54165 Courses

Course Category Team Building and Leadership Visioning and Problem Solving Strategic Work Online Course now available via Teachable Platform – Chairing Meetings Learn at your own pace… lots of text and video support Description Meetings can be dreadful and bad chairing makes them worse. On this day we look at transformational person centred approaches to approaching the chairing of meetings. We provide deeper insights into the psychological processes that make this role challenging. ‘Best Saves’ for those really difficult moments when chairing meetings are creatively explored. We provide a practical, skill based and creative approach best delivered over 2 days. Testimonials “One of the most valuable things I have come across in the whole year” Learning Objectives To identify characteristics of meetings that matter- what excellent chairing looks like To strengthen person centred dimensions to chairing meetings To clarify the meetings we never want to be part of To create a visual graphic and words that uniquely illuminate what great meetings and chairing looks like To explore the various hats that group members and chairs can wear For participants to improve their chairing skills by receiving feedback To explore how to bring creativity into stuck meetings To Explore psychodynamic processes of resistance, projection, splitting and transference- as well as how to process these dynamics Who Is It For? Anyone who has to chair meetings Course Content Setting a Good tone/Exploring the ‘whole elephant’ – story so far of experience in chairing meetings – good and bad meetings – graphiced timeline and highs and lows of story so far Meetings I do not want – negative chairing…. Thinking Hats and Values – linked to role of chair – where are hats when things are going well and where are they when things are not? Our shared vision for great meetings and excellent chairing? Personal planning for future chairing – what do I need to get better at – what should I manage? Specific skill teaching – re when things go wrong – eg tears, personal attacks, talking in side conversations, silent members, lack of contribution, anger and so on…‘best saves’ explored with group – using live role play – with one chair Solution Circle demonstration – chairing skills/problem solving modelled – approach when teams stuck… Emotional elements of chairing – ‘its not personal’ – splitting, projection, transference explored and ‘handling projections’ activity Vision and Road Blocks – small groups chaired and minuted – creative problem solving – Blocks to vision of great meetings creatively removed or worked around

The Extreme Person Centred Thinking Tools are a set of tools to support dreams, build relationships and connections and promote capacity thinking. The aim of the extreme person centred thinking tools training is not to teach people how to facilitate plans, instead it is about sharing tools that can be used to listen and reflect and creatively involve people in planning their own lives. Online Course now available via Teachable Platform – Person Centred Mindset Learn at your own pace… lots of text and video support Course Category Person Centred Planning Description The Extreme Person Centred Thinking Tools are a set of tools to support dreams, build relationships and connections and promote capacity thinking. The aim of the extreme person centred thinking tools training is not to teach people how to facilitate plans, instead it is about sharing tools that can be used to listen and reflect and creatively involve people in planning their own lives. Many of these tools have been taken from MAPS and PATH, and parts also build on the person centred thinking tools. Testimonials Be the first… Learning Objectives This course will provide participants with an understanding of how to use a range of extreme person centred thinking tools to; Use graphics to facilitate creative conversations Learn from people’s stories and histories Listen to and facilitate dreams and nightmares Think about what is positive and possible Connect people with their communities Facilitate inclusion Who Is It For? Person Centred Planning Facilitators Support Workers / Day Centre Officers / Residential Workers Personal Assistants / Teaching Assistants Families Self Advocates Social Workers CAMHS teams Primary and secondary staff teams SENCOs Local Authority Support Services Course Content The course will introduce participants to a range of tools focused around supporting relationships, realising dreams, connecting people with their communities and capacity thinking. Participants will be coached in using the tools and given the opportunity to practice the tools and their graphic facilitation skills in a safe environment. The course will answer the following questions: How can we use ideas from MAP and PATH in our day to day work? How can I use graphics to facilitate conversations? How can we learn more about the people we support? How can we start to think about connecting people to their communities? If you liked this course you may well like: PERSON CENTRED PLANNING USING PATH AND MAPS

