Bristol Learning Marathon Showcase 2019
Six months ago eleven Bristolians planted eleven seeds in the fertile West Country soil, in the form of “learning questions”. These questions were based on themes around sustainability, lifelong learning, collaboration, identity, and much more. Together as a group we’ve nurtured our questions and seen them all evolve and grow into projects, meet ups, presentations, ventures, podcasts and blogs. Whether our individual questions are “answered” or whether we’ve merely started our journeys, we have all now harvested the fruits of our six month adventure and each have stories to share.
Bristol 2019 Learning Marathon Our cohort of learners...
Class of May 2019 Lara Kramer What role does collaboration have in the workplaces of the future?
Anna Garlands How can I promote wellbeing and connection in myself and my communities?
Beth Hammond How can I create a hub for transformative adult learning that has real social value?
Kim Creus How can I turn my varied communications skills into a successful career in consultancy?
Claire Barrett How can human-centered design help transform workplace mental health services?
Jona Conway How can I help lead the regeneration of the planet?
Delia Slucutt How can I implement a designed Vision Board workshop for adults in the real world rather than my imagination? Kimberly De Portela E Prado How can I best serve in the antislavery movement while being a successful mother and also earn a living?
Nadia Connell How can exploring my musicality help me grow, connect and contribute to my communities?
Naufal Jailani How do I pursue my interests consistently and effectively?
Abi Jones How can I create and distribute an effective resource for people struggling to break free of addiction and/or compulsive behaviours?
Reclaiming Ritual
Anna Garlands Question I leave with:
How can I promote wellbeing and connection in myself and my communities?
I am showcasing my exploration of ritual as part of my rite of passage into motherhood. I’ll be presenting the stories I’ve written about my experience and the poetry I’ve composed for my unborn baby. I’m exhibiting evidence of the history and benefits of ritual and the valuable role it can play in our modern lives. I’ll be “live designing” rituals for people using “Zine Maps” which visitors can use to explore their own life transitions and leave with a designed ritual.
Autumn Equinox ritual that I devised and held at an Enrol Camp retreat
Question I came with: anna@enrolyourself.com www. medium.com/@anna.rowlands26
How can I promote wellbeing and connection in myself and my communities?
Meditating on my Ancestral Pilgrimage
Although my learning question has remained the same since the start of the journey, my focus has shifted dramatically. When I first started the marathon I had visions of setting up a social enterprise in the city, using my skills of facilitation, coaching and massage therapy to support young and vulnerable people to find employment. I’m quick to look outwards, to think about what attitudes and skills I can help others to gain and grow, but I rarely take the time to stop, look inwards and practice these things in myself.
Beth Hammond Question I leave with:
Ritual zine that I made during the Develop phase
When the group first came together in May I was 13 weeks into my first pregnancy. I hadn’t registered what being “with child” meant for me at this point, and as the weeks passed my true journey with Enrol started to emerge like the baby in my belly. I was drawn to the topic of ritual, as I’d been in recent years when facing significant life transitions. I decided to explore this area of interest in more detail. This really was the beginning of embarking on a unique journey in myself. My identity as a woman, as
a mother-to-be, and as an energetic force capable of bringing forth new life have been thrown into sharp relief. My research and subsequent design and conducting of rituals has afforded me with a resonant framework from which I can identify as a spiritual being and as a mother, connected with my ancestral roots and with nature.
How can I create a hub for transformative adult learning that has real social value?
Creative exploration of learning
I’m looking for:
People who are keen to reclaim ritual in their lives!
Question I came with: What would a lifelong learning curriculum for the future look like?
@inspiredpaths beth@inspiredpaths.co.uk www. inspiredpaths.wordpress.com
Inspired Paths: a learning hub I am showcasing a stand on what is learning, and why should we do it? I want to challenge the idea that learning is done in classrooms by children, and is largely a process of knowledge acquisition. Learning is fun! We’re natural lifelong learners, and our learning can take many forms. Our Enrol Yourself classroom
I started with a very broad question, “What would a lifelong learning curriculum for the future look like?” This was motivated by the fact that as a society we’re facing some very difficult challenges, and I felt that education was the best way to address these. With the freedom to explore my question and follow my interests, I realised that the specifics of a curriculum, while being an interesting topic, wasn’t where I wanted to focus my attention. Instead, I wanted to do something practical to support adult learning. The idea of a learning hub, which would be a resource both for learners and for those providing learning opportunities, captured my enthusiasm. I’m now at the start of a new journey, where I hope to make this idea a reality.
