thread we can weave into any course or workshop that seeks to build a better world for all. Whatever the topic, a learning and development setting provides the ideal opportunity for strengthening and increasing confidence and capability in promoting equality, enhancing diversity and building inclusive practices and cultures.
An integral Framework for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Development
No single development model, approach or strategy is able to respond alone to support the learning of people in an increasingly diverse world, and the challenges arising from ever increasing inequality and asymmetrical power dynamics. In response to cultural complexity we need to go beyond the habit of turning to simplistic solutions and building a holistic repertoire of flexible approaches that encompass the range of developmental opportunities we can build into any training programme. The integral framework that underpins this programme is one such attempt to guide our work as educators, trainers and facilitators.
As educators, trainers and facilitators there are at least 5 ways we can support participant development in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I):
ED&I work is also some of the most demanding in terms of emotional energy and facilitator skills, and the course will explore ways to resource and look after ourselves before, during and after engaging in this work.
Learning objectives and outcomes: By the end of the course participants will:
Participants should be experienced facilitators or trainers, with previous experience of anti-oppression or equality, diversity and inclusion work.
In the solidarity economy:
(See details of our approach to radical economics here)
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Jeroen (he/him pronouns) has been involved in grassroots social movements for more than two decades now, starting back when he was fifteen. Throughout the years the fights for “climate justice” and “migrant justice” have been consistently on top of the list of struggles that make his heart beat faster. A key transformative moment for Jeroen was reading Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Freire’s revolutionary pedagogy gave him a language to support the creation of emancipatory learning environments, rooted in a desire for collective liberation. Jeroen has also been exploring in depth Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed and Joanna Macy’s The Work That Reconnects among other methodologies to build his trainer’s toolkit. Inspired by the liberatory possibilities of these traditions, he started an organization with a friend, LABO vzw, based in Belgium, where he has worked as a trainer and campaigner between 2013 and 2023.
Tools for effective and sustainable activism
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new stories: different worlds
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Knowledge, skills and perspectives to challenge oppression and create spaces of solidarity.
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Tools for effective and sustainable activism
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Navigating the complex terrain of migrant and migrant-solidarity organising
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an introduction to a holistic and transformative approach to activist training and facilitation
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Go to the people, learn from them. Live with them. Love them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have – Lao Tzu
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Building facilitation capacity through participatory practices.
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a space to think critically, to ask challenging and transformative questions, and find deeper inspiration and understanding to empower social change.
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building and strengthening regenerative praxis for BIPOC organisers.
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Ulex: del latín, (tojo en castellano, argelaga en catalán) nombre.
1. Arbusto espinoso de hoja perenne y floración, con gran capacidad de regeneración y resistencia. Sus púas se abren al entrar en contacto con el fuego y vuelve a brotar de los tocones carbonizados. Planta sucesional que crece bien en condiciones difíciles. Mejora la fertilidad del suelo mediante la fijación de nitrógeno, preparando el terreno para una renovada biodiversidad.
2. Una opción tradicional para encender fuegos. Arde con intensidad y brillo.
3. Un proyecto en red que aporta nutrición y fertilidad a los movimientos sociales europeos a través de la formación