Peer mediation is an approach to impacting on conflict resolution and bullying in primary and secondary schools by training pupils to be mediators or ‘counsellors’. This well proven, highly effective method of impacting on school based bullying is still viewed by some as radical. In this workshop participants are introduced to the key components of successful schemes. Our trainers have first hand experience of setting up school based schemes and sustaining these over time. Peer Mediation Training Guide Online Course now available via Teachable Platform – Peer Mediation Learn at your own pace… lots of text and video support Course Category Peer Support Description Peer mediation or peer counselling is an approach to impacting on bullying in primary and secondary schools by training pupils to be ‘Peer Mediators’ or ‘counsellors’. This well proven, highly effective method of impacting on school based bullying is still viewed by some as radical. We can provide training for staff or direct training with students across the age range – typically delivered over 6 short high impact, interactive learning workshops. For staff training, participants are introduced to the key components of successful schemes. Our trainers have first hand experience of setting up school based schemes and sustaining these over time. Enjoy participating in a multi media workshop that will challenge, entertain and reach for your emotions. Watch young people doing their stuff! Testimonials Thank you for the course – I really enjoyed it Learning Objectives To be able to understand the values and wider context of peer support To be able to set up and run a peer counselling scheme to reduce bullying To understand and be able to maximise the power of the peer group in supporting relationships, achievement and behaviour change Who Is It For ? Year 5 or Year 10 pupils Primary and secondary teachers Heads and Deputies SENCOs Learning Support and Guidance staff Advanced Skills Teachers Parents Local Authority Support Services Community Development workers Early Years and School based Practitioners Course Content The course answers the questions : What do you do with major bullying problems in school? Practically how do we go about recruiting and training pupils as counsellors? Will pupils be hurt if we involve them with bullies? Key Themes covered within the direct student training as well as in the staff development sessions- include: Issues of Confidentiality Welcoming your ‘client’ Using active listening skills Using Open and Closed Questions to enable your client to tell you his or her story How to reflect back feelings and how to check you have understood what the client has told you Exploring options for resolving the bullying issue with your client This video gives a brief taster of the work in a Nottingham Primary school. If you liked this course you may well like: PEER SUPPORT AS AN ANTI-BULLYING STRATEGY AT LOCAL AUTHORITY LEVEL

This is a practical ‘non-medical’ day for front line practitioners working with children and young people who have experienced serious trauma in their life. We work to strengthen understanding of children who have faced issues of trauma emerging from abuse, violence, loss and family breakdown. Online Course now available via Teachable Platform – Impact of Trauma Learn at your own pace… lots of text and video support Course Category Meeting emotional needs Behaviour and Relationships Inclusion Teaching and Learning Description This is a practical ‘non-medical’ day for front line practitioners working with children and young people with serious issues arising from trauma. Drawing from the international research and literature and our own experience over many years as educational psychologists of the challenges of children with major social and emotional needs, we will explore together what the best practice can and could look like. We explore the language and key concepts of trauma and outline very practical classroom strategies. We look at what Psychology may help us in our understanding of children who have faced trauma. We explore the themes of: Hyperarousal Intrusive thoughts Constricted lives We look at triggers, self-regulation and unpack a range of strategies.  We explore what young people with these difficulties really need from us. We also spend time looking at the emotional impact on practitioners working with children with such needs and what helps at a personal and team level. We can all do something – we do not have to wait for expert therapists to arrive!  Testimonials I had no idea… It had a huge impact Belonging and feelings are so important Excellent! Learning Objectives Increased confidence regarding developing inclusive practice for traumatised children in mainstream schools Simple understandable explanation trauma understood Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on social and behavioural needs Deeper understanding of core values surrounding inclusion of emotionally disabled children Opportunity to reflect on professional attitudes and behaviour towards parents and pupils with complex emotional needs New skills, scripts and processes to make inclusion successful Who Is It For? Practitioners working in schools and other settings with children and young people of all ages Key workers Teaching Assistants with support roles Heads and deputies SENCOs Advanced skills teachers Primary and secondary classroom teachers Parents Local authority support services Course Content The course explores the questions:What does it take for a child to:Feel safe and secureMourn the past traumaReconnect with ordinary relationships with children and adults?How can we start to develop an understanding of traumatised children?What is the true impact of trauma?What else can we do to go about including high profile children or young people with challenging emotional needs?What useful psychological constructs can we use to guide us?This course also explores practical strategies, concepts and language for key adults rebuilding relationships with individual pupils.This is a participative day that aims to be explorative and practical. Opportunities to develop empathy with the children of concern will be created.If you liked this course you may well like:FRESH APPROACHES TO BEHAVIOUR AND RELATIONSHIPS

Unconscious biases are social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. Course Category Relationships Racial bias Description Unconscious biases are social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. Everyone holds unconscious beliefs about various social and identity groups and these biases stem from one’s tendency to organise social worlds by categorising. So join us on a reflective, engaging day where we tackle real life issues in depth and create action plans for future practice. Learning Objectives Increased confidence and understanding regarding Unconscious Bias Action planning New skills and processes to strengthen the inclusion of diverse groups Opportunity to reflect and understand more deeply on what might be happening due to unconscious bias’ Who Is It For? Any professional, carer or parent Course Content We will explore what is known about:Restorative JusticeDiversityAttitudes and ValuesProfessional dutiesReflective practice