One of the learning quotes I’ve been posting on Twitter
My answer to “What would a lifelong learning curriculum for the future look like?” has come down to this: • Distributed: it’s not one curriculum or method or learning provider, but a network which can provide a diverse range of opportunities, to suit the needs of a diverse group of individuals. • Diversified: it encompasses not only learning with the mind, but learning through the body, through social interaction, through selfdevelopment and through a greater connection with the world. • Transformative: now more than ever, it’s important that learning leads to positive change. The challenges we face require a new mindset and adaptive solutions. • Socially valuable: currently, the focus of education is to serve the economy. We need to reassess what’s important, and value learning for its positive effects on individuals and society. With this in mind, I’m looking to create a hub which will support providers of adult learning opportunities which follow these principles, as well as learners who want these sorts of
experiences. My answer to “How can I create a hub for transformative adult learning that has real social value?” is for the moment to explore the needs and wishes of these audiences. I’ll be doing this through social media groups, surveys and further research, and I hope to be able to explore ways of setting up a learning hub as a social enterprise.
I’m looking for:
• Contacts: potential learners and learning organisations. • Advice: launching a social enterprise, website design.
Inspired Paths logo
A snapshot of what’s to come...
Kim Creus Question I leave with:
How can I turn my varied communications skills into a successful career in consultancy?
One day I hope to grow more than a token carrot
Question I came with: How can I turn my varied communications skills into a successful career in consultancy?
@KimCreus kccreus@gmail.com
I am showcasing a giant CV: listing my key skills and the areas I’d like to focus on as a consultant. I’ll also be presenting a glimpse of my first piece of consultancy work, an action plan to make the building of the organisation I work for more sustainable. And for visitors to take with them after visiting my stall: a quick guide to making your favourite place to be a more sustainable one. This is my first ever learning accelerator and it came at a very timely point as a plan was growing in my mind for my future. I’ve always comfortably worked in full time roles within charities that I’m passionate about. Over the years I’ve been gathering a variety of skills in communications, campaigning, brand development and marketing; this gathering has no end point but I can see myself using these skills in another adventure.
My meet up on building trust through content marketing
The Learning Marathon has firmly put my plan to use these skills in a way that balances my passions, work and family life within my grasp for when I’m ready to take the leap. Very early on in my learning journey I realised what I’m craving: access to nature. Working with and being surrounded by nature every day. I have a fear of urban and man-made life overtaking our link to nature. It’s already happened to the point where there’s a need for organisations such as Extinction Rebellion and the Youth Strike, yet governments and giant industries aren’t taking this action seriously. Would we have gotten to this point if we all had closer ties to nature? On a personal level my journey has been about balance. The balance of relying more on nature, by striving to be more self-sufficient, but also using my varied skills. And with this balance comes a future career opportunity
I’m which looking I’m now for:exploring.
• Contacts for small freelance projects within charities, start-ups and social enterprises. • A mentor who has taken the leap into working freelance/being a consultant. • Gardeners, food producers and small holders who’d like help growing food all year round. I’d love to learn from you. This year I grew our first strawberries. There are few more rewarding things than nurturing something and being able to sample the rewards
Claire Barrett Question I leave with:
How can human centered design help transform workplace mental health services?
Using “lightening decisions jam” workshop to help ideate & prioritise solutions
Question I came with: How can workplace mental health services be transformed so that employees can get the help they need?
@_clairebarrett_ hello@clairebarrett.co.uk www.clairebarrett.co.uk
Human centered wellbeing design I’ve combined two of my passions: human centered design (HCD) and mental health (MH) to create workplace wellbeing initiatives that truly cater to employee needs. Using HCD research methods I discovered the need to create a holistic solution that encompasses education & awareness, the safety to talk, and improved services at every stage of the employee life cycle. In essence, culture change has to happen. I’ll be showcasing exactly what that change needs to be and how I’m tackling it.
