Our residents are enjoying their new Chair Chi sessions and are very enthusiastic - they look forward to exercises on a Thursday and are seen performing some of the skills when walking up the corridor! Gives variety to aged care exercise program.
The workshop ‘worked’ for me as it’s left me feeling like I want to know and do more. I understand this means some self-study but I would love the opportunity to reflect on what I’ve learned, access some of the resources, then come back for another few days focusing on ‘being’ a practitioner of Appreciative Inquiry. Then to keep the learning going by having experienced practitioner workshops to share our stories, build our strengths etc. Thanks for creating the program and for giving of your time, energy and multiple intelligences!
This workshop was, by far, one of the most inspirational, thoughtful, action-provoking workshops I have attended for many years - and I've attended many! Two days were not enough - we could have spent the whole week working on the many aspects that were obviously not covered in the timeframe allowed! As a Community Development Trainer and Facilitator, I have been an AI convert for many years and utilise it in professional development workshops that I deliver throughout Australia and for framing generative questions. But this particular course by Sue and Chris gave me a deeper meaning and understanding of AI as a way of viewing my work, family, colleagues and life through a thoroughly more appreciative lens! I cannot recommend the Essence of Appreciative Inquiry highly enough and I'm sure if I did the 2 days again, I would gain bucket-loads more from each workshop!
Really enjoyed the shared wisdom of the group. The handout & references are great to support further learning. Succinct, clear information. Plenty of time to discuss and share. Thank you for a great two days. It was a great overview into AI. Warm, friendly and welcoming.
I appreciated the interesting differences you brought to the process as co-facilitators. The balance between levity and ‘seriosity’ made the day pass pretty quickly. I think you’re offering a nice easing into AI – many thanks for your generosity … live long and prosper!
Fantastic, interesting but ALSO very inspiring! I feel ready to do something differnently. I think training with an appreciative approach is more effective than the traditional ‘instructional’ approach. Right mix of doing and listening. Thanks Sue for your generous approach. I'll be using these insights and practical tools in various work for: evaluation, teaching, planning, negotiating with my colleagues.
Great day of learning an alternative approach that can focus on a positive way of interacting and sharing in an informal way. I will be using some of what I've learned when in need of client input in services that we are providing, as well as with members of my team in times of planning and evaluating.
What did I find valuable? The cards – great reference in future. The activities - having a go at constructing questions and sharing stories. The videos as a break in activity. Sue’s explanations – very clear. Enjoyed having a chance to converse with others in the workshop. Food – great!
Thank you for an informative workshop. I loved the powerpoint slides supporting the cards. The exercises were just enough and very effective/challenging. I feel very lucky attending a ‘masterclass’. The cards are fabulous – big, colourful and informative. Thank you Sue and Chris – your personal stories and examples were the epitome of the philosophy of AI in action – being lived.
Fantastic learning session. Thanks for taking us through each step/move of the actions involved in Chair Chi. Appreciated the ability to be able to ask questions and bring up scenarios based on our facilities. Enjoyed the networking part of the day too! Really appreciate the book as a point of reference for practicing in the future!
I found this workshop very helpful and stimulating. Chris has a good teaching technique and explains things clearly. Both Sue and Chris are friendly and they make you feel like you’re the only person/student in the room. (Recommended) for knowledge, better understanding, skills and coordination
It was very informative, in a relaxed environment and still in a small group to feel comfortable. The instructions are given in a professional way and I like the way that all participants are “teaching” each other.
It was great how everyone, even the instructors got involved. Thumbs up! Participation is a great way of learning and this workshop was all about participation.
Thank you for a great couple of days. I can only say positive things about the training but recognise that it really is an extension of the work I am already doing. For those that are new to the concept, I felt the training gave a very good foundation to understanding the principles etc and did this in a very gentle way.
It is interesting now for me to put into practice and the booklet, extra reading and activities will be very useful. I would recommend the workshop - now I understand the approach of a colleague I respect and will pass it on to others.
