Manifesting in Isolation with Anick Patry | 11 May | 5:30PM

In this period of isolation, your life has changed. You can’t be in a group, your movements are limited, restrictions are imposed. You might be feeling frustrated, trapped, upset at times. You are at home a lot. What if you can use this time to tap into your creative energy and your heart’s intelligence and discover how to manifest what you really desire? What if this was an opportunity for you to go inward, to expand and learn new ways of creating? Manifesting is what you do night and day, but what is very powerful is when you become aware of how you manifest and what you manifest. In this workshop, you will discover a practical and fun tool to help you manifesting intentionally. You will be able to take it home and start to apply and play with the tool straight away! You will also gain more clarity and awareness. During our time together you will be guided: 1. Warm-up to centre yourself 2. You will be invited to do a rich and fun exercise. 3. You will be invited to answer a series of questions. 4. Closure feedback - take aways Bring a pad and a pen and your favorite beverage and an open mind and heart! About Anick Patry Anick is an Empowerment Mentor & Speaker who helps highly sensitive successful women and men to build deeply loving relationships, experience pure joy and be accepted for who they truly are, so that they can manifest their deepest desires with ease. As an Empowerment coach and TEDX Speaker with over 15 years experience teaching and facilitating workshops globally, Anick has enabled 1000's of men and women to create lives beyond their wildest dreams. Anick's clients come to her to learn how to live passionately so that they can open their hearts to others without fear, remain connected to their higher selves and be the creator of their own lives. To learn how to experience pure joy, be accepted for who you truly are and build deep loving relationships so that you can live a passionate life join the Highly Sensitive Empowered Leaders group here Anick Patry  www.anickpatry.com

Venue: Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86586801394 Time: Zoom room opens at 5:00pm. Session begins at 5:30pm SHARP Contact: www.facilitatorsnetwork.blogspot.com Eoin Higgins  eoin.p.higgins@gmail.com : 0407 411 684 Monday Jun 15th Relationship to Money with Victoria Ke & Eliot Redelman Monday Jul 13th TBC

Facilitating for Sustainability with Lina Mbirkou | Mon April 20th | 5:30pm SHARP (Zoom opens at 5:00pm)

Sustainability can mean different things to different people:

For some, it’s about keeping the delicate ecosystems of our planet in balance, and in that context, our role as facilitators might be to keep up-skilling to hold the increasingly complex conversations to address the wicked problems of our times.

For others, the meaning of sustainability is to remain in business and profitable in the short, medium and long term. In the current context of physical distancing due to the Coronavirus, this manifests through an acute need for better virtual meetings to maintain connection and productivity. However, increasingly flexible working patterns and debates over business air travel mean the demand for remote collaboration is likely to only increase in the long term and require us as facilitators to find ways to adapt to market needs.

There could also be a deeper meaning linked to self-sustainability and the inner place from which we, as facilitators operate to remain resilient when we are surrounded by confusion, chaos and complexity…

As a convenor of the Sydney Facilitator Network and co-designer and co-host of "The Future of Facilitation", it’s my honour to present our first virtual SFN, invite you to surface what sustainability evokes for you and to re-examine how you see your role as a facilitator in different contexts both now and in the future.

You can register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJArd-urqzwqGdebU-zPtC80RTpvrRnlNeNr

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Bring your own snacks and refreshments, a notebook and a pen and make sure you have good internet connection and that you have downloaded Zoom in advance, and tested your sound and webcam.