At the beginning of my learning journey, I predicted the outcomes for this project: as a UX designer I knew I wanted to prototype something that helped employees access the support they needed but I assumed this would be a digital product. As part of our employee assistance programme we have a huge selection of resources, and employees can access both telephone and faceto-face counselling. However, not many employees know where this information lives and most are likely too afraid to ask. I assumed that I could transform these services by providing employees with an easy, discrete way to access the information that’s right for them. I wanted to validate if my assumptions were correct and so I set out to use HCD processes to research, design and test some of my ideas. MH is a sensitive subject and so I had to use a variety of different research methods to glean information about the wellbeing needs of employees.
Storyboarding the wellbeing support initiatives I’ve created for new employees
Mapping out experiences of accessing workplace mental health services and the grouped needs of service users
My findings were cross-referenced with experience maps of a couple of employees I was able to interview. I found that actually, what employees really needed was the safety to talk about their MH issues. For this to be possible we need to have better awareness and education throughout our company, and we need managers who can provide empathetic support. This was huge; understanding that I needed to inspire a cultural shift seemed too big to grapple with. However, I’ve decided to start small and by using an effort/impact scale to prioritise my ideas I’ve been able to focus on things that will make a big impact without too much time or money. Using stats from the company MH survey I conducted, I gained the support of the head of my company which is great: she could see there was a real need for change. The changes I’m making right now are small but I hope that this is just the start of an ongoing project.
My original assumption that employees want discretion wasn’t wrong, a lot still do - but they also need empathy, understanding, educated managers and bosses, and an open culture that is aware but not fearful of MH illness. I’ve learnt so much about MH and designing services in the last six months. I hope to use this expertise to advocate and campaign for better, more human centered MH services throughout the working world.
I’m looking for:
• Feedback and ideas, where can I take this project next? • Contacts with mental health charities & orgs. • Other workplace change-makers. • A Bristol-based service design mentor.
Jona Conway Question I leave with:
How can I help lead the regeneration of The Planet?
ReGen - A unifying identity for people and groups engaging in regenerative activities I am showcasing a 10 minute talk and slideshow outlining the ideas around ReGen. When I embarked on my question I knew there was a task to be done, but didn’t know how to go about it. At the start of the programme I felt motivated and enthused. I decided to lead a workshop on decentralised leadership, which I knew nothing about. During my research I discovered that decentralised leadership is essentially the facilitation of collaboration, which has lead to me wanting to unify people working in permaculture and regenerative agriculture.
Our article for The Observer Food Monthly “Food After Oil”
Question I came with: How can I help lead the regeneration of these smallholdings?
purplepatchbristol@gmail.com www.purplepatchbristol.com
Approaching the Showcase I realise that my question is one of global relevance and has reached beyond the confines of our valley in Bristol. Looking at what Extinction Rebellion has done for environmental activism I realise that this is what we need to
My workshop on Decentralised Leadership
do for permaculture. I feel my role is to come up with a new brand for permaculture and set it free. My idea for this brand is ReGen. The intention of ReGen is to unify and inspire the masses to become involved in the widespread regenerative activities that can plausibly reverse the effects of climate change. My learning question is ‘How can I help lead the regeneration of The Planet?’ And my answer to this question, at this point, is ReGen. It’ll be a grassroots movement that does not depend on politicians. It’s about empowering and inspiring people to improve their lives and communities by active regenerative practices based on permaculture principles. The principles already exist but have clunky names and inaccessible appearances. They aren’t clear, they’re not snappy, they’re not cool. ReGen will be these things.
I’m looking for:
Lara Kramer
• Crowdfunder and publicity for a ReGen classroom at Purple Patch. • Partners and collaborators. • Support on on design work.
Question I leave with:
What role does collaboration have in the workplaces of the future? Where we live and work - Purple Patch
The best experience and example of collaborative learning has been this learning marathon
Question I came with: How can I nurture collaboration in myself and others?
larajkramer79@gmail.com
Think Better Together I am showcasing a 10 minute TED-style talk about the benefits of collaboration; highlighting some methods that we can use to encourage thinking better together instead of thinking alone. I intend to encourage the audience to think of the “Us’s” that they belong to in a playful and interactive way. • I’ll be introducing people to distinct mind patterns through an online quiz. • I’ll be offering a takeaway gift of info cards on the six mind patterns to help with profiling the different ways that we all hold attention, and tips on how best to work with each one.
