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

Here’s a wonderful example of one woman living and breathing the challenge of ‘Dynamic Groups’ by using the ‘Creative Process Wild Cards’ and many of the learnings and processes from the ‘Dynamic Groups’ course and integrating that with her existing programs and group work. Thanks Shannon for such a rich offering of your work and stepping up to the challenge.

“Robin’s Dynamic Groups Creative Facilitation course has inspired and energised me to deliver even better training and professional development for the Aquatic industry. I present courses and professional development and have always done things a bit “differently”, for example cross crawling and playing my ukulele. The creative processes we learned throughout the course have grown my toolbox exponentially!

Each time I run a course now I consider how I did it last time and which processes I can use to engage the

participants and really involve them in their own learning. I pull out my trusty deck of Wild Cards and go over the notes and reviews I made from the DGCF course. I use mind maps or lists to brainstorm learning objectives and the process that will work for each and the group. I then create a plan showing how we move from one activity to the next (and the glue processes involved to get there). Eg pictures attached.

The groups I facilitate often comment on how engaging the session was, the fact that they get to talk and share their passion rather than being lectured at, the joy of being involved and that the learning was fun. I love to see them engaged, for me starting off with a good icebreaker really sets the tone for the entire session.

I review the presentation (more of a facilitation these days) and processes used, considering the “plus, minus and interesting” of each, I make notes on my plan as to how I would change it next time round.

The creative learning processes are gold! I love to bust out the wild cards and aim to challenge myself as facilitator to use one of the more obscure processes each time…for example I have a First Aid mandala in the works.

Thanks Robin, I feel inspired and energised by the Dynamic Groups Creative Facilitation course. I believe the way we learn needs to change and love pushing the boundaries for myself and participants so we all get the most out of each learning experience.”

Shannon Townsend

Aquatic Centre and Gymnastic Manager

It’s many years now since Andrew Hoge did one of Robin’s Creative Facilitation courses yet even recently, in a spontaneous IGA supermarket meeting, he expressed how greatly the work had influenced him and how he felt chellenge to be an integral part of any business, course or initiative.

Robin’s inspiration for the article on ‘Challenge Yourself as a Facilitator or Teacher’ came from this meet up with Andrew. He’s also taken time to write this testimonial. Thanks Andrew.

“Have you ever noticed that some people have a difficult time facilitating truly exciting and transformative workshops?

And that leaves them frustrated that they can’t fully express and enjoy their passion.

Robin transforms people so they can be fulfilled in expressing their passion through amazing facilitation.

I’ve seen her do this with many people.

And she’s done this with me.

So my participants can enjoy great learning as I enjoy sharing my passion.

I recommend working with Robin for yourself and your participants.”

Andrew Hoge

Hoge Consulting

www.hogeconsulting.com

Robin’s ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ course in Italy last July was supported magnificently by Kym Chi, a vibrant and creative young woman from Canada who travelled specially to Switzerland and Italy to spend 3 weeks supporting Robin with her Italy course and also two Women’s Weekends.

On returning home Kym Chi wrote, collated and created this valuable resource which gives a good insight into the ‘Dynamic Groups, Dynamic Learning’ Methodology and the kinds of activities, experiences and learning that people receive in Robin’s creative facilitation and teacher training courses. Robin supplied Kym Chi with some of the content explanations from her upcoming book that show the meanings associated with the Jigsaw Puzzle of ELFy, the mascot who supports Robin piece together all the elements which support group work and learning to be empowering, fun, memorable, supportive and effective.

Click here to view the Notes which have many photographs and great explanations.

Enjoy and please give Robin and Kym Chi some feedback 🙂

Here’s a wonderful production of best practices and top tips for teachers of any subject.

A free offering to the World Community as a download at printable resolution and available professionally produced from an on demand printer. 

Explore :www.permaculturedesign.ca/teachersnotes

Permaculture Design : Teachers Notes

Envoy : Delvin Solkinson

Design : Onbeyond Metamedia

Editing and Contributions : Kym Chi

Core Team and Contributions : Annaliese Hordern, Dana Wilson & Tamara Griffiths

Source Inspiration and Contributions : Rosemary Morrow, Robin Clayfield, Looby Macnamara.

Core Insight and Contributions : Larry Santoyo, Max Lindegger, Robyn Francis.

Core Inspiration and Insight : Jude Hobbs, Tom Ward, Geoff Lawton, Douglas and Sam Bullock, Michael Becker, Scott Pittman, Dave Boehnlein, Starhawk, David Holmgren, Dan Palmer

and here’s the new Link for Delvin’s latest eNewsletter

The ABC was interested in the 30th anniversary celebrations of the formation of Crystal Waters Permaculture Village, one of the very first EcoVillages and the first Permaculture Designed Village in the world. The community held it’s 30th birthday party in July and the following article, which has an interview with Robin and her daughter Pele along with other residents, was one of the outcomes, along with a great cake and many shared memories.

Click here for a link to the ABC Article that went on their website.

Here’s a quote from the article – “An eco village on the Sunshine Coast was an experiment in communal living when it first started. Thirty years later the village is still thriving, and the rest of Australia is catching on to some of its pioneering ideas.”

By Erin Young

People wanting to up-skill in supporting their groups and human relationships to thrive are invited to join Robin Clayfield and I as we combine forces to offer a weekend of Social Permaculture exploration for this coming November at Crystal Waters Ecovillage. Dates are 10th and 11th November.

It is an exciting time of growing momentum for Social Permaculture around the world, so this is sure to be a special and potent weekend workshop to attend.

Participants will experience a unique combination of Robin’s extensive and established experience and wisdom as a permaculture pioneer and respected elder. I bring a whole-systems patterns-to-details approach of organisational governance and eco-social literacy supporting groups to be effective, transparent and equivalent. This all combines within the Dynamic Groups methodology to create a fun and experiential learning space.

This workshop will provide a thriving collaboration of our skills and perspectives in an intergenerational teaching team of passionate Social Permaculture designers, each with our own interesting voice in this work.

Participants will develop their literacy of Social Permaculture design, and gather effective tools to apply to a variety of settings to support thriving humans for a better world!

Here’s a link to the poster with all the details.