Many leaders and managers working on the front line of inclusion lack emotional support from Local Authority staff or anyone else despite the challenging nature of their work. There is a massive need for active listening, containment and opportunities to problem solve and reflect confidentially with someone trusted. Course Category Peer Support Meeting emotional needs Strategic Work Early Years Description We can tailor make and deliver personalised 1:1 or group support and supervision sessions with a particular focus on emotional support. Many leaders and managers working on the front line of inclusion lack emotional support from Local Authority staff or anyone else despite the challenging nature of their work. There is a massive need for active listening, containment and opportunities to problem solve and reflect confidentially with someone trusted. Some leaders may prefer a group setting for mutual support. We can provide this numbers permitting. Book a set of 3/10/20 sessions or why not set up monthly meetings with a psychologist, head teacher or other suitable practitioner to meet your needs. Testimonials Be the first… Learning Objectives Emotional support in a confidential space To listen and offer practical support Joint problem solving around hard issues To build a trusting relationship Who Is It For ? Headteachers Children Centre Managers Heads of Service Directors Early Years Mangers Course Content Active and supportive listening and exploration of named issues Supportive and safe problem solving Consultation processes In groups to use processes such as Circle of Adults If you liked this you may like: STORY TELLING: STRENGTHENING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE OF COMMUNITIES

How can we interrupt the isolation of disabled, challenging and other ‘different’ children and adults? This is our lead workshop/training day and is both a values primer and a practical guide to successful strategies for developing inclusive practice in educational and non educational settings for children and young people of all ages. This is practical plus being a ‘hearts and minds’ day. What does inclusion mean? Can we imagine what an inclusive school look like? What do we have to do? The day gives those present opportunities to reflect on their attitudes and practice in relation to the inclusion of children and adults who are different or challenging. The Keys can be presented as a powerful interactive Keynote for large conferences. A great way to launch a conference as the first key is ‘welcome’. Learning Objectives Increased confidence regarding developing inclusive practice in mainstream schools and other settings Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on behaviour problems Deeper understanding of core values surrounding inclusion of disabled and challenging children and adults Opportunity to reflect on professional attitudes and behaviour towards parents and pupils New skills and processes to make inclusion successful Course Content The course answers the questions : Why inclusion? What is inclusion? How do we go about including high profile children or young people? What does inclusion have to do with me? Best delivered over the course of a full day, ‘Keys to Inclusion’ introduces participants to 6 guiding Ideas that underpin inclusive practice. The importance of WELCOME Inclusion is about Adults’ learning Taking the Long View Giftedness as a new paradigm for understanding disability and difference The Intentional Building of Relationships – ‘Circle of Friends’ work as an example of this Not doing it alone – the importance of Teams in developing inclusive practice.

New Covid 19 inspired course to deepen participants understanding of stress, trauma and anxiety. We will work with them to strengthen them and build resilience. This work is particularly relevant to school and other teams returning to school post Covid-19 lock down experiences or similar. The training can be delivered virtually on Teams or Zoom or face to face safely. Course Category Team Building Leadership Emotional needs Description In this course we deepen participants understanding of stress, trauma and anxiety and will work with them to strengthen them and build resilience. This work is particularly relevant to school and other teams returning to school post Covid-19 lock down experiences or similar. The training can be delivered virtually on Teams or Zoom or face to face safely.  Learning Objectives Participants will: Deepen their understanding of stress, trauma and anxiety Develop creative resources for self-care Experience a reflective space in which they feel heard and validated Share narratives and strategies and develop solidarity Create a shared vision for achieving resilience within teams Who Is It For? Any team that is returning to workplace following Covid-19 lockdown or other traumatic events Any team that wants to build strength and resilience Course Content Overview of session, goals and ground rules Confidential listening: story so far… experiences shared – opportunity for mutual support. All shared in strictest confidence unless serious or dangerous. What we know about staying strong and resilient – taught input with short activities covering: Understanding anxiety and stress and how to manage/process both – what’s there already/what’s needed – building a resilience toolkit. What to do about eating, sleeping and worrying? The nature of change and chaos Building trust in each other – with activity The impact of trauma Empowering cooperative teamwork Importance of nurture and inclusion The long view – the power of individual people in our lives who really care and the impact we each make on young people Share collective ideas and resources for building strength Shared vision for a strong, resilient staff – teams that are abiding, constant, durable, established, fast, firm, lasting, firm but flexible, reliable, secure, sound, steadfast, strong, sturdy, sure and well-founded.

