Session #8: Meeting People Where They Are
Date: Thursday 3rd July
Time: 9.30am - 11.30am (venue open from 9am - 12noon for extra coffee/networking)
Location:
This is a Public Seminar - all welcome.
Within modern process-driven organisations, like the NHS and Local Authority, there are policies, professional guidelines and values statements that are intended to shape practice, in achieving positive outcomes in people's lives.
The research evidence consistently demonstrates that:
(1) we achieve those outcomes by working with individuals’ own self organising capacities to build motivation and that confrontation, coercion, persuasion and punishment are rarely effective strategies
(2) the biggest influence on the outcomes of interventions are the qualities of the person providing the interventions and particularly their capacity for empathy, promoting confidence and working motivationally.
The challenge for practice is to match these two principles so that within an organisational context we can actually meet the person where they are in the ‘here and now’ and build sustainable change.
We have heard in previous workshops that people engaged in helping, supporting, mentoring and therapeutic interventions experience the challenge of working in relational ways, within organisation and wider system constraints. In practice, the way organisations operate, and the mindset, pressures on, and expectations of practitioners can lead to real obstacles to supporting people relationally.
This session will explore:
- Ways to construct creative space for dialogue and decisions about resources to bring about change
- Meeting the person as they are in and of themselves and not as we want them to be at some point in the future
- The importance of understanding ourselves, our own motivations and discriminations in meeting with others, to create both dialogue for change and provide the necessary resources to enable those changes.
Dr Aaron Pycroft is Associate Professor in Criminal Justice and Social Complexity in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the ºÚÁϳԹÏ. This workshop will draw upon his extensive practice experience and academic research and publications in relation to relational, restorative and rehabilitative practices in criminal justice, social work and therapeutic work.
ºÚÁϳԹÏMediation Service are supporting us with discounted use of their facilities, tea and coffee, and an excellent snack selection!
If you have any questions about this event, please contact civicuniversity@port.ac.uk
This seminar is hosted by the Relational and Restorative Practice Community of Inquiry Group. There are always a variety of interesting people attending and it's a great way to connect with others.
Accessibility and special requirements: We will endeavour to provide particular access requirements on request. If you have any access requirements, e.g. wheelchair access, hearing loops or specific neurodiverse requirements, please get in touch by Monday 23rd June.
Parking: is extremely limited, we encourage you to use the , bus, cycle routes, or the city’s facility.