If you have ever attended an International Budget Partnership (IBP) in-person training, chances are you scribbled some thoughts on tiny sticky notes and stuck them on flip charts around the room. We at IBP love our flip charts, color markers and sticky notes. We haul them with us on long flights to all locations far […]
Over the past months of virtual meetings – and there have been plenty of them – there has been much testing and experimentation with technology. One such technique has been the Chat feature; all virtual platforms have it and most of us use it. For me, the Chat feature has helped to enliven and enrich […]
For a variety of reasons, social contact with friends and extended family, neighbors and co-workers has been limited because of the global pandemic. Many folks have wisely heeded all the public health recommendations by wearing masks, practicing physical distancing, and frequently washing their hands. This is good. In the midst of all this, I believe […]
The Situation The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) has been a leader in the fight for TANF reform. Their leaders have presented at national congressional hearings related to the necessity to reform the welfare system, with emphasis on the TANF Program. Currently, the TANF Program is marked by historical and systematic racism. Recipients […]
I could never have imagined I would start a meeting with personal images of joy… But, I did! You have to understand, I was planning a tough meeting. It was a meeting to discuss common challenges and issues that have come up over the first year of one of our projects. I had no illusions: […]
One of my teams started using Miro as a digital whiteboard, and I was really excited to be able to use the “sticky notes” (term used by Miro) function to brainstorm and sort ideas like we’ve done with Post-it notes in-person. Once we tried it out, it became clear there were some adjustments to using […]
Guest Peter Tate – a member of our International Certified Network – shares his experience facilitating faiths and cultures trainings in Southall, London. When facilitating change, Peter says “the outcome is not guaranteed” – but combining a blended approach with powerful questions enabled him to create a safe holding environment for transformative learning. Warning for some parents: powerful questions about Santa Claus within! Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you […]
The number one desire in online learning is to engage each individual present. Quizzes and polls are two quick and easy features that can help boost the energy, add some fun, and help learners connect to the content and each other. When to Use As a warm-up to learn something relevant about the people who are there. Example: What […]
Many people are afraid of sitting in silence with a group in a Zoom room. Don’t be afraid. Silence can be extremely helpful and needed if timed well. Here are reasons to design for silence: to give people time to think to make space for off-screen work before coming to the large group to consider content, ideas, […]
The Chat box is highly underrated. All meeting spaces have this feature, but it is not often used. And even more rarely, explored. Here are some great reasons to use the Chat box: to invite in all voices Rarely does everyone have a voice in a session (in-person or virtual). Since meaning-making is personal, every […]