About Lina Mbirkou Lina Mbirkou is an accomplished coach, facilitator and the founder and director of MACRO Leaders, which helps people hone their ability to nurture meaningful relationships and navigate emerging futures. Her methods develop authentic leadership and build the capability of teams to cultivate a collective way of seeing, doing and being. Lina is well known as a creator of her own processes and resources for the industry. For example she has developed the MACRO Leaders model to guide her work in transforming leaders and organisations. The acronym MACRO stands for: Mindfulness, Authenticity, Courage, Resilience, and Openness. In her Mindful Cooking programs, Lina has designed creative processes to integrate learnings, change individual and collective behaviours and formalise practice using sustainably produced food. Lina is a convenor of The Sydney Facilitators Network (SFN), and a master facilitator of World Café, Open Space Technology, Human-Centered Design, Authentic Relating, Non-Violent Communication, Conversation Meals and Leading with Purpose. As a certified yoga and meditation teacher, Lina knows how to hold space for people to reflect, listen deeply and inquire openly in ways that encourages empathy and builds connection. Lina is also a powerful speaker on topics relating to mindful leadership, emotional and spiritual intelligence, collaboration, innovation and resilience.

Venue: Zoom. You can register in advance for this meeting: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJArd-urqzwqGdebU-zPtC80RTpvrRnlNeNr Time: Zoom room open at 5:00pm. Session begins at 5:30pm SHARP Contact: www.facilitatorsnetwork.blogspot.com Eoin Higgins  eoin.p.higgins@gmail.com : 0407 411 684 Monday May 11th TBC Monday Jun 15th TBC

Facilitating High Performing Teams in the Age of Complexity with Allison Tsao | Mon 09 Mar | 5:30PM

Many organisations and communities are operating in an age of complexity, where problems are poorly defined, change is constant, and resources are scarce. Gone are the days where problems are predictable, solutions can be drawn from past experience, and one person’s technical expertise can be drawn upon. More and more, complex problems rely on people to harness diversity and problem solve together to find creative solutions.  So why is it that so many teams struggle to do this? As humans, we are drawn to others similar to us. However, in order to generate creative solutions, we must work in teams that also value differences. Teams that can share knowledge and solve problems together by celebrating similarities and differences are what will create our future high performing teams. In this session, we’ll talk about the core foundations of what it means to operate in complexity and practice some foundational facilitation techniques that begins to build a high performing team. About Allison Tsao Allison’s career has spanned previous lives at Merrill Lynch, Deloitte Consulting, Accenture, and American Express. She has worked as a Human Capital Consultant and as an HR Business Partner. Her global curiosity led her to move to Australia in 2014, joining Veldhoen + Company as a Senior Workplace Consultant helping organisations transform the way they work through Activity Based Working (ABW). Allison’s consulting experience has enabled her to work alongside some of the greatest companies in the world (25+ organisations and counting) across various industries, geographies, and sizes, addressing some of their most pressing business and people challenges. Throughout her 14 years of consulting around people, process, and culture, Allison has continued to experience the world changing at a rapid rate. This rate of change is impacting all organisations, and organisations must focus on creating real value through innovation and creativity. This results in a need to shift the way we currently manage and lead our teams. Allison believes that the way we can support this shift in leadership is by creating a more human way of leading – one that invites authenticity and emphasises trusting relationships. Her experience and intuition has led her to create Humans Who Lead, a global Leadership Development platform and consultancy dedicated to shifting the leadership paradigm and helping people grow into the type of leaders that can lead for the future.

Venue: University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Building 10 (cnr Jones & Thomas St), Level 5, Room 5.580 Take the lift to level 5, cross the atrium footbridge, walk straight ahead to room 580 on your right. Time: From 5:30pm to 7:30pm | No RSVP - Just turn up | Donation $5 Contact: www.facilitatorsnetwork.blogspot.com Eoin Higgins  eoin.p.higgins@gmail.com : 0407 411 684 Monday April 20th Facilitating for Sustainability with Lina Mbirkou Monday May 11th People Pleasing / Recovering Boundaries with Anick Patry

SFN 2020 got off to a wonderful start in Feb when Charlie Trindall facilitated a lively discussion on the different cultural perspective on time.  We got many inquiries as to where Charlie might be be offering a session next. Charlie is offering a 1-Day event on March 18th, titled: Understanding and Applying Aboriginal Perspectives in Facilitation. Details available at the Eventbrite Site. Alternatively, Charlie can be contacted at Mobile: 0428394497; email: mailto:charlestrindall@optusnet.com.au

