Building resilience in educational institutions and organizations

Greece, Crete

Workshop description

Organisations today are microcosms of the wider world that is currently faced with many challenges: growing stress and pressure from several sides – constant change; bureaucracy; strained relationships; lack of motivation and vision; which all take their toll on the quality of teaching as well as learning results.

Individuals understand the need for change and sustainability. Being sustainable requires knowing how to interpret outer signals and wisely adapt to the external environment continuously and rapidly. 

When we are overwhelmed by negative thinking about mistakes and responsibility, the positive approach of Appreciative Inquiry offers plenty of advantages to meet ever increasing demands. 

In addition to this, the educational, cultural and training institutions are preparing the new generations for the future that might be hugely unknown and insecure — given the immense technological, demographic, economic and political changes that we are facing. Within the boundaries of the systems in which we work, the capacity for resilience and positive relationship toward change and people is becoming a key competency. The quality of self-management directly affects the quality of collaboration, co-creation and learning. Our aim is to teach participants how to:

  • grow individual and collective resilience in educational institutions
  • reclaim the joy of learning together even within the current system limitations
  • rebuild trust in oneself and others
  • reclaim one’s gifts as educator, by creating generative space where everybody can shine
  • facilitate positive relationships that are key for good learning results

Methodology

The course is highly experimental, practical and interactive, based on scientific research and on the extensive use of the presented practical tools. We use a combination of techniques in order to help you adapt them to your own temperament and style. We use intercultural diversity as a connecting tool by regarding our differences as resources. This variety, in combination with the background and areas of work in multicultural environments in different countries, is unique.

The interactive exercises are structured in such a way that they can cover a small team process or a big conference group with the perfect usage of group dynamics and participatory techniques.

The course builds on proven methods for positive change:

  • Appreciative Leadership
  • Connecting (Nonviolent) communication with oneself and others
  • Methods of Participatory Design
  • Collaborative Change Processes
  • Mindfulness and Embodied Self-management
  • Systemic approach to change management

The participants will receive a toolkit of methods that are easily transferable to their educational settings.

Benefits

The course offers practical tools on how to build resilience through individual and collective learning in times of challenges and change. It will also help participants to deal with challenging situations and problematic symptoms from another, more generative perspective.

The course also helps build the trainers, facilitators and educators’ trust and self-trust in times of immense societal changes, so that they can become their best versions – by using proven methods that build resilient and appreciative perception, reflection and action.

The participants receive:

– insights into the theoretical foundations of systemic appreciative approaches, solution-focused methods, and participative tools in supervision and coaching.

– the map of the current situation of the Organization or individuals (skills, manpower, organization and personal effectiveness, adequacy of available resources).

 – the opportunity to practice in a variety of different techniques, new perspectives and alternative ways of dealing with hot and important issues.

 – an experience to try a reflective and flexible coaching role as an observer, or even as supervisor/coach and supervisee/coachee (developing their positive perspective).

Programme

Duration: 6 days

Days: Monday – Saturday

Location: Chania Area, Crete, Greece

This workshop is highly experiential and participative. It consists of short theoretical inputs, concrete exercises, and group discussions. Reflecting upon and applying each tool to your real-life cases from your everyday work, you will practise and gain new insights into your current dilemmas.

  • Fostering resilience and appreciative attitude in individuals, teams and organisations
  • Reclaiming integrity, passion and vision as leader, trainer,  educator, etc
  • Building a culture of positive challenges
  • Cultivating positive (inner) dialogue during change / in intense situations
  • Conflict as opportunity to connect and co-create solutions that work for all
  • From theory to practice: appreciative and systemic  teaching and learning lab

Duration: 6 days (Start at 10:00 am on Monday – End at 14:00 on Saturday)

Location:  Chania Area, Crete, Greece

  • Opening and introduction: presentations, learning goals and contract
  • Aligning individual and collective learning goals for the week
  • Future carousel (experiential method transferable to learning contexts)
  • Theory of change (Change levels, Theory of U)
  • Introduction and framework of Appreciative inquiry (SOAR Model)
  • From downloading to generative listening

