Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning Dynamic Courses, Books, Resources and Tours for Healthy Groups, People and Culture with Robin Clayfield

Robin’s ‘Calendar of Events’ that she’s involved in this year include (known and confirmed dates)…

• ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ Creative Teachers, Facilitators and Group Leaders Course. Crystal Waters in SE Qld. 17th to 22nd February. Here’s the link to the FaceBook Event which has the poster with details in the Discussion section. 
• Being Woman… Gathering. SE Q’ld. 8th to 11th March. Ceremony and Workshop. Follow this link.
• National Labyrinth Conference. Canberra. 21st to 24th March with workshop on Ceremony and Ritual on 22nd March. Follow this link.
• PDC (Permaculture Design Course) at Crystal Waters Permaculture Village. April 29th to May 11th. Max Lindegger as primary tutor plus Richard Mochelle, Annaliese Hordern and with Robin Clayfield as special guest presenter. Here’s the link.
• The Sacred Union Labyrinth at The Planting Festival with Ceremonies, Workshop and Music to walk to. 3rd to 5th May at Woodfordia. Here’s the link to the website which still has last years details but check it out anyway 🙂
• Social Permaculture Weekend Workshop with Robin and Erin Young. Crystal Waters Permaculture Village. 18th and 19th May. Have a Look at the FaceBook Event Info.
• ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ – An Introduction for Creative Teachers, Facilitators and Group Leaders Course. Northey Street City Farm. 10th and 11th August. Here’s the FaceBook Event Link.
• ‘The Joining’ Retreat Gathering. Springbrook Mountain. 19th to 22nd September. Booking are Open Now.

Here’s the Website Link. 

• ‘EveryWoman’ Gathering. Numunbah Valley SE Qld. 18th to 20th October. Have a look at the Website. Details will be available soon about the theme, facilitators and workshops.

Plus

• Crystal Waters Permaculture EcoVillage Tours – by appointment. 
• Crystal Waters Market – 1st Saturday of each month in 2019 – A stall by Robin most months and other great stalls by community people and guests. Check it out on the Crystal Waters Website.
• Queensland garden Expo. Nambour Showgrounds. 12th to 14th July. Robin’s stall is set up in the Kitchen Garden Section, full of Permaculture. Visit the Website. Maybe even a Presentation on the Kitchen Garden Stage on the Sunday
• ‘Journey’s To Manhood’ camps by Powerhouse Programs. Robin facilitates on many of the camps working with the Mum’s and Step Mums. They are for boys aged 13 to 16 and their families. For more see the website. Next camp is from 16th to 20th April.
• and… possibly a trip to Canada offering ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ and other Facilitation Trainings.

Robin’s decision this year to run her annual ‘Dynamic Groups’ training at Crystal Waters EcoVillage much earlier in the year turned out to be a popular choice with participants.

In light of this the course for 2019 will be in February from 17th to 22nd.

It promises to be a great course and there are still a few places so best to jump in and confirm before the ‘Silly Season’ arrives.

Both Robin and her partner Rob attended the annual Joining Gathering in September.

Robin facilitated a powerful and transformative workshop entitled ‘Supporting Each Other to Shine’         and was able to contribute in a much lesser way than usual in the Ceremonies having mentored and guided other younger people to lead the Ceremonies, and lead they did so brilliantly. Both Robin and Rob were on the panel discussion about ‘Relationship’.

A highlight of the event was Rob and Robin stepping up together in the Closing Ceremony to hold the energy of Staff and Basket holder for the next gathering. This means they care for the sacred objects that symbolize the Masculine and Feminine and together with a big circle of other wonderful people, organize the next ‘Joining’ for 2019 on the Spring Equinox weekend, held over 3 days.

The venue and exact dates will be announced very soon for ‘The Joining Retreat 2019’ 

Here’s a photo of the beautiful Basket and Staff that are symbols of the Masculine and Feminine Energies. 

Keep an eye out on the website as bookings will open soon.

It’s now possible to watch snippets of the Main Presentations at the International Permaculture Conference in Hyderabad, India late last year.

One of the sub themes was ‘Women as Agents of Change’ so Robin initiated and was then invited to led a panel of Women in Permaculture, especially emphasising Social Permaculture. She asked the question “Are Women Leading the Change?” and “What areas of change are you active and successful in and what qualities do you feel support this?” Women joining Robin on the panel included Vandana Shiva, Starhawk, Rowe Morrow, Robina McCurdy, Padma Koppula and several others.

