12973 Educators providing Courses

Soulful Vision

soulful vision

SOULFUL VISION was born out of Steve Radley’s journey of healing as a military veteran of Iraq & Afghanistan and is informed by his training as a Priest and a Photographer. Is Mindfulness any good? We read a lot about the benefits of MINDFULNESS but chatting to people I discovered lots of us find it strange and not ‘my sort of thing’. It can feel quite inaccessible with all its talk of focusing on our breathing, letting go of our thinking and centring in the moment. I first came across MINDFULNESS whilst studying psychiatry at King’s College London and there can be no disputing the research – it’s good for us and is an ancient practice modern society has rediscovered. But I know what my people mean – it can feel hard to do because – well let’s face it – we have lots of things competing for our attention and spending time sitting cross legged meditating is not something we have the time or desire to do. Making Mindfulness accessible Through my photography training I realised this art form is an easy way into mindfulness. And this creates a wonderful possibility – we’re all taking pictures on our phones, so rather than teaching something completely new, we can simply adapt something we already do to access the benefits of mindfulness. SOULFUL VISION retreats and workshops take your photography (whether with a smartphone or camera) and help you discover how this can become a mindful activity, helping you find moments of calm within the demands of modern life. Wellbeing with a difference There are many excellent wellbeing courses and providers but many of the techniques taught are premised on self-care (eg. time management, boundary setting, kind non-judgemental thinking, etc). This is important but I believe it can only form part of the answer. There is a danger when the focus is purely self-care, that we can feel we have failed if we struggle in our life and work – we can feel we are not resilient. We will only thrive and find resilience if the environments we live and work support our resilience. Our relationships are of equal importance and we each need to support one another. For me the process of taking a picture can be both an activity of self-care and care for one another. This creates environments and cultures in which we can find resilience together, finding peace and enabling us to thrive in life. One writer on wellbeing called this a ‘virtuous circle of kindness’. Join us on a workshop or retreat. Learn a mindful approach to photography which is an act of self-care and how to share your images to learn about yourself and one another. By facilitating conversations with one another through your pictures I hope to create shared vision and understanding. This can help strengthen not only our own, but one another’s resilience and mental health as we develop a shared vision and learn about the different ways we each see life. My workshops are premised on the 5 Steps to Wellbeing, which is an approach endorsed by the NHS and described below We do not focus primarily on the technical aspects of photography. Steve will help if you get stuck! All you require is a camera you can use and an open mind to try.

Thinking Big Community Interest Company

thinking big community interest company

London

We are a group of individuals from different backgrounds and with a broad range of experiences. Collectively we have worked in and with statutory services, private business, charitable and voluntary organisations, and across many sectors including health and social care, education, heritage and industry. Each Director brings a rich array of knowledge and perspectives and we are bound by our common interest in building a fairer society. We like to be creative and to seek the involvement of others in generating new ideas, both to overcome existing challenges and in Thinking BIG about new ways to improve experiences and outcomes. After a number of years of talking about ideas, we decided it was time to take action. We looked at different models for forming a charitable, not-for-profit organisation, and took advice from some who had gone before us in this sector. As a result, we formed Thinking BIG as a Community Interest Company, dedicated to engaging in training, and projects with individuals, groups and organisations, in pursuit of the overarching aim - to promote social inclusion, opportunity and wellbeing, by making a positive difference to services and people's lives through meaningful training and community engagement. There are no share holders, no dividends and no spurious expenses. Any funds raised are put entirely into the running of projects for the benefit of the community. As for the name, we asked the people we work with what words they thought captured what we do. We want people to Think BIG when considering new projects and activities, not to be limited by what is already out there. A little imagination and passion goes a long way, and we're on an exciting journey. We have experience of achieving outstanding outcomes, both with organisations, and with individuals. Our training is designed, delivered, evaluated and quality assured, with organisations benefiting from improved employee ability, confidence, performance and wellbeing. Our community projects have made a positive difference to people's lives, and include collaborations with The National Lottery Community Fund, the Police and Crime Commissioners for West and South Yorkshire and their Violence Reduction Units, Menston Parish Council, Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Kirklees Council, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, and Yorkshire Mentoring. Our Story Our aim is to promote social inclusion, opportunity and wellbeing by Thinking BIG. To achieve this, our vision is to facilitate positive experiences, progress and sustainable outcomes; empowering people through education, training, skills-building and having a collective voice in shaping future services and lives. Much of our work is with individuals and groups who face barriers to inclusion, opportunity and/or wellbeing, and others who can support these very people. Children and adults can be vulnerable or disadvantaged by many factors including disabilities, ill-health, poverty, abuse, isolation, marginalisation or being in care. They can also find it difficult to keep themselves and others healthy and safe, or to access opportunities, services or employment, as a result of missing out on appropriate education, training or support. We can help to achieve goals and aspirations which improve lives. Others who support vulnerable people include families, friends, carers, schools, and involved or potentially supportive professionals, volunteers and services. These people can also face challenges which need to be recognised and addressed and they can be empowered in their roles through dedicated support and training. By choosing to use our training services for their teams, organisations can benefit from outstanding workforce development whilst simultaneously supporting their communities, as money raised is invested back into meaningful activities and projects