466 Courses

One Shared Owner: artists talking about creating collaborative space and sustainability with SaltSpace and Vanilla Ink Join us for a conversation exploring how artist-led initiatives are set up, why they are necessary and perhaps most importantly how they evolve and sustain themselves over time.  SaltSpace and Vanilla Ink will be sharing their experiences setting up as a Cooperative and Community Interest Company; and how they operate as an artist led space and community for creative practitioners.  SaltSpace will be hosting Dr Deborah Jackson, Head of Fine Art Critical Studies at the Glasgow School of Art, and Ellie Smith-Barratt, Chief Executive Officer at Vanilla Ink. Both Deborah and Ellie will be sharing their experiences with artist-led initiatives, thinking about the topic of sustaining creative spaces and communities in Scotland, with a specific focus on supports for early career practitioners in Glasgow and more broadly across Scotland.  This conversation will be an opportunity to think about the transitional space of moving from student to graduate and into practicing as a professional artist. We will be talking about supports for recent graduates and early career artists in the form of organisations and initiatives set up by / for recent graduates due to the lack of support system often provided by institutions. We will be thinking about the need to support collaboration and foster community during that time, and what mechanisms of support are in place for this, and how we can improve and strengthen these supports. Context: This event is co-hosted and supported by the Scottish Artist Union, artist and researcher Chris Biddlecombe, will be providing an overview of his key findings from the ‘Artist-Led Organisations in Scotland: Survey and Mapping of Activity' research report, which has been undertaken by Scottish Artist Union on behalf of Creative Scotland.  The event has been developed in conversation with Dr Marianne Greated, Academic Development Lead, School of Fine Art, Glasgow School of Art who has a longstanding interest in developing artist led collaborations and how this can be supported through the Glasgow School of Art curriculum.  About SaltSpace: SaltSpace is a creative cooperative based in Glasgow which aims to provide a supportive platform for new graduates and early year creatives as a stepping-stone into their artistic career. Currently we offer studio spaces across two premises in Glasgow city in Dornoch Street and the Axiom Building and a gallery/community space in the Axiom Building on 54 Washington Street.  About Vanilla Ink: Vanilla Ink is a Community Interest Company with creative jewellery workshops in Glasgow and Banff. They offer a diverse range of resources and programmes tailored to empower and support emerging talent, giving members access to the fully equipped jewellery studios, tools and bench space. The emphasis is on providing a supportive environment for jewellers to develop their skills and confidence. The jewellery school provides classes, workshops and courses for both beginners and professionals. One Shared Owner and the research is supported by Creative Scotland. If you have any other participation needs, please email us via learning@artistsunion.scot

Our excellent one to one singing courses are suitable for all adults, from absolute beginners without any prior musical knowledge to advanced amateur pianists. They can be joined at any time during the year and are provided by highly qualified and experienced singing instructors.

The current global demand for clean energy has resulted in rapid growth in the renewable energy sector. As the renewable industry grows, so does the demand for talent to work within it, bringing lots of new career prospects. The industry is the perfect transition for individuals leaving the armed forces who will have benefitted from exposure to many of the skills and experience, as well as the work ethic, that are required to work within this exciting, fast-paced industry.

EA/PA Excellence Workshop Live from London on the 25th of April 2024. Featuring Keynote speaker Reggie Love, former Special Assistant to 44th President of the USA, Barrack Obama. Panel featuring Sophie Chapman, assistant to Steven Bartlett entrepreneur, author, host of the diary of a CEO and youngest ever dragon on BBC's Dragon's Den, Victoria Wratten, CEO of the Executive & Personal Assistants Association. The workshop contains, panel talk, keynote talk and facilitation over key topics from Kate Wood over the course of the day.

Overview This course is a rare opportunity to acquire important leadership skills and use those newfound skills to gain the respect of co-workers and those you supervise. It's filled with insights into the special and often-overlooked talents women leaders can bring to the table and cutting-edge tactics successful women leaders are using right now to make things happen in their organizations.

