Visualization in Participatory Programs

(VIPP) CREATIVE WORKSHOP

Training of Facilitators

Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania, USA

September 15-20, 2019

IntroductiontoVIPPVisualizationinParticipatoryPrograms(VIPP)isamethodologyforconductingeffectivegroupeventswhichputspeopleatthecenteroftheprocessofgeneratingideas,developingcollaborativeskillsorarrivingatcollectiveplansandprogramdesignswithvision,creativityandsustainability.Itisuniqueinthatitprovidesasystematiccombinationofdifferentparticipatoryapproaches,whichemphasizeparticipants’involvementthroughmanyvisualizationandgroupdynamictechniquesbutisnotweddedtooneframeworkortheory.Pleaserefertohttps://vipp.wordpress.comtolearnmoreaboutthehistory,thephilosophyandthecommunityofpractice.

DesignedforFacilitatorsandTrainers

ThisTrainingofFacilitatorsisaspecializedworkshopforinterestedfacilitatorsandtrainers,whowanttoengageinglobalorlocalinstitutionalwork.Weexpectagroupof18trainersandfacilitators,whowanttoimprovetheirfacilitationandtrainerskills.

FocusoftheTrainingWorkshop

1) Toupdateandimproveyourvisualization,presentationanddialogueskillstoenhancecommunicationanddecision-makinginmeetings,planningandtrainingworkshops,multi-stakeholderconferences,businessmeetingsandothergroupevents.

2) Toenhanceyourskillsindesigningandplanningsmallereventsorlargerconferences,employinginteractivemethodsandcreativetoolsoffacilitationthatwillimprovetheatmosphere,productivityandoutcomeoftheevent.

3) TolearnhowtheapplicationofVIPPsupportsapproaches,policiesandactionswhich“bringpeoplebacktothecenter”,therebyconfrontingbasicinequitiesinsocialdevelopment.

4) Topropose,designandcommittofutureeventsoractionplansthatwilladdressburningissuesinyourcontext(health,education,socialmobilization,genderequity,humancentereddesign,democraticgovernance,agro-ecologicaltransformation,peacekeeping,etc.).

5) Todiscussandintegrateotherfacilitationapproachesthatsupportanorganizationalcultureandpersonalrelationshipsamongleadership,management,cross-functionalteamsorpartners,facilitateunderstandingofdifferencesandenablegroupstoachievesharedgoals.

TheWorkshopProcess–NoDeathbyPowerPointInthistrainingwecombineshort,visualizedinputs;individualtasks;groupwork;teamcooperation;learningbydoingandconstructivefeedback.Keyconcepts,qualitystandardsandtrainingformatsaregeneratedbyallparticipants,acooperativeworkingstyleisencouragedandconstructivegroupdynamicsareessentialpartsoflearningandpracticing.Weemphasizeexperientiallearning,usingavarietyofsensesandbothcognitiveandemotionalcomponents.

Theparticipantswillformdifferentgroupseachday,includingevaluationcommittees(eyes,earsandhands)tolistentocontent,toseetheprocessesandtoorganizethetrainingfacilitiesandmaterials.YouwillenjoyoneweekwithoutPowerPointboredom.

PEEC–OurVenuePEECislocatedonthePoconoPlateauinnortheasternPennsylvaniawithintheDelawareWaterGapNationalRecreationArea.Itisaccessiblebycar,train,orbusandisonly2hoursfromthemajormetropolitancentersofNewYorkCity,Philadelphia,Newark,andTrenton.Guestscanexploreshadyhemlockgorges,thescenicDelawareRiver,forests,fields,ponds,streams,andwaterfalls,andaquarrycontaining400millionyear-oldfossils. TimeandDatesSeptember15-20,2019.ArrivaldateisonSunday,September15th,afternoon.Departuredate&timeisafterlunchonFriday,September20th.DeadlineforregistrationisJuly1,2019

RegistrationFeeinUS$1,350Feeincludes5-daytraining,VIPP-manual,CDwithmaterials,foodandlodging

PleaseaddressanyquestionstoBarbaraWhitneyemailaddress:vipp.usa.2019@gmail.comandmailtheregistrationfeetoherat:

