PARTICIPATION: MORE THAN JUST BEING IN THE ROOM

Rethinking how we engage & include

Alysha Herrmann

INTERRUPTING TRANSMISSIONS

An opportunity to think about how we might interrupt unjust patterns.

Taking a moment to interrupt ourselves to enable reflection

Transmission as a process of communication Transmission – moving from one place to

another (for eg. from ‘disconnection’ to ‘leadership’)

How do we ‘Interrupt Transmissions’?

WHO IS THIS WEIRDO UP THE FRONT?

Once upon a time High school drop out at 15 Teenage mum at 17

Today University Student (BA Teaching & Arts) Theatre Practitioner (Writer/Performer/Director) Facilitator/Speaker Community Builder & Volunteer Teacher & Mentor 2011 SA Young Citizen of the Year

Then & Now Friend/Sister/Daughter/Mother/Partner

SO WHAT IS PARTICIPATION??

Image credit: http://sccyp.net/participation/index.php

OFFERS AND OWNERSHIP

Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/morberg/3842815564/

ENCOURAGE FRIENDSHIPS

Encourage Friendships between young people- lots of benefits:

They’ll keep coming to see each other Opportunity to practice lots of ‘people skills’ (like

communication & conflict resolution) Builds foundations for resilience (we all need friends who

care about us)

How to encourage Friendships: Allow ‘unstructured time’ Provide snacks if you can Subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) acknowledging

common ground as it comes up in a session, project or activity

Trust your instincts.

BE PRESENT

Be ‘present’ with young people (actually ALL people)

Actively listen – don’t be thinking about the next task, what you’re cooking for dinner or how you want to shake them for being a selfish so and so

Don’t answer phone calls!! We have voicemail for a reason. Return the call later.

Write notes if you have to/want to but ask them if it’s ok and if it’s ok to pause the conversation so you can do so, rather than looking at your computer or notebook whilst they’re talking

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Doesn’t mean we invite young people to our house on the weekend.

PR’s mean we show genuine care and respect and that we model this by sharing appropriate personal anecdotes, active listening and encouraging young people to engage in safe rituals with us.

"What most people need is a good listening too." (Mary Lou Casey)

INTERRUPTING THIS TRANSMISSION

"I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough, we must

apply. Being willing is not enough, we must do." (Leonardo Da Vinci)

Image Credit – ‘Random Girls’ Maude Davey

EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO TELL

“There have been great societies that did not use the wheel, but there have been no societies that did not tell stories.” (Ursula K. LeGuin)

“If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive.” (Barry Lopez)

CONNECTED, EMPOWERED & RESILIENT

Image Credit: http://blog.cunysustainablecities.org/2010/03/urban-resilience/

ASSET BASED THINKING

Young people are one of our greatest assets – the solution, not the problem

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that we aim too high and we miss, but that we aim too low and we reach ."  (Michelangelo)

See the Bank of Ideas (bankofideas.com.au) for ideas on asset based thinking & other tips for your ‘working with young people toolkit’

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

Image Credit: http://www.psfk.com/2011/01/how-small-acts-of-building-relationships-can-improve-the-world-video.html

CREATE OWNERSHIP

Image Credit: http://socialimprove.com/files/2009/03/change-in-ownership.jpg

FOSTER BELONGING

Image Credit: http://www.newcastle.edu.au/

ENABLE PARTICIPATION

“If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the people to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”

(Antoine de Saint Exupery)

THANKYOU. ANY QUESTIONS?

You can find me on:

Twitter - @lylyee YouTube - anishaz Email - alysha_herrmann85@hotmail.com Facebook - alysha.herrmann http://alyshaherrmann.wordpress.com http://pressurelands.wordpress.com Or just Google ‘alysha herrmann’

OTHER USEFUL RESOURCES

Bank of Ideas - http://www.bankofideas.com.au (all quotes in this presentation thoughtfully borrowed from BOI)

TED talks - http://www.ted.com/ Youth Gas - http://www.youthgas.com/ Pulse28 - http://pulse28.com/ Type this in to remind yourself that you are-

http://iamawesome.com/

'Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work' (Thomas Edison)