If you're an intermediate silver clay artist and want to take your skills to the next level, Advanced Silver Jewellery Workshop is for you. In this workshop, you'll learn how to make rings, filigree, and mirror-polished pieces with advanced techniques. You'll leave with a set of quality products that will show your true talent as an artist. And best of all? You'll be able to use these skills on more complex projects later on!

In this course we explore how we have attempted to build inclusive circles of support around individuals and contrast this with a radical approach to hospitality and community building – the Community Circle. The purpose of community circles is to bring people from a local community together to share their skills, talents, gifts and resources. This idea is based upon the premise that ALL of us need three things in our lives to make us happy and fulfilled: these are money, friendship and meaning. We believe that everyone needs community, everyone needs to be heard and everyone needs to have fun. Online Course now available via Teachable Platform – Creating Community Circles Learn at your own pace… lots of text and video support Category Inclusion Peer Support Parents and Carers   Description  Building Community Circles In this course we explore how we have attempted to build inclusive circles of support around individuals and contrast this with a radical approach to hospitality and community building – the Community Circle. The purpose of community circles is to bring people from a local community together to share their skills, talents, gifts and resources. This idea is based upon the premise that ALL of us need three things in our lives to make us happy and fulfilled: these are money, friendship and meaning. We believe that everyone needs community, everyone needs to be heard and everyone needs to have fun. Community Circles are based upon reciprocity and the assumption that EVERYONE has both gifts and needs – whether these are labelled or not. The circles adopt the fundamental value of inclusion that ‘all means all’, no one is excluded from community circles, instead the circle members work out how to include everyone equally and safely. A community circle is made up of participants and allies from the local community. The meeting starts with everyone sharing food and conversations. Next the group comes together in a circle so that everyone can see each other and shares what is good and new in their lives, everyone gets a turn to be listened to. ‘New and Good’ breaks the habit of thinking about and acting from what’s wrong, it is an exercise of giving and receiving attention with one another and it also provides a strong foundation of strengths from which we can think about and tackle difficulties. The group is then asked the question what do they want, need or have to offer. Community circles provide a great foundation or starting point from which to explore connections, build relationships, locate resources and share skills. These circles will be a particularly important resource for Brokers and the people that they work for. They provide a safe forum in which people can meet and friendships can start, a natural reservoir of people and relationships where people can be invited to offer their time and capacity. To be successful we have to start from a belief in inclusion. A belief that: 1 We are all born ‘in’. 2 All means all. 3 Everyone needs to belong. 4 Everyone is ready. 5 Everyone needs support. 6 Everyone can communicate. 7 Everyone can contribute. 8 Together we’re better. Learning Objectives For participants to learn how to create a Community Circle. For participants to understand the underlying rationale and ethos of this way of working. To explore ways of maximising an individual’s inclusion and connection with the wider community. To explore ways of helping with friendship, social connection and education. To increase confidence, social skills and presence of disabled adults and those with a wide range of need in their local community by focusing on their contribution. Who Is It For? Anyone interested in mobilising the community to make it more inclusive around disabled or challenging individuals. Course Content Understanding ordinary needs – plus the true dimensions of social inclusion Building relationships Creating natural circles of support Creating a community circle If you like this you will almost certainly enjoy: Person Centred Planning using PATH and MAPS