BarbaraWhitneyPOBoxYMilford,Pa.18337OrSendviaPayPaltovipp.usa.2019@gmail.com

TheTrainingTeam

TimmiTillmann(Germany)andMarujaSalas(Peru)PartnershipSocietyforVIPP-PracticeandCreativeLearningGomaringerstr.6;D-72810Gomaringen,GermanyCenterforAgroecology,WaterandResilienceCoventryUniversity,RytonGardens,Coventry,Website:www.southbound.com.my/vipp/index.htmlandhttp://vipp.wordpress.com/about/TimmiTillmann,VIPPCoreTeamandfounderoftheVIPPapproachwithNeillMcKeeinBangladeshin1992. He is an agricultural Anthropologist (MA and PhD at Freie Universität Berlin)with a regionalspecializationinmountainregionsandpeoplesinLatinAmericaandinSE-AsiaandSW-China.MarujaSalas,VIPPCoreTeamandaculturalAnthropologist(BAatDrewUniversity,Madison,Lic.AtCatholicUniversity inLima,PhDatNijmegenCatholicUniversity)withaspecializationon indigenousknowledgesystemsinthePeruvianAndesandtheEasternHimalayas.Since1992,TimmiandMarujahave traineddevelopmentworkers inAsia, LatinAmerica,AfricaandEuropeandorganisedtrainingcoursesonVIPPandonParticipatoryActionResearchinSt.Ulrichandworldwide (English and Spanish language). Both have worked with indigenous peoples and ethnicmountaincommunitiesfor10yearsinthehighlandsofPeru,6yearsinYunnan,Chinaand3yearsinChiangMai, inthenorthernpartofThailand.Theyhaveworkedfor7yearsasscientificassistantsattheInstituteforagriculturalextensionandruralcommunicationoftheUniversityofHohenheim(1985–1993).Theywereco-foundersoftheParticipatoryTechnologyDevelopment(PTD)St.UlrichGroup(1993). They are honorary research fellows of the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience(CAWR) of Coventry University since 2014 and have supervised the Andean Program on FoodSovereignty from2007 till 2013. Both are trainers for BurmeseNGOs inMyanmar for participatoryaction researchmethods of Indigenous Knowledge and Natural ResourceManagement. Theirmainconcernistheempowermentoflocalmountainpeopletobeabletodecideontheirfuturelivelihoodsinpeace.Since2010theybelongtotheInternationalAllianceforTerracedLandscapes(ITLA)andareengaged in thedesignandpreparations for the IVthWorldCongress inLaGomera (Canary Islands -Macaronesia)inMarch2019.BarbaraWhitney,memberoftheVIPPCoreTeamofFacilitators.ShehasaMSinOrganizationDevelopmentfromJohnsHopkinsUniversityandhas25yearsofinternationalexperienceasanorganizationdevelopmentspecialist.Mostrecently,BarbarahascollaboratedwiththeCenterforCommunicationPrograms,atJohnsHopkinsSchoolofPublicHealth,toaligntheorganizationalstructurewiththeorganization’sstrategyfocusingoncross-functionaleffectiveness.ShefacilitatedaStrategyWorkshopfortheHIVJusticeCoalitioninFloridatoimprovemanagementpracticesforcoordinating,communicatingandbuildingconsensuswithpartnersforcriminalizationreform.

AnaPizano,VIPPCoreTeam(BachelorofScience-B.S.fromNewYorkUniversity,MasterofEducation-Ed.M.fromHarvardUniversity,andDoctororEducation-Ed.D.fromtheUniversityofFlorida).Forover25years,Anahasworkedasteacher,programdirector,professionaldevelopmentspecialistandconsultantwithinternational,governmentalandnon-profitorganizationsintheUnitedStatesandLatinAmerica.Shehasexperienceinsystems-widereform,socialpolicyandplanningaswellascommunitydevelopmentanddirectserviceprovision.MostrecentlyshehasfocusedonearlychildhoodeducationbydesigningandprovidingprofessionaldevelopmentforteachersthroughouttheUnitedStatesandsupportingcoachesandcommunitiesofpracticeinFloridaandCalifornia.Inaddition,sheiscurrentlyengagedinanationalprojecttoimprovethequalityofearlychildhoodprogramsintheDominicanRepublic.Throughherexperienceindiverseinstitutionalandculturalsettings,Anahasdevelopedincreasingcommitmentandpassionforpromotingcollaborativeandempoweringlearningexperiencesforteachersandstudents.