Some benefits of AVP Workshops are:
- An appreciation and acceptance of self.
- An appreciation and acceptance of others.
- An increased ability to get through tension and conflict without “loosing it”, or at least not as often.
- Additional skills to use when faced with tension or conflict.
- Being able to focus on preventing situations rather than fixing them.
- A new way of thinking from which to approach living in daily life.
- Knowing how to respond to things as they are, and not to react to how one thinks they ought to be.
- Having time to self assess without being judged.
- Being able to network and connect with others.
- Learning in a fun and light-hearted way.
- Realising one has something to teach others as well as learn from others.
- Recognising the good within others as well as self.
Click on the workshop type you are interested in to see what they are about.
Key Features of AVP workshops:
- “Grass-roots” Volunteers:
- Everyone is invited to participate voluntarily in AVP Workshops whether Participants, Facilitators or Supporters.
- Teamwork:
- Role modeling is given of shared leadership and workload. Open style of team planning, discussions and consensus decision-making.
A balance of age, gender, ethnicity and life experience. Experienced facilitators with apprentices and wisdom through manuals.
- Rights and Responsibilities:
- Developed with whole group agreement. Focus placed on what is desired rather than what is not wanted. Displayed alongside AVP Philosophy & Themes.
- Experiential – learning by doing:
- Learning more through the experiences of active involvement, rather than lecture.
- Step by step process:
- Similarly-structured agenda displayed throughout workshop and previewed for each session, with flexibility to change sequence and/or activities as needed by the
group while maintaining the overall purpose.
- Varied pace:
- Generally brisk, yet with time for reflection so that interesting observations are not cut-off in order to keep to time.
- Spiritual focus, rather than behaviouristic or rule-governed:
- Encouragement to value what is already inside ourselves, and strengthen
capacities to express and respond from Transforming Power.
- Transforming Power:
- Acknowledging there is that goodness within everyone that seeks to
do and express what is good.
- Light & Livelies:
- Laughter and fun are built into each session. Games that lighten the mood, revitalise the group energy, demonstrate non-violent concepts, and help create
community.
- Feedback:
- Debriefing to process the exercises. Evaluation of each session. Checking how people are doing. To safely unload feelings arising from exercises.
Demonstrating the value of the thoughts and opinions each other.
All of which coalesce into:
Experience of a safe yet challenging community.