This is our latest lead workshop/training day and is an extremely innovative, participative and practical guide to successfully creating a truly inclusive classroom in mainstream school settings for children and young people of all ages. This engaging day will equip participants with ways of thinking and planning for the inclusion of all pupils within the curriculum. Course Category Teaching and Learning Inclusion Description This is our latest lead workshop/training day and is an extremely innovative, participative and practical guide to successfully creating a truly inclusive classroom in mainstream school settings for children and young people of all ages. This engaging day will equip participants with ways of thinking and planning for the inclusion of all pupils within the curriculum. There’s no better way to get set up, get trained, and get going on your inclusive classroom. The most knowledgeable trainers will teach you all the basics in face-to-face training sessions, and guide you through more advanced concepts and ideas. So whether you’re brand-new to inclusion, a seasoned pro, or somewhere in between, we will help take your skills to the next level. Testimonials ‘Yet again inspiring and opening more doors than I can go through’ ‘This opened a lot of avenues for thought and reflection. It will help me to help colleagues to see where they can improve practice to create a more inclusive environment within the whole school.’ ‘Some great ideas and restored my self belief! Fantastic’ Learning Objectives Increased skills in diversifying/differentiating the curriculum Reflection on attitudes to individual learning and the curriculum Linking learning style research to real classroom inclusion of high profile/need pupils Improved teaching skills for those with severe and complex needs and behaviour Challenge to attitudes and mindsets Who Is It For ? School based Practitioners Heads and Deputies SENCOs Learning Support Advanced Skills Teachers Primary and secondary teachers Parents Local Authority Support Services Course Content The course answers the questions: How do I begin differentiating? How do I include a pupil with very complex learning needs? How do we go about practically including high profile children or young people? Best delivered over the course of 2 days, ‘Inclusive Classroom’ introduces participants to 6 guiding Ideas that increase effective inclusion in mainstream settings. Setting the tone for learning Resourcing schools and classrooms effectively The essential 4 questions! What is the essential learning in this lesson? How do the students learn best? What needs modifying? How will students demonstrate their learning? Building on strengths and talents Beyond the IEP The curriculum content of inclusive classrooms If you liked this course you may well like: CREATING AN INCLUSIVE SPACE WHERE EVERYONE LEARNS

Give your team the opportunity to pause and reflect on what matters most to them about the work they do. The act of listening to each other creates relationship and strengthens trust and inclusion within the team – in creating a shared vision, groups of people build a sense of commitment together. Using the PATH or MAP processes of group facilitation and the creating of a large wall sized graphic we will provide a School Improvement Plan to be proud of!  Course Category Visioning and Problem Solving Person Centred Planning Strategic Work Team Building and Leadership Description There is an old Japanese proverb, “Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare” “There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about” MARGARET WHEATLEY – ‘TURNING TO ONE ANOTHER’ (2002) Give your team the opportunity to pause and reflect on what matters most to them about the work they do. The act of listening to each other creates relationship and strengthens trust and inclusion within the team – in creating a shared vision, groups of people build a sense of commitment together. They develop images of ‘the future we want to create together’, along with the values that will be important in getting there and the goals they want to see achieved along the way. Unfortunately, many people still think ’vision’ is the top leader’s job. In schools, the ‘vision task’ usually falls to the Headteacher and/or the governors or it comes in a glossy document from the local authority or the DfES. But visions based on authority are not sustainable. Drawing on the planning tools MAPS and PATH (Pearpoint, Forest and O’Brien 1997) and other facilitation sources we use both process and graphic facilitation to enable the group to build their picture of what they would love to see happening within their organisation/community in the future and we encourage this to be a positive naming, not just a list of the things they want to avoid. ??Let us join you to explore your vision and the ‘roadblocks’ to your vision. Testimonials “Thank you so much for the work you did with us yesterday – I have since been in 2 schools today and have spoken to an number of other colleagues who were present – all were totally overwhelmed by the session – they loved it.” “I was totally blown away, so nice to reflect and realise what a long way we have come” “That was so powerful and motivational” “Our Primary is now an OFSTED rated ‘Outstanding School’ – we were in Special Measures – the Visioning and Planning using the PATH process for 3 years has seriously contributed to this”. Learning Objectives To create a far reaching and shared vision of the future for the school team/group you are working with and ensure that each person present contributes to this To create a visual representation (a graphic) of the vision and use this to plan future actions and to inform school improvement and development plans To facilitate the group in thinking through what some of the barriers to achieving their vision are and to begin work on how these can be removed To build a sense of commitment, common purpose and trust within the team/group Who Is It For ? Headteachers School managers EIP Managers Whole staff – including everyone Course Content The facilitation of a shared vision can be delivered as a full or a half day but, unlike our other training days this day depends on your and your team’s needs and the time you have available The course will cover: Creating the vision The Story So Far Headline Themes Naming the Nightmare A Year from Now Naming Roadblocks and Barriers Building strength Who will we need to take with us on the journey towards the vision Who are we? – Gifts, Strengths and Talents Charting Specific Actions