I began the Learning Marathon journey feeling disconnected and protective of myself after some traumatic life events had taken place. At the same time I’d been reflecting on my work as a freelancer and was struck by the apparent disconnect across departments and teams in the organisations I was working with. The personal and professional elements of my life collided by giving me a strong sense that I could reach across and encourage collaboration rather than division. The Explore phase was my favourite part of the project as I’m a natural instigator so I dove into reading and listening to books as well as getting to know my fellow Enrollers. I loved it all and was very inspired by one book in particular called “Collaborative Intelligence” which introduced me to new ideas and concepts about how the brain works and how to switch to a mind share mentality instead of a market share mentality. The Develop phase was more of a challenge, however with the support of my peers I’ve come to a place that I’m beginning to form concrete plans to set up my own organisation.
Us-ly is my response to my learning question at this moment in time. It’ll be a community for any freelancer in Bristol and will purposely encourage professionals from different backgrounds. It’ll be a combination of physical meetings and a digital platform offering support, help to solve problems collaboratively, bouncing around ideas and big ups!
I’m looking for:
• Help to develop a business plan. • Start up funding. • Help with designing my website. • People to join me for my meetups, contacts, suggestions of networks.
Us-ly is part of my answer. The vision of Us-ly is to create more ‘us’ than the ‘I’ in our language and practice
The curious, melded colours and shapes represent our differences working in perfect harmony to create something beautiful. One colour or shape would not be able to achieve this
Delia Slucutt Question I leave with:
How can I implement a designed Vision Board workshop for adults in the real world rather than my imagination? Question I came with: How can I implement a designed Vision Board workshop for adults in the real world rather than my imagination?
@AbsorbedStudio delia@absorbedstudio.com www.absorbedstudio.com
A new methodology for creating meaningful and useful Vision Boards I am showcasing a “make your own mini Vision Board” (in a shape of a handy Do not disturb sign) activity and a Learning Marathon playlist.
Vision Board workshop with the Learning Marathon group in June at Pollen Place
My Learning Marathon journey took a classic diamond shape - very clear and specific at the start, then looked at different settings and ways of delivery in the middle - returning to something simple and clear towards the end. My final product has been designing a “Vision & Direction” day workshop where people can sign up to either the morning, or afternoon, or both. Vision Boards, free writing in the morning then a variety of formal and fun idea management tools in the afternoon. There’ll also be an opportunity to continue the discussion in a 1-month online coaching group after the delivery day so ideas can be progressed and supported in their very early development.
It’s going to sit under the name “Absorbed Studio” which I felt was a wide enough name to not link it solely with Vision Boards, but allow scope for other training products to sit underneath. To my great surprise, Learning Marathon has been one of the most fun and soul-nurturing experiences of my life. I signed up for practical pragmatic reasons and went on an amazing voyage with 10 other sailors. It was a great way to spend the year 2019 contemplating and preparing for the next decade.
I’m looking for:
• Feedback on the Vision Board method I’ve put together. Including changes that could be made or ideas of how it could be utilised. • People who’d be interested in being on a non-executive voluntary steering group for the project (commitment one hour a month via the video platform Zoom, or watching the recording and giving feedback).
Prepping for second Vision Board workshop in September. Luckily I love cutting up paper!
Delia and Kim buddy/co-working session in August at the Engine Shed
Kimberly De Portela E Prado Question I leave with:
How can I best serve in the antislavery movement while being a successful mother and also earning a living?
Question I came with: How can I best serve in the antislavery movement while being a successful mother and also earning a living?
aoolibansdasilva@gmail.com kimchi.org
and creative environment in which to mutually explore and elevate ourselves into newness.
My social enterprise, Kimchi Kitchen I am showcasing my new business, Kimchi Kitchen, by catering for the event. This is effectively the company’s first ever gig. I’ll be serving beverages and canapes, taster-size treats prepared by myself and a refugee woman I mentor, called Salha. I’ll exhibit evidence of my journey through exploring the different aspects of my learning question and showing how I came to the answers and outcomes along the way. I’ll be sharing a lot of information about my organisation, where we’re headed and how people can be involved.