I think that it made me look at where I am in terms of my thinking within the community. The Tai Chi was great. Thank you for a great two days.
Thank you for the opportunity to have had a master class in AI. I thought that a lot of the information was presented succinctly in the workbook which will be a great resource for the future. I thought it was well-paced with a good mix of information and activity. I can see that as a result of this workshop, not only will I be confident to develop a proposal for an AI project and implement it, but also just be a little more appreciative in my approach to day to day life. Would I recommend this workshop? Absolutely! Sue's expertise and knowledge of AI would be hard to beat and she is a gifted facilitator.
Thank you so much, Sue and Chris. Your gracious facilitation and your sensitivity to us has enabled our spirits to look and see beyond our own horizons!
A number of club members approached me after the meeting and expressed their appreciation. They indicated that the presentation was both personally beneficial, and beneficial to the club. This is an ideal combination to make our meetings enjoyable and encourage attendance. Thank you for the time taken.
Sue used Appreciative Inquiry methods to draw out ideas for the project from a broad stakeholder group. The shared conversation techniques Sue adopted, the open communication and design ideas that came out of the session were a great success. I have found her to be an enthusiastic and professional facilitator who is able to draw out ideas and establish open and positive communication between stakeholders. I look forward to working with Sue in the facilitation of our future design projects.
I would like to thank you for facilitating the HACC Business Planning Day. There was a great deal of positive feedback about the proceedings and how well you kept things “on Track” which assisted us to achieve more on the day.
The best thing about these sessions was the way you both combined your talents and messages. It tapped into deeper dimensions than many other [professional development sessions] I've attended.
Staff enjoyed the practical and hands on approach that Sue & Chris used. It made staff reflect on their current practices and gave them things to consider for the future. One small thing that made a big difference was that they were able to deliver a presentation created around our needs at the time.
The most helpful thing was putting relaxation strategies into the leadership context. It was relevant, relaxing, something refreshing - and unique. Most grateful for your time!!
Colleagues shared experiences, refocussed negative energy and explored leadership qualities. It was fun, challenging and informative ... The interaction created was a great way to set the context of the Program at the start and a great way to finish off.
This was a very worthwhile session - well presented, thoughtful and inspiring content and professionally hosted. Really appreciated the combination of 'more than talk' and the Tai Chi activities. Many thanks!
One thing I'll use straight away is focus on my business goals and put them on paper rather than leave them on a verbal basis. I'd highly recommend this workshop to others because many business owners are not aware about setting goals and more importantly looking at the values which are the main reason for the existence of their business.
The improvement in staff morale flows on to our client base by improving customer satisfaction. I feel any company considering these services would benefit greatly from the improvement achieved in multiple areas.
Sue not only has the knowledge and skill base as a facilitator to assist companies in moving ahead - she also builds rapport very quickly which makes the insights relevant on a professional and personal level. Sue is a wonderful networker in the area of AI and therefore has the experience and a more global understanding of how companies can go from good to great!
Thank you for your session with us. Very positive comments from all the staff. It was very relaxing - nice to do a shared PL [Professional Learning]. The power of collegiate activities is amazing. Great to do something different for health and stress release. It was terrific and so many staff members said how they slept soundly that night.
Residents are excited to come to Chair Chi and after a session feel relaxed and are smiling. Since it started the group is growing in numbers and they benefit from a session.
Chair Chi is a great success at St. John’s Park Hostel, with at least 10 residents participating per session. Our residents continue to talk about the sessions happily afterwards. Our residents have said that they are keen for this activity to continue as part of St. John’s leisure program, as they say they are more relaxed following the session.
On behalf of the residents of Gardenia and Willow, here at Bupa Donvale, we would like to say how much we enjoy having you visit with us and providing the great Tai Chi classes. Our residents tell us how much they enjoy your sessions and we the staff can see their keen interest and the benefit these classes bring to them. They love the fact that they can remain seated and that is of great benefit to our wheelchair bound residents.