How Collaboration will Save the World - Masterclass with Greg Jenkins | 5:30PM | 11 November

In an era where a pint sized 16 year old schoolgirl from Sweden can lead the debate on climate change, anything is possible. Change and action are no longer being driven by our political leaders – it is being driven from our place of work, in communities and from classrooms. How do we make change happen? It starts with ‘shared understanding’. What would it take to achieve shared understanding and what difference would it make to the world? Shared understanding requires a dynamic collaboration process. If every group achieved a shared understanding at a point in time the possibilities for multi-level change are endless. In this session we will explore the art, practice and outcomes of dynamic collaboration. This is set to be the final session in The Collaboration Project series that started about seven years ago. Those who have participated and put the practices into action with some great results. This is set to be the last installment in the series and not to be missed.   About Greg Jenkins Greg is an independent change agent, facilitator and coach. He has been actively involved with SFN for at least 20 years including 12 as coordinator. Greg works in complex collaboration-based situations across Defence, Government, Business, Education and Community. Greg believes that the way to save the world is through dynamic systemic collaboration – one conversation at a time.

Venue: University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Building 10 (cnr Jones & Thomas St), Level 5, Room 5.580 Take the lift to level 5, cross the atrium footbridge, walk straight ahead to room 580 on your right. Time: From 5:30pm to 7:30pm | No RSVP - Just turn up | Donation $5 Contact: www.facilitatorsnetwork.blogspot.com Eoin Higgins  eoin.p.higgins@gmail.com : 0407 411 684 Monday December 09th Wildcard Night!

Cooking With Stories with Andrew Rixon & Cathryn Lloyd | 5:30PM | FRIDAY 27th

SPRINGTIME SEPTEMBER SFN SPECIAL!

NOTE: FRIDAY 27th

Story and narratives provide facilitators rich opportunities to enable groups, teams, organisations and communities to work together and productively navigate complexity. Drawing on their recently published book "The Story Cookbook: Practical Recipes for Change", Andrew Rixon and Cathryn Lloyd will explore a number of story-based activities for facilitators to reflect on what opportunities working with story and narrative approaches can provide within their own practice. About Andrew & Cathryn Andrew Rixon is the founder of Babel Fish Group and with one of the first PhD’s in complexity science has gained global experience in working with organisations, within Australia and internationally in the UK, USA, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Andrew also holds an appointment with Swinburne Business School in the area of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Andrew is the founder of The Story Conference and co-editor of the recently published book “The Story Cookbook: Practical Recipes for Change” Cathryn Lloyd is a facilitator, creativity coach, educator and holds a doctoral degree in Creative Industries (DCI). She is the Founder and Director of Maverick Minds, a creative professional development consultancy that designs powerful and flexible learning experiences to shift thinking, gain new perspectives and create positive change. She has extensive experience across the creative industries, arts, business, management, and education. With an arts and design background, she brings a multi-disciplinary learning approach to her work, drawing on experiential, arts-based and action learning methodologies and processes to create purposeful learning environments.

Venue: University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Building 10 (cnr Jones & Thomas St), Level 5, Room 5.580 Take the lift to level 5, cross the atrium footbridge, walk straight ahead to room 580 on your right. Time: From 5:30pm to 7:30pm | No RSVP - Just turn up | Donation $5 Contact: www.facilitatorsnetwork.blogspot.com Eoin Higgins  eoin.p.higgins@gmail.com : 0407 411 684 In our August SFN we had a rare treat. Four UTS Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation students shared a facilitation model of their own creation which was a workshop game designed for facilitators to ‘help prime your participants for genuine deliberation and consensus-building’. It was inspiring to witness the creativity and courage of these yourng facilitators. They recenty sent the SFN a followup message: “We’d like to thank you again for allowing us to come last month to test Plott and all your great feedback. We’re happy to say we’ve taken that feedback onboard and updated the facilitators note and the experience where necessary. Those who are interested in using the tool in their workshops can request a deck online at Plott.Cards” Monday October 14th System Dynamics with Sarah Cornally Monday November 11th Collaboration Masterclass: how collaboration will save the world with Greg Jenkins

