Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Community Developers' Conference - Quote Board and Graffiti Wall


Artwork by Erin Stewart.

Stories of Transformation -

Graphic Facilitation from the May 18, 2010 Opening Story Panel

Artwork by Erin Stewart.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Meeting Anne Docherty from Storytellers' Foundation

I had a deep sense of regret when I didn't get to attend the Storytellers' Foundation session on Tuesday morning. So today I decided I needed to find and meet Anne Docherty from Storytellers'. Thanks to Scott Graham who "closed the triangle" or "finished weaving the network" (from Barb McMillan's "Thinking Like a Network session") and introduced us. I believe it was this meeting that I had my biggest "a-ha" moment. Anne quickly provided me materials that Storytellers' had produced on food and food citizenship in Hazelton, BC. I hope to attend the Learning 4 a Change Workshop at the end of June about citizen engagement held at the Sunset COmmunity Centre in Vancouver. BUt do you think I could just be Storytellers' Foundation international spokesperson? THis is by far the most intercultural approach I have seen and heard of in a long time!

Guppy Ahluwalia-Lopez

deep doodles

awesome art

Learning Experience

I think this was a good opportunity for facilitators and atendees alike to learn something.

Facilitation, doesn't come just from knowledge but from people as well. It is incredibly important that facilitators are willing to bend their program slightly and read the audience.

If facilitators are ridgid on presentation or not great time keepers it can lead to a waste of not only the facilitators times but the attendees.

If people are leaving the workshop in great waves, that is a sure indication you are not engaging your audience. Change it up.

I have really enjoyed my time here, and every experience is a learning experience.

BC Bereavement Helpline

Thank you for the opportunity to share the "grief" story with others who have their own stories about their concerns, needs, beliefs and experiences.

Processing grief is all about telling one's grief story. It is healing, empowering, self-acknowledging but, at the same time, takes courage and a willingness to be vulnerable and exposed.

It is also about being acknowledged and finding others who feel the same so that one does not feel isolated or alone in their sorrow.

This conference brings that sense of connectedness to me as a representative of the Bereavement Helpline.

I feel empowered to continue the work of raising awareness that "Bereavement Support is an Essential Service". Everyone will be bereaved at some point in their life and, as they age, their bereaved experiences will increase in number. Learning to confront, acknowledge, accept and process one's grief is a pro-active, empowering lesson.

If you or someone you know is grieving a loss from death of a loved one, please don't suffer in silence. There is support in your community and we can help you find it. Just call the Bereavement Helpline at 604-738-9950 or 1-877-779-2223 and you will be anonymously connected to support in your community.

Take care and keep telling your story, whatever it is! You will be helping yourself and others who either share your story or who are enlightened by it.

Community Development on a Federal Reserve

A challenging vision in developing a successful and healthy community on a federal reserve. Many obstacles to overcome but can be done in small steps at a time. Involves including all groups of the community and developing a comprehensive community planning, drawing a community map. This conference has been an inspiration for me, meeting different people in different areas of work, all focussed on the same vision, developing greater communities. We can work together and share ideas and assist each other in meeting and accomplishing our visions. Thank you SPARC for bringing me here and introducing me to many great minds!

Lena Hink
Band Manager
Yunesit'in Government
Chilcotin