Local Evening – welcome reception

  • Reflection circle
  • Participatory processes and tools for building coalitions
  • Homegroup learning teams (practice)
  • Self empathy: tool for building intrapersonal resilience
  • Embodied self-management for staying centred in intense situations
  • Conflict transformation for building collective resilience and co-creating solutions that work for all
  • Reflecting Teams
  • Mindfulness practice
  • Increasing cultural awareness (knowledge about cultural adaptation)
  • Coping with prejudices – strategies and attitudes
  • Multicultural awareness
  • Reflecting Teams
  • Morning check in opening round
  • Discovering and mobilising sources of resilience in environment
  • Experiential circle reflection: co-affirming gifts, talents and sources of resilience
  • Reactive resilience: reaction and strength-based coping capacities
  • Proactive resilience: transformation and transformational capacities
  • Reflecting Teams
  • Team-coaching and/or supervision (hidden dynamics)
  • Co-learning from nature and other resilient environments
  • Walking reflection
  • Reflecting Teams
  • Morning check in opening round
  • Evaluation / Integration
  • Feedback – working groups and journaling
  • Sharing and processing round for the whole group
  • Practical implementation (your personal action plan)
  • Debriefing and closing

Designed for participants/groups

This workshop is designed for staff members of any public or private organisation active in the field of education, training and Youth, and more specifically for: managers, psychologists, social workers, counsellors, personal & professional development specialists and everyone interested in learning and showing how to adapt to the real signals while keeping stable their goals and principles through state-of-the-art techniques oriented towards self-organization, knowledge management and collective intelligence.

Instructors

Dr. Markos Perrakis is a leadership development & process facilitator, psychologist, speaker, consultant and trainer of individuals and teams, founder and Managing Director of the EU Adult training & Counseling Provider Fractality. He designs and implements EU projects in the fields of leadership development and strategic planning, and uses eclectic appreciative approaches in the public and private sector in order to promote effective communication, individual and collective process development. He specializes in coaching, supervision, human capital development, training and assessments. He holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Styles and their efficiency in organisations with publications in the fields of organizational psychology and counseling and a M.A. in clinical Psychology. He is trained in Systemic Consultation, solution focused & cognitive behavioural approaches, methods of participatory design, Spiritual Intelligence, a certified provider of Vocational Guidance and Professional Orientation, utilizing psychometric assessments and coaching tools for teams and individuals in organizational, career and personality issues and ISO 9001 Lead Auditor.  He is representative of the Association of International Institution Supervision in Europe (ANSE), Member of International Intervision Groups, Scientific Assistant of SOL (Society of Organisational Learning), Scientific partner of the European Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (EUMU) in Greece, in the fields of Strategic Planning and Human Capital Development programmes.

Dr. Perrakis is one of the first persons in Greece who applied the methodology of Appreciative Inquiry, which is used in the UN Summit by UN leaders. In contrast to the traditional management approaches that focus on problems, the appreciative approach makes use of the potential of the human capital of organizations.

 

Evelyn Soidla (MA in Education)

With more than 25 years of experience as a lecturer, trainer, mentor, advisor, supervisor and coach (member of the board of the Estonian Supervision and Coaching Association and level 6

supervisor, member of ICF), partner for managers and teams of different levels both in the Estonian and international organizations, both in the private and public sector.

After my first education as a language scientist, I entered the International Supervision and Coaching Institute. The supervisor and coach training helped to systematize and integrate the previous experiences. Today, I have acquired a personal style on how I work with people, teams and organizations  – I am  influenced by NLP, psychodrama, process work, solution-oriented approach, creative techniques, appreciative research, systemic  approach and constellation work. 

