Seventh Annual
Australasian Facilitators Conference
Adventures
in Facilitation: Journeys and Destinations
Feedback
on the Conference held in Wellington, 22-24
October 2004
Hear is my
personal report and reflections on the Australasian Facilitators Network
Conference
(written for the AFN elist).
The AFN Conference
was held over the New Zealand Labour weekend 22-24 October with 3 preconference
workshops by Dr Gil Brenson Lazan, visiting from Columbia.
The three preconference
workshops were on differing topics: the first, held in Auckland, was
titled Justice to Justness and was about becoming the changes we want
to see in the world particularly through modifying our own language
- towards the affirmative and peaceful (non violent), committed and
accountable (non blaming). The second and third workshops, in Wellington,
explored Disaster Relief capacity building and Caring for the Caregivers.
Gil is an exceptional person, with a sharp intelligence, an enormous
facilitator experience and a generous heart. His workshops reflected
all these attributes. In the Caring for the Cargivers I learnt about
how to minimise stress reactions through minimising cortisol and increasing
endorphins. Very useful stuff and Gil will make his papers available
on our Zenergy web site soon.
Gil is also a keen
photographer and Stephen Thorpe and I were able to drive Gil to Wellington
and also provide a car and "compadre" (Stephen) to drive him
around the South Island for a week after the Conference to photograph
the mountains and rivers.
The Conference itself
was held at the University of Victoria, Wellington, in the Student Association
Building. The theme was Adventures in Facilitation: Journeys and Destinations.
About 90 adventurers attended, 26 from Australia, 2 more working mainly
in India and China, 2 participants from Singapore and another from Taiwan.
The programme unfolded over 2 ½ days and included a warm up and
orientation session, many structured workshop opportunities, an open
space session, a world cafe', a story telling session, and plenty of
informal time to talk and eat with colleagues and ramble around the
inner city. My 'climbing buddies' small group (the Koru loungers) explored
the Te Papa Museum and saw some wonderful exhibitions there, including
one on Antarctic exploration and another comparing natural forms with
those of architecture.
The Conference organising
group and its two Convenors, Marilyn Hunt and Karen Eriksen (Zenergy
Wellington) did a marvellous job in organising and holding the Conference.
The Conference programme weavers, Sharon Devereau Blum, Anne Pattillo
and Mary-Alice Arthur provided excellent facilitation. Carla Rogers
(the IAF Regional representative) also facilitated a world café
session on the future of the Network and invited participants to give
personal commitments. Other volunteers and scholarship holders helped
out in many tasks so that the Conference unfolded smoothly. The sponsorship
of the Conference and Dr Lazan's visit was by Zenergy Ltd. Scholarships
to the Conference and other contribution were contributed from the 2003
AFN Conference in Sydney.
In my own workshop,
"Mapping the Field of Facilitation", facilitators pooled their
collective intelligence in an exploration of the territory of facilitation.
Participants expressed various and mainly holistic approaches to their
work and for many this included connection with spirit, the natural
world, heart, intuition, creativity, critical inquiry and reflection.
In meeting client needs facilitators used a diversity of methods, processes,
tools and techniques and tended to identify with more than one method
(open space, appreciative inquiry, world cafe' for example). We constructed
a spiral map of facilitation using our own individual maps with the
fire of spirit at the centre and including social ecology and permaculture,
social change and the school of life.
As well as the workshops,
I loved the informal sharing. I wanted to catch up with everyone I knew
and build the many relationships I now have with facilitators in this
part of the world. Just to see everyone in the flesh was such a buzz.
I was impressed with the energy, commitment, wholeness and quality which
shone through in the conversations I was able to have. I kept thinking
to myself : "Look at this bunch of great people. How lucky we are
to be able to come together like this". The depth of heartfulness,
intelligence and friendship present leads me to believe that we are
moving from a network of facilitators to a community of facilitators.
Reflecting on the
Conference, my heart again fills with joy. Our network has grown over
the seven years and is becoming a community of committed, generous and
skilful people contributing to a healthy world through facilitation.
Thank you to all participants for "being" the Conference.
As Kevin Balm said, "from a network to a movement". We are
on the way.
The 2005 AFN Conference
will be in Perth.
Warm regards from
Dale Hunter
Thanks to everyone
responsible for the Wellington conference. I had a great time, connecting
and reconnecting, learning and sharing.
Here's a couple
of references I promised: The Applied Improvisation Network can be found
at ww.appliedimprov.net,
Storytelling
applications are at www.thestorynet.com
and Thiagi's
site where there are literally thousands of frame games (games that
can be applied to any content) is at www.thiagi.com
Anyone who wants
to contact Jessica Dart about MSC (Most Significant Change) can email
her at
Cheers, Viv
...anyone who would
like a copy of the presentation I gave at the AFN conference on facilitating
collaborative decision making in political organisations email me and
I'll send you a copy. (
)
I had a great time
at the conference and was inspired and learnt lots- thanks to everyone
who made it possible.
