Who: KiNETIC (Kirklees Disability Equality Network), a network for disabled people in Kirklees, and the groups and organisations that support them.
The brief: Design and facilitate a strategic half-day meeting of the KiNETIC Disability Network, to review the distance covered and plan for the future. Participants included: Council staff, health staff, third sector providers and advocacy groups, service users and citizens with a range of accessibility requirements (blind and visually impaired, d/Deaf, learning disabilities, using mobility aids, etc).
What I did:
- I designed a series of thematic conversations around the tables, with some feedback and sharing in plenary – we alternated talking and listening.
- I used a twist on the “quiet giraffe” facilitation technique to make it accessible for blind and visually impaired participants.
- I created templates to capture the discussions. I built on historical planning discussions, and designed an activity that enabled us to develop a 2×2 matrix mapping potential projects based on Impact and Interest – I wrote this up into a priorities list.
What they said: “Mithu and I were singing your praises from the Community Champions days and would love it if you could help us again so that we can hopefully get to a point where we’re feeling like we’re on the same page and inspired to continue.” ~ Tamsin Macdonald, Local Area Coordination Manager, Kirklees Council
The buzz of conversations in the room and the richness of the ouputs from the discussions were the best indicators of success; I also received positive verbal feedback from participants while I was packing down, and from the client team when we debriefed.
Edit 18 months on:I bumped into a member of the network, who reported that the priorities we established in that workshop have informed the network’s workplan, and is helping members keep it on track and focused on the impacts they wish to see achieved. It’s good to see the outputs of the work I facilitated still being useful!
Photo credit: KiNETIC