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Unique professional development with an interactive, participatory, and embodied methodology that allows your staff to practice the best strategies for inclusion

Helps your staff build effective communication skills and trust and develop strong client relationships

This training is designed for your staff members who engage in multi-dimensional interactions in increasingly culturally diverse workplace environments. Such multi-layered diversity is a unique challenge, which calls for a unique approach that cultivates a deeper understanding of what constitutes inclusion, and how individuals play an important role in it.

Workshop Outcomes – participants will:

be able to identify aspects of an inclusive professional environment and relationships

become sensitive to diversity in all its aspects (culture, identity, ability, …)

develop intercultural and effective communication skills necessary for an inclusive environment

be able to analyze situations from multiple perspectives

learn to recognize individual responsibilities for implementing best inclusive practices in workplace

The transformative methodology used in this workshop is Forum Theatre. It utilises embodied and interactive activities based on participants’ stories and lived experiences and is the best fit to address the challenges they face in a diverse workplace.

Through this process, participants are invited to actively examine possible solutions and alternative strategies to the challenges they face in addressing their clients’ needs at work. The collective wisdom of a group and the individual experiences of participants are honoured by the facilitator who doesn’t offer ready-made solutions but asks questions to inspire dialogue and deeper understanding. Forum Theatre is participant-centred and the content of the training is entirely based on the participants’ lived experiences. This makes the workshop particularly relevant to your staff professional growth.

Engage your staff in embodied and interactive activities and conversations in a safe and non-judgemental environment to explore personal biases and how they affect communication with clients and colleagues

A unique professional development based entirely on the lived experiences of your staff.

This workshop is designed for staff members who engage in multi-dimensional interactions in increasingly diverse workplace environments. Such multi-layered diversity is a unique challenge, which calls for a unique approach. This workshop is an engaging session that promotes understanding of bias, looks into how it leads to stereotyping, and explores ways to limit its effect on decisions and behaviour.

The point is to first get people accept that they have biases and then get them to see that those biases have negative consequences for others.

To know the true reality of yourself, you must be aware not only of your conscious thoughts, but also of your unconscious prejudices, bias and habits.

We have to un-learn before we can learn desired behaviour.

Workshop Outcomes – participants will:

develop an understanding and awareness of the most common types of unconscious bias

identify their own perspectives and biases in an atmosphere of understanding and emotional safety

recognize and reflect on how personal and organizational biases impact our behaviour, decisions and interactions

learn and practice strategies to disrupt and limit the effects of unconscious bias.

This interactive and participatory workshop is designed for professionals who engage daily in multi-dimensional interactions in an increasingly diverse workplace environment. Such multi-layered diversity is a unique challenge which calls for a unique approach that cultivates a deeper understanding of what constitutes inclusive and sensitive intercultural communication and how individuals can play an important role in it.

“Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand.”
Confucius 450 BC.

The approach used in this workshop is Forum Theatre, embodied and interactive activities based on participants’ experiences and observed situations that best fit to address the challenges of a diverse workplace. Through this process, you are invited to actively examine possible solutions and alternative strategies to authentically interact and communicate with colleagues and clients. The collective wisdom of your group and your individual experiences are both honoured by the facilitators who will ask questions rather than offer ready-made solutions.

By the end of the workshop, participants will:
• gain understanding of various positions that people hold on cultural differences
• be able to identify aspects of culturally sensitive environments
• be able to analyze situations from multiple perspectives – learn how to become sensitive to cultural differences
• learn to recognize your responsibilities for implementing best practices in order to promote effective intercultural communication in your work environment
• learn strategies to authentically communicate in a multicultural workplace.

Your Story Matters workshops engage you in self-reflection and critical inquiry. The setting requires a level of honesty and personal dedication to create meaningful dialogue and possibility for learning insights. Yes, we are having fun, but we also ask important and, at times, tough questions. I will guide you through the process so that you feel safe and heard.

Your participation and personal contribution is essential for the training to be effective as it is based on participant stories. Yet, no one is ever forced to share what they do not comfortably feel like sharing. The power of theatre is such that even those who “only” observe and listen to the stories gain the same benefits as those who “act” and share their stories. This way, I provide a safe space for those of you who might be introverted or are not ready to work on your personal narrative just yet.

No theatre experience necessary. All strategies at Your Story Matters, such as role playing or interpreting situations and stories, are innate skills available to all human beings.

Sharing human experiences generates emotional responses – people laugh as well as cry. All are welcome and supported!