Regards,
Janet
It was so lovely
to share and meet with you many of you 'ftf' at Wellington....What is
clear to me from the World Café and all of the sessions that
I attended on the week-end is the collective spirit and values that
our
meeting/network is based in and the strong desire expressed by many
of you to maintain/evolve 'community'. That in itself is pretty WOW!
Thank you again
all for a creative, inspiring and nourishing weekend and
to the conference organisers for creating the space for the magic to
happen!
Carla
Thank you Dale for
your reflections on the AFN conference and thank you to the organising
team and the contribution which Zenergy made to the conference.
I really enjoyed the experience, especially networking with so many
interesting people, and meeting up with Gil again.
Hi you wonderful
Conference Organising Committee..
..Congratulations
seems an almost inadequate word! As I've said to many colleagues 'this
conference was one the best organised/most fun learning event I have
been to in a long time' Take my Hat (if I was wearing one) off to you...hope
you are all now enjoying our fabulous weather..some great relaxation
and time out.. before the perennial mad march to Christmas
Kia ora koutou
I attended the AFN
conference at Labour Weekend. What a wonderful conference. I was so
inspired by the facilitators I met there and the wonderful work they
do in the world. For me it felt an immense privilege to walk and work
amongst them.
Many many thanks
and congratulations to Zenergy Wellington. It was an incredible achievement.
The team created a marvelous heart full event with lots of different
possibilities and adventures for everyone to embark on. A personal thank
you to the team for my invitation to present an Appreciative Inquiry
taster – it was such a special opportunity to meet other facilitators
using Appreciative Inquiry.
I was in a state
of blissful reflection and excitement for days after the conference.
I have often wondered
about the value of my Zenergy diploma (if I may be so bold as to say
that here!). I have traveled an academic path alongside my zenergy training
and often it is those academic qualifications which earn me more status
or money!!
AND … I felt
proud to stand as a Zenergy graduate.
As I talked to many
people and observed others facilitate, I realised that many of the ‘ways
of being’ that I now take for granted are incredibly powerful and
deep approaches that I have learned through my facilitation “development”
(note, I avoid training). They are more than processes; they are about
the way we choose to be in the world.
I look forward to
more of these conferences.
Australasian Facilitators Conference Photos
Australasian Facilitators
Network 2004 conference participants (click on photo for larger image
119KB).
Gilbert Brenson-Lazan
World Cafe session
led by Carla Rogers
Maping the Field of Facilitation workshop led by Dale Hunter
Upcoming
Eighth Annual Australasian Facilitators Conference
Facilitating
on the Edge
2005 Australasian
Facilitators Network Conference
Perth Western
Australia Friday 25-Sunday 27 November 2005
'When you come to
the edge of all the light you have, and must take a step into the darkness
of the unknown,
either there will
be something solid for you to stand on, or you will FLY ...' Patrick
Overton
Imagine participating
in a conference focussed on your facilitation learning edges. Thats
what we're working on in the West. Let us know who and what would stretch
your edge. Discover what is leading edge. Develop a competitive edge.
Leap off the edge .....
GATHER
Perched on the edge
of Perth’s beautiful Swan River and the bushlands of King’s
Park, the Trinity College Accommodation and Conference Centre is part
of the University of Western Australia and is conveniently located at
230 Hampden Road, Crawley. It’s a quick bus hop from Perth CBD
and the Subiaco smart set. Wander through the cool gardens of the adjacent
campus, take an early morning walk along the river, or a well earned
splash in the Indian Ocean at sunset.
STAY
On campus at Trinity
College which has a range of accommodation styles and prices that can
suit singles, twins and families, with self-contained or shared facilities.
The Trinity website - www.trinity.uwa.edu.au – offers venue details,
photographs, links to local attractions, public transport, favourite
haunts and tourist information.
HOLIDAY
Spring is a magical
time to enjoy Western Australia’s unique wildflowers. Over 12,000
species in vibrant clusters and spectacular blankets adorn the ground
and attract nature lovers from all over the world. Explore the awesome
old growth forests and coastal icon areas such as Ningaloo. The continental
shelf hosts the annual whale migration and abalone season. Other November
events: the hedonistic Margaret River Wine Region Festival, racy Rally
Australia, the vibrant and edgy Fremantle Festival. For more ideas that
will push you over the edge: www.westernaustralia.com
CONTACT
AFN-WA to
register your interest and receive updates.
Phone Colma on +61 8 9354 9735
Email:
