For Workers

FOR WORKERS

My involvement with workers has three major aspects to it:

• Training

• Supervision

• Facilitaton of:

  • Forums

  • Team-building events

  • Planning events

  • Managing work-place tensions and differences.

TRAINING

The following are some of the training workshops I conduct for youth workers, teachers, police, mental health workers…anyone who finds themselves in touch with young people. I am also very happy to talk with you about your needs and what can be designed specifically for the work you do, the young people you work with and the circumstances you find yourself in. Please get in touch. And if you would like to know something about my approach to  ‘therapy’ with young people, you can have a look here. And if you would like to know more about my approach to group work with young people, (or even the not-so-young) just click here.

Engaging with young people

Working with young people, individually or in groups, means catching their attention, firing their imaginations; doing something so they will connect with what is happening so they might just want to continue and be a part of whatever is going on. This process of engagement is about a young person feeling that what is being explored and how it is being explored has personal meaning for them. This must happen or nothing else will. In essence, it’s about forming a meaningful process, a connection, a (working) relationship with a young person. And often doing so when there is little time and in less than ideal circumstances. And research about resilience tells us (not surprisingly) that young people grow stronger when they get to participate in the world around them and when they have some power to influence that world, so this process of engagement needs also to be a mutual and participatory process. With all this in mind, this practical and interactive workshop includes some verbal and some completely non-verbal activities, strategies for those who are imperfect at reading and writing, some physical movement, story telling, rating scales, drawings, use of image and video, a little reflection and a little talking, and the world’s simplest theatre activities. All delivered with equal doses of challenge and support, and equal doses of respect and humour. Also all relevant ingredients in the process of engagement.

Engaging disengaged young people

Everything that has been said in the preceding workshop description applies here. It is also true to say that young people who are ‘disengaged’ still have the same needs and desires as all young people. Like all of us, they need to belong, they need to be part of something, they need connections with others, they need an identity and they need to be in charge of themselves. And many ’disengaged’ young people are also often accessible to us. They are still in schools, in refuges, in rehab centres, within the orbits of Juvenile Justice or Community Services. Yet they often also carry with them (often justifiably) a suspicious view of the world; a view that says that the world is an unfriendy place, that people are not to be trusted, that life is a battle, and that those who offer help, eventually…leave. Such a young person is likely to be angry, hostile, sad or seemingly apathetic or disinterested. Connecting with a disengaged young person then means doing something that puts a question mark next to each of these ideas. And if the young person has not flourished at school we had better do something different to that. And we may need to do something for those who are imperfect at reading and writing, and for those who are either not good at talking, or simply do not want to talk to us. It means doing something unexpected in our interaction, because in response, something unexpected may well emerge within the young person. And what we create together may be sufficiently intriguing and meaningful enough so they will continue to talk, be involved, stay in class, continue with whatever we are offering at that moment. And just what this intriguing thing might be will depend on who you are, who they are, where you are, how much time you have…and your good judgement. And it is as broad and wild as our imaginations. In a conversation it might be something like the following:

‘How about a swap. We ask each other three questions. And we can each answer any way we like, including by just saying: “That’s personal”…Who do you think should start?’

Or: ‘I’m going to suggest that we ask each other three questions. One about food, one about music, and one about sport type stuff…’

Or: ‘I’m going to suggest we ask each other three questions. One simple and easy, one easy but still important, and one important but also quite hard…’

Or a request for 2 minutes of the person’s life: ‘Like everyone, you need to make choices in life. And the one you have in front of you now is about working out whether I am someone who it might be useful talking to…and to make that choice you need to know what we can do together… so here’s the deal…give two minutes of your life to us having a chat, and at the end of two minutes you can decide if we should continue…or if something else needs to happen…do you want to keep track of the time or shall I?’

Or perhaps the forever useful rating scales: ‘Let’s spend a couple of minutes finding out if there is anything we need, or want to, talk about or work on…I have three questions for you and as a response all I would like you to do is pick a number from 1 to 100. BUT…and this is really important! I DON’T want you to tell me what numbers you choose. At the end of the three questions, you can tell me if you think there is something you would like to chat about….It works like this, firstly, thinking about your life in general lately…it has been what…where 1 is JUST AWFUL to 100 which is JUST PERFECT…what number would you choose right now?…And secondly: how much fun has life been lately where 1 is NO FUN AT ALL and 100 is NOTHING BUT CONSTANT FUN….and the final one, let me ask you about STRESS in your life….how stressful has life been where 1 is COMPLETELY PEACEFUL & RELAXED and 100 is HEAPS OF STRESS….’

Or something that is really brief and requires no response at all: ‘I am going to suggest we finish up very soon. Before doing that, I would like to make one comment to you, and ask you two questions. But you do not need to say anything at all. If we were to do this, what would you want to hear first, the comment or the questions?’

None of these may suit. Something else altogether may be what is needed. It’s not fixed, there is no formula. But there are guidelines from research, experience and common sense. And all this is exactly what this workshop is about. How to offer something to a young person, individually or in a group, that might grab their interest in such a meaningful and interesting way, that they want to know more. Engagement.

Mentoring

Mentoring can be a wonderfully uplifting and valuable process of one person supporting another, possibly guiding them or advising them. It is a process which requires wisdom, practical skills and a sense of playfulness. This workshop looks at the various roles a mentor might play, some of the pitfall of this process, what to do if you find yourself in the role of ‘accidental counsellor’, and how to check to make sure that the process is of value to both yourself and those you mentor.

Resilience/wellbeing. New ideas?

‘Resilience’ is an important idea that runs the risk, like many other good ideas, of getting lost through overuse of the word. And this would be a pity because research is finally giving us the evidence that what many people have always known, is actually true. That factors like having meaning in our lives, being in charge of ourselves, and having healthy relationships with others, will help us grow strong and bounce back from the tough times. So how do we meaningfully hang onto the essence of ‘resilience’ and make sure that the principles are enacted in our work? That’s what this workshop is about: presenting a framework of principles and demonstrating how these can be active in our face-to-face work, in the written materials we produce, the projects and programmes we run and in the community development projects we undertake.

Working with kids locked up

This workshop is about working with young people in the Juvenile Justice System and is presented from the perspective of one who enters this system as a guest to work within that system. While there are lots of reasons for not locking up young people, if they are locked up it can become an opportunity for them to bring about some changes. They are free of the tensions of daily life and some of the damaging aspects of their lives, and the new environment can paradoxically become an opportunity to explore new life possibilities. This workshop will look at:

• What topics to take up in Juvenile Justice settings
• Characteristics of programs which help them be successful
• Practical strategies to use within programmes
• Organisational factors which can really help or hinder such programs.

Working with men and boys

Sometimes there is a fine line between a stereotype and something which is true. While there does seem to be something different about working with males, they do tend to be more physical, perhaps more direct, perhaps less verbal, not so emotional, there can also be an element of self-fulfilling prophecy to many of these ideas. So this workshop takes a look at the idea of working with men and boys and strategies for doing so, by exploring the following dynamics, and at the same time suggesting a general attitude and approach that help the less expected aspects of males to emerge:

• Power and aggression
• Feelings. Where do you get them and what do you do with them?
• Relationships: with lovers and partners, with friends and with family
• Sexuality
• Communication. What is it and what’s it for? And are males really so bad at it?
• What does becoming a good man mean? And being a good man in Australias in this day and age?

Drug use. Change and choice

This workshop is not about drugs, it’s about people. It’s about two things. Firstly it’s about human behaviour and understanding why people might do what they do. Secondly, it’s about looking at ways we might be helpful to a person who has got into trouble with their use of alcohol or any other drug. And it’s about how to get the tricky balance right of actively promoting change in a person’s life while respecting and encouraging the person’s right to choose, to be in charge of their life. So…It’s NOT about Information on drugs. This matters but this information is easy to access. Nor is it a first aid course. And it’s not about detecting signs of drug use. What it IS about is:

• Understanding drug use. A straightforward framework of principles which can act as a guide to working with people and drug use. This can be shared with clients and their families.
• Practical strategies that can be used with individuals, families and groups.
• The idea of ‘harm minimisation’ and why it is so controversial.
• How to have therapeutic conversations, whether in a group, a counselling room or over a cup of tea.

Lapse and relapse

If a person has been using alcohol or other drugs for some time, and they decide to try to get their use under control, they are almost certainly going to slip up, and then slip up again. We don’t have to applaud these slips but they are normal, and to be expected, and can be opportunities for some real learning. So this workshop will cover the following:

• How does human change come about? A framework of principles and practical strategies.
• Expectations and goals. Both our own and those of our clients. What are we aiming for? What is realistic?
• Abstaining or less-harmful use? What is likely to work best for this person? Now and in the future?
• Therapeutic conversations. How to make use of both formal and informal opportunities to have conversations which encourage choice and being in charge of life.
• Resilience. What does research tell us about what helps people grow strong and bounce back from the hard times? And how can we incorporate these ideas into our work?
• A framework of well-being as a way for both clients and workers to keep track of how life is going.

How to run a really fabulous group

How do you really present or facilitate a group which is something quite special? Something out-of-the-ordinary? We all know about stages of group development, about group leadership and the roles people play. And there is some truth in all this, but then again, lots of groups seem to be just a bit different from these standard ideas about groups work. So with all this in mind, we will take a look at the conventional wisdom about groups, and dump the things that aren’t useful and explore some other things which might be. This workshop is about thinking and lots of doing! It’s about using interactive activities, theatre techniques, physical movement, story telling, about use of video, imagery and making use of the space and all that is in it as we run groups. It’s about actually doing things in the workshop itself so you can identify and strengthen your own talents and qualities as a group worker.

Advanced Group work

This workshop is for those of you who already have some experience in running groups. You decide whether you are ‘advanced’ or not. The workshop draws on theatre, cartoons, billboards, music and video for inspiration. There will be lots of chances to participate in activities and to have a go at developing and presenting new ones. Along the way we will take a look at:

• Differences in large and small group work.
• Ways of including the different styles that people have.
• Ways of working with those who prefer to not speak, and for those who are imperfect at English and/or at reading and writing.
• Combining therapeutic questions with interactive activities.
• Managing group process as a way of managing difficulties.

The theatre of change. The art of ‘looking at ourselves’

‘Theatre can help us build our future, rather than just waiting for it.’ It is ‘…the art of looking at ourselves.’ So says Augusto Boal, esteemed drama guru from Brazil. And I agree. It is this that makes it so powerful. Related to but different from role play (which some people just do not like), theatre can be simple or elaborate, verbal or non-verbal, a simple facial gesture, an observation, a story or simply walking across a room with attitude. And to be fair to the great art of theatre and drama, this approach is NOT about creating great theatre. It is about using a tool which can help people with their lives. It is theatre with a purpose for families and groups, and even perhaps surprisingly, with individuals. And this purpose is education or therapy, growth, change, dealing with disturbing feelings, managed problems, enhancing relationships or imagining a new future.

Frames. Four ways of helping people

A frame is a simple way of making sense of what is in front of me. A kind of reminder to myself of what I have to do. A fundamental frame for me is the four E’s. Engage, elicit, explore and extend. This is what I need to be doing in an interaction with a single person, a family or a group. Namely, I need to:

• ENGAGE with the person (or persons) in front of me. That is, connect intellectually and emotionally with them. And I need to…
• ELICIT from them just what is going on in their lives so together we can then…
• EXPLORE what is important to them. We may think about these things, perhaps discuss them, raise some questions about them so that in some way at the end of our interaction we are able to…
• EXTEND the number of possibilities available to that person. Often this may mean helping a person identify more clearly and more usefully some of the choices they already have.

So that’s a frame. One of many that can serve as a useful guide to those of us who seek to be useful to others in our interactions with them. This workshop will look at four frames and practical strategies to go with them.

The art of asking a useful question

If I ask a person a question they have never heard before they may just come up with an answer they have never come up with before. And in so doing, a new option in life may well appear. Something to consider, to think about, to feel, possibly to act on. And the mark of a good question is that it is simply one which is of use to a person. One that generates new thoughts and feelings. Questions may be simple or complex; they may stand alone or be one of a series. They do not need to be clever, they only need to be useful to the person. This workshop is all about asking useful questions in as many interesting ways as possible.

Working with families. The good stuff and the tuff stuff

What promotes respect and cooperation in families? And what tends to encourage the horrible stuff? The anger and aggression, the meanness and disrespect? What are the ingredients you want and what are the conditions to avoid? And can these be chosen? And what can any of us do with families where the tuff stuff seems to be winning? Can it be turned around so that family members are more likely to be happy, content, fulfilled, and appreciative loving and respectful of each other? Well, research and common sense point to some of the ingredients which promote each of these sorts of lives and doing so can guide us as workers with families to help them get back on track. Research and common sense can also guide us as to what preventive measures we might take as well as looking at what ingredients need to be present in our own work with families and communities. So this workshop will look at both background principles as well as practical strategies for being useful to families, and perhaps particularly those ones having an especially tuff time.

Working with crisis, chaos, anger and aggression

This workshop is about three major things. Firstly about managing the ‘in-ya-face’ stuff; the anger and aggression. This means reading situations and assessing a person’s level of anger. It means assessing possible driving motives, and it means working out the best response. Secondly this workshop looks at understanding what might lie behind such behaviours; the frustration, pain, confusion, sadness or uncertainty. And the workshop looks at how you might get a person’s attention around these things so that together you can start to work on them. And thirdly it looks at how to create environments, processes, relationships where such behaviour is much less likely to occur.

Risk Assessment and management

This workshop provides both a discussion about the risks facing services and their clients, and it provides a clear framework for assessing possible risks and how they might be managed, It creates an opportunity to look at the clients your service aims to serve and what your service seeks to achieve, and asks what might go wrong and how you might make sure it doesn’t. This workshop will provide a clear framework for assessing risk and developing strategies to manage those risks, and secondly it will look at how this process can dove-tail with existing procedures within your service.

SUPERVISION

In-house supervision can be necessary and useful. External supervision offers something additional. And as the content of supervision can sometimes be about uncertaintly and vulnerability it can be tricky revealing all this to someone who may be doing your staff appraisal next month. Hence external supervion. And this process, usually best conducted away from the work place to give a sense of focus and specialness to the event, is about ensuring the welfare, wellbeing and professional competence and accountability of workers. If workers are okay, then their clients will get much better service. So my focus is always the workers. And anything that effects how they are at work is the territory of supervision. It isn’t therapy, but at times it sure looks like it and employs the same approach of enquiry that good therapy would follow. And this process needs the support of management, so feeding back to those up the line, (while maintaining confidentiality) the topics that have been covered and the usefulness of these meetings.

FACILITATIONS

Forums: To present information or ideas to people, to discuss important topics, legislation or research or to find out what people think and feel about a topic. They can be rowdy, energetic and incredibly useful if the process moves along productively and engagingly.

Team-building: Not necessarily rock-climbing or collective cooking, both of which can be a lot of fun, but something meaningful that helps people connect with each other’s learning styles and ways of being in the world, their strengths and their less-gorgeous attributes, giving people a chance to connect with and understand each other, what their needs and wants are both as professionals and as people.

Planning: To present information or ideas to people, to discuss important topics, legislation or research or to find out what people think and feel about a topic. These events too benefit from some planning and facilitation helping differing views be expressed while ensuring the process continues to develop and move forward.

Managing work-place tensions & differences: Workplaces will have tensions. This is normal. But it is dangerous to allow them to fester or ferment into something destructive for both agencies and individuals. My initial approach to these tensions is to meet with all involved to first establish two things: Can something be done? Am I the right person to help you do it? Once we have answers to these questions we can then devise the next step which may well involve further discussions, always with an aim in mind of moving to some point of resolution within a reasonable time frame, and if unable to do so, to work out the next steps. These are always fraught and emotionally charged processes, but also worthwhile and often necessary.