Can feminine leadership transform society? with Robyn Katz | 5:30PM | Monday 09 September

Robyn Katz is inviting us to join her in a facilitated inquiry into the question ‘can feminine leadership transform society?’   Relaxing our political correctness and assuming all individuals have access to both masculine and feminine traits we will explore stories of times when we’ve drawn on diverse leadership styles.   To generate fresh thinking about how we can contribute to more balanced and sustainable systems, together and through this ‘gendered’ lens, we will muse on where leadership is globally and what the world needs now.   This session includes opportunities to participate in storytelling triads, circle practice and insight seeking plenary. About Robyn Katz Robyn is an experienced businesswoman, facilitator, coach, community builder and founder and director of Talkpoint. Pioneering ways of working since 2000, she’s trained globally as a Warrior for the Human Spirit and leads #humanisework in Australia. Robyn has faith in the power of the collective and finds meaning doing women’s business.

Venue: University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Building 10 (cnr Jones & Thomas St), Level 5, Room 5.580 Take the lift to level 5, cross the atrium footbridge, walk straight ahead to room 580 on your right. Time: From 5:30pm to 7:30pm | No RSVP - Just turn up | Donation $5 Contact: www.facilitatorsnetwork.blogspot.com Eoin Higgins  eoin.p.higgins@gmail.com : 0407 411 684 SPECIAL EVENT! FRIDAY September 27th Cooking with Stories with Andrew Rixon & Cathryn Lloyd FRIDAY October 14th System Dynamics with Sarah Cornally

Courage & Renewal with Kirsty McGeoch | 5:30PM | Monday 17 June

What would you do with more courage? What might it take to cultivate it? This experiential workshop is a taster of the Circle of Trust ® approach developed by writer, educator and activist, Parker J. Palmer and the Center for Courage &Renewal. Together we will co-create a space for honest dialogue and non-judgmental listening, practicing particular ways of relating that will help us be more present with ourselves and others. Prompted by evocative texts, there will be time for individual reflection and journaling as well as large and small-group dialogues in which our own stories can be shared. These processes offer the opportunity to gain clarity around the questions we are holding in relation to our lives and leadership. They also deepen the self- knowledge that begets trust (in ourselves and others), which in turn begets the courage to act on what matters most. About Kirsty McGeoch Kirsty has been an educator for over 20 years and currently wears a few hats. When not teaching at the University of Sydney, she facilitates digital storytelling projects in the education, community, social entrepreneurship and disability sectors. Recently, she also joined the team at 4C Transformative Learning, working with schools and organisations to embed creativity, collaboration, communication and critical reflection in their practices and processes. She also has a deep interest in reflective practice, which led her to the Circle of Trust ® approach. Now as an accredited Courage & Renewal facilitator, she offers weekend and day retreats open to people of all professional backgrounds, as well as programs for school leadership teams and organisations more broadly. What enlivens her about this work is offering people the safe and welcoming space to tune into their own wisdom for living and leading well.

Venue: University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Building 10 (cnr Jones & Thomas St), Level 5, Room 5.580 Take the lift to level 5, cross the atrium footbridge, walk straight ahead to room 580 on your right. Time: From 5:30pm to 7:30pm | No RSVP - Just turn up | Donation $5 Contact: www.facilitatorsnetwork.blogspot.com Eoin Higgins  eoin.p.higgins@gmail.com : 0407 411 684 July 08th Spiritual Intelligence (SQ) with Martin Samson August 12th Non-violent communication with Kate Raffin