In this practical and engaging workshop there is input on team building, problem solving as a team, improving communication and handling conflict. This is participatory day of paper, pens, graphics, music and activity. There are no PowerPoint slides or even a projector and screen! Course Category Team Building and Leadership Early Years Inclusion Description Want a really creative, effective, inclusive team? In this practical and engaging workshop there is input on team building, problem solving as a team, improving communication and handling conflict. This is participatory day of paper, pens, graphics, music and activity. There are no PowerPoint slides or even a projector and screen! We keep the focus on interpersonal processes for getting the best out of the team. Making teams both creative and inclusive is fully explored and processes for maximising this examined. Effective leadership and management, which can transform teamwork through collaboration and consensus-building processes is covered. We refocus the team on its capacities and gifts as well as give insights into what to do when individuals are off track. The Native American medicine wheel guides us through four quadrants of leadership, vision, community and management.Harrison Owen in his work on ‘Open Space Technology’ depicts the ancient Medicine Wheel (Owen, 2003). This is derived from centuries of tradition among First Nation Americans and has informed many cultures in different ways. We have found this an extremely powerful metaphor for understanding the process of team and organisational change and renewal. The wheel of change begins in the north with a leading idea, for us – there is a better way of creating a team for inclusion. Travelling clockwise to the east we develop a shared vision of what this could look like in our setting, school or community. Then moving south we ask who needs to come with us on the journey. We wish to take as many community members along with us as we can. In an Early Years setting , this would mean enrolling the support of manager, the wider staff group, parents and ultimately children. Finally, at the west, we manage and implement the idea. We take action and turn the inclusive team into reality. The cycle of this medicine wheel is an excellent way to view change processes for any team, organisation or community. When we contemplate change, the risk is always that we will jump prematurely from the big ideas (leadership) to practice (management) and ignore the other two important phases of creating vision and engaging the wider community. When the going gets tough and the inclusion of a child or young person is beginning to seem extremely difficult if not impossible many will conclude that the child should no longer be present. We would like to challenge this. Why do we move so quickly to assuming the child is in the wrong place? Surely the real question should not be ‘do they belong here?’ – but rather – ‘what team support is needed here for this to work?’ Or even more fundamental, ‘who needs a team around them at this time?’ Who needs the team? Who is struggling with the inclusion most? Is it the young person, their practitioner or teacher, their headteacher, setting manager, their parent or even a member of the local support services? Whatever the answer a team may need to be built, rallied or reformed. The nature of and number of that team will depend upon the situation. Diversity of membership will most surely be important to strengthen the quality of the support and of the ideas generated. Use radical rethinking when creating a new team or when revitalising an existing one. Creating effective teams for inclusion requires a courageous capacity for understanding and nurturing change both within the team and with those who the team work with. Testimonials ‘What a fun, enjoyable day its been. Motivating and made me laugh not fall asleep!’?? ‘This was everything a team building day was supposed to be. I have learned a lot about the people I work with and my role within the organisation’ ‘I had reservations about attending yet another team building day but this was executed by two great facilitators and they worked with us so we truly understood what we were thinking and feeling.’ ‘Innovative and refreshing’ Learning Objectives Empowerment of team players Deepened insights into team processes Practical strategies for team building learned Processes for enhancing creativity of team members explored Celebration and recognition of existing strengths and talents   Who Is It For ? Any team Course Content This course answers the following questions: How can we re-energise our team? How can we make our team more inclusive? What tools can we use to work creatively in our team? We work around the ancient medicine wheel as it guides us through the four processes of leadership, vision, community and management. We place leading ideas in front of your team including ‘no kvetching’ and shared promises. We create a shared vision of how your team would love to be. We explore who the team is. When are they at their best? What happens when someone is off track? What do they really need? How do we take the community with us at a time of change? Finally we look at the management role of the team. Getting things done together. We use problem solving together as our focus for this. Finally your team will be asked to reflect. What has the training meant to them? If you liked this you may like: SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION FOR LEADERS