There’s a few seconds of the panel at 4.27 and a shot of all the presenters to begin with. Enjoy.

Testimonials that come ‘Out of the Blue’ are very rewarding for any business, social enterprise or undertaking. Here’s a few that have popped in since the last eNewsletter.

This one from Anne Gibson is very honouring and gratefully received, especially as Anne is an outstanding and very well respected speaker and presenter at Expo’s, Events and Workshops these days.

“Attending Robin’s ‘Dynamic Groups’ course was one of the most valuable investments I’ve ever made in my presentation skills. Not only was the course thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining, but I gained an incredible teaching toolkit that has enabled me to engage my students and audiences when speaking and delivering workshops in an entirely new way. The group processes challenged my thinking and opened up a whole new world of creative possibilities to enhance learning outcomes. Robin’s teaching aids, processes, gifted teaching style and group work are testament to her exceptional facilitation skills. Robin has an outstanding talent for leading and coaching individuals and groups and I am so grateful to have learned from a master educator.”

Anne Gibson

The Micro Gardener

“I love Robin Clayfield’s work so much. I use techniques I learned from her in every second of my teaching. And daily life xxxxx. Thank you Robin”.

Tamara Griffiths

Permaculture Teacher, Victoria

“Dynamic Groups Dynamic Learning was one of my fav routine courses ever – it was pivotal! I’m creating workshops now based on similar principles”

Natasha Blok (UK)

How often do you take time to review and renew your course design, your session plan that you work from to present regularly, your meeting agenda design or your event program? Do you tend to repeat the same session over and over or use similar processes to deliver the content you’re working with? Or do you challenge yourself to try new things, throw out the routine curricular or procedure, swap a standard process for a more creative one and dance on the edge of growth and expansion with each new challenge you give yourself?

Do you get bored with what you offer to your groups? Are you tired of doing things the same way? Do your

participants seem bored or disengaged? Or are your groups, meetings, events and sessions fun and exciting, receiving great feedback and motivating participants to thrive and shine. Do you complete and celebrate a job well done and feel empowered and energized while knowing your group and each individual involved felt the same?

We all work in different ways and I find the way I work best is on the edge of my comfort zone, planning well, designing each session especially for the group I’m facilitating and gathering the appropriate resources, then, always trying something new. I design in the new and then also, having the solid foundation of a session plan, I’m able to throw out some aspects of it, or all of it if need be, to fully meet the needs of the group or any situation that may arise.

The ‘Creative Process Wild Cards’ are a playful and dynamic way to challenge oneself to use a new process,

to spice things up or introduce other ways of working which stimulate the group, generate creative ideas while growing teamwork and group energy.

So my challenge to you now is to pick 3 ‘Creative Process Wild Cards’, either out of the set you may already have (or purchase online here) or out of the list of 20 I’ve placed here after drawing them randomly form the set. I’ve written them in a list, in the order that I picked them, so you can now close your eyes and point with 3 of your fingers and then look and see which processes are listed closest to your fingers.

I challenge you to then design an activity or session for your next group, class or meeting which uses all three of the processes to present the learning content or agenda item or session, whatever you’re doing next with a group. Remember to design it as an interactive group session where people are ‘Speaking and Doing’ if possible.

I’d love your feedback and sharing about which cards you picked, what you designed and how your facilitation went.

Here’s some cards to pick from. Remember to close your eyes.

• Journeys
• P.M.I. (Edward deBono’s ‘Plus, Minus, Interesting’ process)
• Crosswords or Word Puzzels
• Quizzes
• Body Sculpture
• Mind Mapping
• Recipes
• Fuzzy Felt or Sticky Carper with Velcro
• Webs and Nets
• Gifts and Giving
• Board Games
• Collages
• Hot Potato (Ask Robin to explain if you don’t know this process)
• Sociographic Line-ups
• Open Space Technology (See Harrison Owen)
• 6 Thinking Hat (and Edward deBono Process)
• Roleplay
• Story Telling
• Sand Pit
• Visualisation

To get your own set of these cards, which offer 50 Creative Processes and 10 Standard Processes, Click here.