News
Victorian Self Help and Support Groups are invited to participate in this COSHG initiative
The inaugural
National Self Help and Support Groups
Awareness Week
Monday 6 to Sunday 12 September 2010
"Helping each other to help ourselves"
This is an opportunity for all self help groups and support groups to celebrate their group, their achievements and the self help group movement.
Activities may be as low or high key an event as each group chooses. For example, afternoon tea, information stall or interview with the local newspaper. Let us know if you are holding an activity during this week and we will include it on our dedicated webpage at www.coshg.org.au
Wednesday 8 September is the launch day for National Self Help and Support Groups Awareness Week. COSHG will be holding a day of information and activities at Ross House, 247 Flinders Lane , Melbourne .
Events Calendar
Please let us know about your group's event so we can list it on the calendar. We are interested to hear about all events no matter how high or low key. Just click here to find out how to submit your group's event details.
To view events go to the National Self Help and Support Groups Awareness Week Calendar
The Collective of Self Help Groups (COSHG)
Presents
Facilitation and Communication Workshops for Self Help Groups
Facilitated by Spencer Brennan
Self-Help Resource Centre Ontario, Canada
Thursday 15 July
Introducing Spencer Brennan
Over the past 25 years Spencer Brennan has worked as an addiction therapist, life skills coach and adult educator and has managed volunteer programs in a variety of settings. In his capacity as the provincial outreach coordinator for the Self-Help Resource Centre, Spencer supports the development of both local and regional peer support initiatives by providing consultation, networking support, resource materials and fee-for-service training workshops. Spencer holds a diploma in human services counselling, a degree in adult education and has presented workshops on a variety of topics in Canada, the U.S. and Australia.
Spencer Brennan first visited Melbourne in 2007 and facilitated two sessions for COSHG. Feedback from participants was very enthusiastic. “Sessions with Spencer…Brilliant” - “all of his presentations, his style of honesty made him very enjoyable to listen to.”
COSHG is delighted to once again have the opportunity to host the following workshops to be facilitated by Spencer.
The day will also include a FREE information session on the Disability and Health Self Help Grants to coincide with the announcement of this year's grants. (Presented by the Office for Disability and Department of Health.)
Session A. ‘So you want to be a facilitator'
An informal information session for new facilitators and those interested in becoming one. Topics include guidelines, feedback, and several conflict resolution approaches.
This is primarily an information session, with some experiential work around the conflict models. We examine the definition of peer support groups, the meaning of facilitation, adult learning principles, listening skills, the importance of guidelines, reasons for conflict including inappropriate feedback, and several approaches to conflict resolution.
Session B. ‘What do you mean I'm not clear?'
Communication means "to give a share of, to share in and to have a common channel of passage." The difficulty is that as human beings we don't all have the same way of communicating.
This communications workshop will look at: understanding the difference between listening and hearing; separating process and content; examining some elements of Emotional Intelligence (EQ); mediating simple misunderstandings; and recognising that all conversations are about relationship. If you've ever been tired of explaining yourself or clarifying one more time, this is the workshop for you.
When: Thursday 15 July
Where: Arts House, (Meat Market) 5 Blackwood Street North Melbourne
This accessible venue has been sponsored by City of Melbourne
The Health and Disability Self Help Funding Programs have now closed.
