Week Four I'm Back!

Hi all

welcome back to my blog. As you know I was off during the 12th-18th having a whale of a time graduating and celebrating with the animals at Chester zoo :) Although I was slightly disappointed I missed out on my first research away day on 12th July, my first (hopefully not my last) Graduation day certainly made up for my loss!

After my break I came back not so well rested! The Wednesday and Thursday where a chance to catch up on what I had missed from the week before and get back in to the swing of things. Friday however was a busy day. The morning was spent at an Action learning event held by the Centre for research and informed teaching. An action learning event is actually a really helpful conflict resolution method that can be used in business and other similar set ups when there is an issue that needs solving. Obviously it worked a little differently for us but here is the basic premise:

 People come together from all levels in an organisation and sit together around a table.

Everyone is equal weather you’re the CEO or someone on the frontline, no one can intimidate another person and people must feel free to speak openly and honestly.

Sitting in groups of no more than six each person first gets three minutes to introduce themselves

Once their three minutes is up a delegated time keeper on the table alerts them and moves on to the next person

Each person then gets 2 minutes to give a brief summary of an issue they have or want to discuss

After everyone has spoken the group decided which issues they are going to talk about first

One it has been de3cided the person whose issue it is talks for ten minutes with no interruption

After those ten minutes the group talk out the issue offering solutions for that person

Before the session ends that person then gets five minutes to reflect on the discussion and state what action they will put in place to resolve the issue

This was a grate activity and I will defiantly keep it in mind for the future. Although there were few major issues for fellow interns on my table it was so interesting to find out about their projects, backgrounds and their experiences so far.

 Once that was over I only had the afternoon to put together a consent form and information booklet for my consultation workshop I had planned for the young people’s planning group. I did have help from both Cath and Josh however so they came together quite quickly. The only thing left for me to do therefore was to buy BALLOONS!

 I spent Monday planning for my meeting by double checking my workshop details picking up balloons and my cuddly buzzy bee who helped with my ice breakers! I then met up with cath to grab a Dictaphone and iPod doc and we were off to meet the young people’s planning group!
Unfortunately on the night only three young people attended the meeting and although we are not 100% sure of the reasons it is likely the timing of the meeting as it was the first Monday of the summer holidays. The three young people that did attend however were willing to take part in my workshop and offered up some grate feedback!

my plan for the next week then is to transcribe the data from Mondays meeting, interview the adult planning group members, begin the introduction for the toolkit and send out some letters enquiring about sponsorship opportunities to assist young people traveling from international countries using contacts gained from the time on my degree programme!