Currently, I am happy to realize my dream of training leaders, managers, educators in a management style based on coaching, team building, building organizational culture, self-management, resilience, healthy and unhealthy boundaries, conflict resolution methods, burnout and stress reduction. I have experience in training adults since 2001. 

I collaborate in the field of supervision and  coaching with many public and private sector organizations that operate in various spheres – from the social sphere, education and healthcare to business. I consider my speciality to be the knowledge of both the conscious and subconscious laws of organisational management and functioning, and working with issues of ‘misplaced’ positions and hierarchies. I also work with all kinds of hidden dynamics and the resulting difficulties in the organisation and the team, change management and team engagement. 

I have published various articles on the topic of change in the field of education and business. 

I am grateful that I have had the honor to be a member of the board of the Estonian Supervision and Coaching Association for 2 years and to contribute to the development of supervision and coaching. Everything that happens in the field of education is close to my heart.

I am grateful to the managers, teams and organizations I have worked with. I believe in positive changes, I believe in the great potential of teams. – Culture does not change because we desire to change it. Culture changes when the organization is transformed; the culture just reflects the realities of people working together every day – Hesselbein. I am there to support them.

Venue

Our programme takes place in the Island of Crete, one of the most exotic destinations of the Aegean Sea in Greece. The workshop and the accommodation is at the unique 4-star village resort of Porto Platanias in Chania that provides you with safe and luxurious accommodations. It is the perfect place to combine personal growth with holidays.

This Mediterranean destination embraces both sea and charming nature. Porto Platanias Village is located within walking distance from the beach and the village of Platanias. Local taverns, Greek eateries, and arts shops draw people from all around the world and contribute to the vibrant feeling of the Cretan summer, still offering 30°C (86°F) daytime temperatures and 25°C (77°F) warm sea toenjoy in September. For more information on the venue, visit: http://www.portoplataniasvillage.gr

Closest international airports: Chania (24 km); Heraklion (165 km)

Participation Fee

Option A.

The fee for this course is 780€.

Option A price include

– Tuition fees

– Educational materials

– Certificates of participation at the end

– Beverages and a welcome cocktail

Accommodation and meals are not included in the above fees.

Option B.

Total full package price for participants with double room accommodation: 1,250€:

Option B prices include:

– A 4*star hotel accommodation

– Breakfast

– Lunch or dinner

– Tuition fees

– Educational materials

– Certificates of participation at the end

– Beverages and a welcome cocktail

Additional option:

– A full-day excursion with the group led by locals with local snacks and drinks – €50

Application Deadline:

Please note that the application deadline for Erasmus+ funding is the 23rd of February 2023, 13.00 CET

Contact us

Questions or concerns? please contact us at [email protected] or call +302106010522.
Cancellation Policy*

Until 30 days before the starting date of the selected workshop, cancellation will be free of charge and the pre-payment will be fully refunded. Between 30 to 15 days before the starting date of the workshop, 50% of the fee will be refunded. Within the 15 days before the starting date of the workshop no refunds will be made.

Erasmus +

If you are a legal entity (profit organization, NGO, University, scientific or cultural institution) and you want to apply for the Erasmus+ funding please read the information below:

Funding

All our training courses are designed in such a way to align with the Erasmus+ quality criteria and to address the various priorities of the programme.

Our team will be glad to assist you, if you need any help with your application.

Application deadline

Please note that the application deadline for Erasmus+ funding is the 23rd of February 2023, 13.00 CET

Questions or concerns? please contact us at [email protected] or call +30210601052.

For Erasmus+ funding

Fractality is a course provider registered with the European Commission. If participants want to make use of the Erasmus+ programme of the EU, they don’t have to pre-pay the workshop fee as long as the result of the grant application is pending. Participants need to complete this application and return it to Fractality.

When the application for Erasmus+ has been successful, participants should pre-pay the workshop fee(s) to Fractality.

In the event that the application to Erasmus+ has been unsuccessful, participants have to inform us immediately, to either cancel participation in the workshop or offer to pay the workshop fee without EU financial support.