I’m grateful for the chance to focus on my values and what I really want to invest in personally, professionally and how I want to contribute to a better society. I’ve drawn inspiration and strength from all my co-pilots on the course and in awe of all of them individually, and what we have created collectively at our events.
Catering for my little princess, Eddy. What a privilege!
My learning question came from a desperate need for balance between the three main slices of life pie that I realised existed soon after beginning the programme. I was juggling single parenting with a full time degree in International Relations, managing a small business, volunteering with a refugee charity and researching modern slavery, in the wake of a rescue case of someone very close to me. Things were very out of balance. I felt isolated at university, and my daughter, though extremely patient, was showing a need for greater engagement from her mum. I needed to work on the balance, and I needed a supportive group. Starting the Learning Marathon programme I was lifted out of isolation and into a fun
I’ve been surprised and delighted by the enthusiastic responses I’ve had towards the social enterprise, both from within Enrol and in my evergrowing networks in Bristol, Oxford and elsewhere. I’m grateful for and excited by the many opportunities coming my way to make this project a success; well-paced and in harmony with my family.
Empathy and antislavery chocolate at my “How to be a Global Citizen” eatshop
I’m looking for:
• A business mentor. • Funding. • Assistance with branding and online presence. • Bookings for events and conference catering contracts.
Nadia Connell
Mystical Me & EnCHANTed Kingdom
Question I leave with:
I am showcasing two things to represent the duality of my question. My showcase piece combines elements of music making, performance, storytelling and music therapy. On the one side is the exploration of my own musicality, brought to life in a live musical performance. On the other side is a musical workshop taking guests through an EnCHANTed Kingdom, mystery and sounds abound.
How can exploring my musicality help me grow, connect to and contribute to my communities?
Starting off the Learning Marathon as a born again saxophonist aged 30, I had a pile of insecurities about my place in the world as someone wanting to get involved in making music. A narrative following the lines of “Who am I to make music?” “I didn’t practice enough when I was younger and now picking up the sax after 12 years I still don’t know my music theory!” “They’ll see me as a fraud! I’m too old to start learning, no one can see me learning, I must present myself as only a perfectly accomplished musician.” So although I set myself the original question as quite outward focused and my research involved looking at projects such as “confidence building in incarcerated young women taking part in music projects”. I kept coming back to this impostor syndrome. And so I realised I must look inwards in order to create for the outside world.
Power Up 1 - a table of physical evidence of my first two months of exploration into my question
Question I came with: How can making music help us to grow, discover and understand ourselves, whilst connecting us to and contributing to our community?
Running an Immersive Walking Musical Workshop with fellow Enrollers
nadia_connell@hotmail.co.uk @immersiveworkshops
Vegetable Heads at Kick-Off weekend, my first foray into the world of immersive storytelling music workshops
Naufal Jailani Question I leave with:
So the birth of my second question: “exploring my own musicality”, came to be. Through playing saxophone in parks, recording a podcast with fellow musicians, jamming, making music on my laptop, keeping a diary of music reflections, building a Ukelele, writing the “10 commandments of I, Nadia Connell” and creating an Immersive Walking Music Workshop, I slowly built up a connection to that raw mystical musical me. That small child that doesn’t care what anyone thinks and is happy to bash about on some drums regardless of what it sounds like.
I’m looking for:
Calling all Immersive Musical Workshop Participants! Sign up now to be my BETA testers for the following workshops: • An immersive night walk with reflective music experiences! Bring a headtorch and an open mind (sign up with this QR code). • A family oriented day-time immersive walking music workshop, prepare to leave your current planet behind and embark on a voyage to the unknown! • A daytime immersive walking music workshop for adults and 16+, prepare to leave your current planet behind and embark on a voyage to the unknown!
How do I pursue my interests consistently and effectively?
Presenting to the group at Power Up Day 1 regarding my progress with my LQ
Question I came with: What does a fully sustainable Malaysia look like and how do we get there?
naufal3008@yahoo.com thefinaljuncture.home.blog
A sustainable life I am showcasing an overview of my learning journey. Interactive sustainabilitythemed games and a high-impact choices guide for the self. I was first introduced to Enrol Yourself at the Open Event and was intrigued by the concept of learning not reclusively from books and lectures but rather from the collaboration with a group of peers from different backgrounds.
Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be discovered
My sanctuary home where I reflect, heal and grow
As I was brooding about sustainability and climate change at the time, but lacked the structure and initiative, I decided to give it a shot and embark on a voyage of self-discovery with ten other enrollers whom I’ve come to know as blissful and stout-hearted human beings. My learning question has brought me to volunteering in Festival of Nature, participating in Festival of Sustainable Business and involving myself more in sustainability at university. However, my reading across climate change literature has prompted me to ask existential questions to which I don’t yet have answers to. The complex sustainability question also requires a fresh set of perspectives I believe, as ‘’we cannot
solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them”. Partially feeling like a runaway bride, I decided to zoom out of my learning question so that it’s boundaries expanded to all pockets of my interests. Pursuing my interests, such as physics, philosophy, hiking and nature writing had become challenging to maintain consistently during my studies, so I created a daily routine which includes a meditation practice as well as start and end-of-day reflections. I also started writing short blogs on the texts I was consuming, allowing me to digest and solidify my understanding of the information. These are housed on a website I created: thefinaljuncture.home.blog.
Welcoming the Bristol freshers to the university and introducing them to the sustainability society at the welcome fair event
My peers have been instrumental in making sure the nursery for the development of my learning question lives on. It has been a wonderful experience to spend Wednesday evenings with these blossomed spirits over a span of three seasons. In a universe of increasing entropy and disorder, it’s always nice to find that small space of order within all the chaos, and my learning journey has been that space. I’m looking for:
More conversations with people about sustainability and how we get there together.
Abi Jones Question I leave with:
How can I create and distribute an effective resource for people struggling to break free of addiction and/ or compulsive behaviours? Question I came with: How can learning to accept difficult emotions and trust in our ability to cope with discomfort and stress support us through the process of change?
abi.jones.folk@gmail.com
I am showcasing draft excerpts from my resource, as it exists so far, as well as some example lino-print illustrations. Largely, my resource exists in my mind at this stage, so I’ll be available at my stall and happy to answer any questions.
I heard about Enrol Yourself while making plans to relocate to Bristol after 12 years by the sea in Brighton. I applied, primarily, because I saw it as an opportunity to root myself in what was to become my new city. The programme would provide me with a network of people, and I was intrigued by the idea of exploring my own, unique learning question in a mutually supportive group. When I discovered the “kick-off weekend” was to take place on the same date I had to sign the lease to my first Bristol flat, I read the synchronicity as a sign I was on to a good thing! My original learning question was reflective of the space I was in at the time and dealt with themes I’d been exploring, both personally and through my work.
An initial sketch of our Showcase branding
My last four years in Brighton were spent working as a behaviour change practitioner, and I have a real interest Reading material in the Explore phase
in mental health, addiction and compulsive behaviours. Five weeks after my move to Bristol I was offered a job with The Bristol Drugs Project in their Opioid Substitution Therapy service. Being engaged in this work informed the development of a fresh learning question for me: How can I create and distribute an effective resource for people struggling to break free of addiction and/or compulsive behaviours? At the end of the Learning Marathon journey, I’m just at the beginning of producing this resource and am feeling excited about bringing it to life.
Presenting ideas at Power Up Day 2
I’m looking for:
As I’d like to get my resource accredited, once it’s completed, I’d like to make it available online and potentially develop an app to accompany it. Therefore I’m keen to talk to anyone who: • Can test out parts of the resource as they’re developed, so I can adapt content in response to feedback. • Be a potential case study in the resource – so, if you’re someone who’s experienced a difficult relationship to substances, whether you’ve moved past this yet or not, and you’d feel comfortable sharing – please get in touch.
Enrol Yourself is an award-winning social enterprise redesigning lifelong learning by harnessing the power of peer groups to multiply individual and collective development. The Learning Marathon is a six month peer-led learning accelerator designed to integrate into life alongside work.
WEB: enrolyourself.com BLOG: medium.com/enrol-yourself TWITTER: @EnrolYourself INSTAGRAM: @enrol_yourself EMAIL: hello@enrolyourself.com