So you appreciated a Keys to Inclusion day? Wondering what next? The Next Set follows on from our lead workshop/training day and is both values driven and a practical guide to successful strategies for further developing inclusive practice in educational settings for children and young people of all ages. Course Category Inclusion Description So you appreciated a Keys to Inclusion day? Wondering what next? The Next Set follows on from our lead workshop/training day and is both values driven and a practical guide to successful strategies for further developing inclusive practice in educational settings for children and young people of all ages. On this day we explore processes and ideas ranging from the individual practitioner’s imagination through to the creating of a community gathering to strengthen inclusion of disabled and disempowered adults and children. This too is a ‘hearts and minds’ day in which you can expect participants to both laugh and cry in equal measure! The day gives those present lots of opportunities to reflect on their attitudes and practice in relation to the inclusion of pupils who are different and most challenging. Testimonials I have learned such a lot. I have learned so much. Keep an Open Mind. Really inspired! I can’t wait to share the day Learning Objectives Increased confidence regarding developing inclusive practice in mainstream schools Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on behaviour problems Deeper understanding of core values surrounding inclusion of disabled children Opportunity to reflect on professional attitudes and behaviour towards parents and pupils New skills and processes to make inclusion successful Who Is It For ? Early Years and School based Practitioners Heads and Deputies SENCOs Advanced Skills Teachers Primary and secondary teachers Parents Local Authority Support Services Course Content The course answers the questions : What next after a Keys day? How do we take people with us? What else can we do to go about including high profile children or young people? What does inclusion really have to do with me? Best delivered over the course of a full day, ‘Keys to Inclusion’ introduces participants to 6 guiding Ideas that underpin inclusive practice. The power of imagination Determination and persistence Growing Relationships How to help not hinder Communicating honestly and directly Creating Community Circles If you liked this course you may well like: KEYS TO INCLUSION Or: INCLUSION: IT DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN

In this practical workshop session we will explore ways of including pupils who have been labelled as being on the autism spectrum. The session will be values based and practical and will aim to allow the sharing of experiences and good practice as well promoting innovative approaches to inclusion through the design of best practice. Course Category Autism and Communication Description In this practical workshop session we will explore ways of including pupils who have been labelled as being on the autism spectrum. The session will be values based and practical and will aim to allow the sharing of experiences and good practice as well promoting innovative approaches to inclusion through the design of best practice. Parental perspectives and experiences will also be explored. This is not a ‘medical model’ day on autism. Our motto for the day is ‘People do things for a Reason (and the reason isn’t autism).’ We make full use of first hand accounts of the experience of autism – the autobiographies – to deepen participants’ understanding of what it means to be labeled ‘autistic’ “We are all much more simply human than otherwise, be we happy and successful, contented and detached, miserable and disordered, or whatever.”HARRY STACK SULLIVAN Testimonials ‘A great day – going away buzzing with ideas’?? ‘Thanks for a wonderful day. Useful informative and a real ‘eye opener’. I feel that I am able to understand why some autistic children carry out certain actions’ ‘I have gained a lot of knowledge and understanding and will be able to help support and accommodate children better. Thank you.’ ‘I now know autism is part of us all’ ‘Useful to stand in shoes of autistic people’ ‘I was blessed to be on this day’ ‘I will take all these ideas back to the nursery’ ‘Very respectful of people on the spectrum.’ ‘Ways of reaching a person, not a condition.’ ‘Really gave me an idea of how people feel.’ Learning Objectives Increased confidence regarding autistic pupils and their inclusion in mainstream schools Access to a wider range of practical strategies to impact on communication and behaviour issues Deeper understanding of core values surrounding inclusion New skills and processes to strengthen the inclusion of young Autistic people in all settings Who Is It For ? Early years and school based practitioners Heads and deputies Guidance staff Learning support teams SENCOs Primary and secondary teachers Parents Local authority support services Community workers and carers Course Content The course answers the questions : What is autism? How do we go about including autistic children or young people? What does autism have to do with me? Key themes include: Movement differences Strategies for Facilitating Communication Supports and Accommodations for Sensory Sensitivities Developing Friendships and Peer Support School and Family Partnerships ‘Learning to Listen’ – Positive Behavioural Supports Developing School wide Supports for Teachers and Students