Want a qual that's good for you as well as your work?
Like a lot of people who choose (or are forced!) to work with groups, Ash Alluri arrived at the need to work on a deeper level in collaboration. He wasn't interested in anything piecemeal; he was hungry for something in-depth, so he could really immerse himself. Before enrolling in our Advanced Diploma of Group Facilitation, Ash had a background working internationally in design, engineering and humanitarian sustainable development. He's recently completed yoga teacher training and is now a Principal Innovator with The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI). The common thread in all of this is helping people work well together.
"You can often get training in processes and techniques for dealing with other people, but you don't necessarily get an awareness of yourself - your triggers, your habits," he points out."I didn't really know what I was in for with the course, but I knew it would be a journey. I just thought, 'how intense could it be?' "
As it turns out, the whole-of-person approach we take at the Groupwork Centre has produced several Aha! moments for him. The first - and biggest - was the concept that we all have internal voices (a 'community' of selves) driving our actions - or inaction.
"If we don't acknowledge their gifts, how are we going to operate?!" says Ash. "It's great scaffolding to build on your working relationships. "For example, with a couple of my colleagues, I've said, 'these are my selves [eg, an Achiever Self, that wants results, or Perfectionist Self, fixated on fine details] - I invite you to call me out if you notice them in action, preventing wiser choices on my part."
A special Aha has been the Groupwork Centre saying: 'If in doubt, love them more'.
"It applies not only to the people you facilitate but also your own internal voices - I like how it encourages you to be kinder to yourself as well as to others," Ash points out.
When we asked him his favourite aspect of the course, he didn't hesitate.
"The best thing is that you're integrating the learning into your life. Over the nine months between course dates, I'm bringing it back to my workplace, my home - it's a great gift to myself, hopefully in the service of others!"
And does he have any advice for anyone considering enrolling in our Advanced Diploma of Group Facilitation?
"Make sure you do the work between sessions. You do have to invest the time, but it's worth it - what you get is so valuable."
And finally:
"If you're looking to do work beyond standard techniques and processes, take this course on. It's an embodied 3D experience to be had, not a Diploma to be done."
Thanks, Ash.