How did you learn about Art of Hosting (please add the date and place) and what attracted you to it?
I first learnt about the art of hosting through my friends Linda and Mike. I didn't immediately manage to attend any training, but assisted Mike in a project which he was running in communities in Leeds, around getting near poverty communities and the agencies which have near total control over their wellbeing talking with each other. traditionally conversations have been fraught in that context and i was impressed at how some of the practices mike used allowed deeper more meaningful conversations and i became intrigued in the art of hosting after waiting him practicing with it. I got the opportunity to attend a complexity training which Linda hosted in Leeds, which was GREAT and thereafter I felt the need to learn more, so I connected with the folks at connecting scotland who were organising a groundwork taster day, which i attended. again, it felt like connecting to a methodology which i could instantly apply to my work. I then chose to dive in and go to athens and attend the art of participataory leadership training, with the AoH athens team, in May 2017, which was my first time long training. it was great. like plugging into a field of people who all wanted to make the best of meetings and conversations. I then went and joined the connecting scotland team for a groundwork training in Scotland in September/October for two days, and just before the end of the year I joined them again for a one day training with Chris Corrigan. Im enjoying learning and am applying the practices in my work and life, it feels like I want to keep adding to this toolkit through practicing and learning from other's experiences as it feels like the more i practice the more fluid it becomes to pick the right tool for the right time.
Tell us about your experience with Art of Hosting as part of your life and work. What would you say your competence in it is? (new, starting practitioner, experienced practitioner, steward)
I am relatively new to the Art of Hosting, having only attended my first training in May 2017 in Athens, however i feel that since attending this training I am constantly finding applications for parts of or whole elements of the training in my work. I am enjoying practicing in small ways where i can. I would say that my competence is fledgling, it feels very new but i am enjoying watching the impact which certain methodologies have on situations, often for the better. as well as feeling new it also feels familiar, like a way which i enjoy practicing, not forced, which is a welcome realisation. I am enjoying learning more.
What is the primary field/topic/focus in your hosting work?
hosting conversations with communities. at the moment, i am doing a lot of work with engagement and communicating messages with communities, and forming good basis for collaboration between community groups and social enterprises, so i am actually finding the groundwork model REALLY useful and am practicing with it a lot. I also do a lot of work with the arts and creative groups, collaborations and have found the art of hosting methodologies very useful in creating a basis for deeper communication about the creative process which groups of artists embark on.
Where do you live/work?
I live in Leeds, uk - however i work all over the UK. I am from Belfast northern ireland and want to do more work there.
Are there interests/passions that you'd like to share?
I am passionate about spending great time with people and love feasting, dancing, adventuring, talking, making campfires, being in the mountains, swimming in rivers and take great joy in listening to people who tell good stories.
Comment Wall (2 comments)
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How is everything with you, I picked interest on you after going through your short profile and deemed it necessary to write you immediately. I have something very vital to disclose to you, but I found it difficult to express myself here, since it's a public site.Could you please get back to me on ( mrjamespollard@yahoo.com ) for the full details. Have a nice day Thanks God bless.
Hello, Philip, and welcome to the Art of Hosting community! Glad to see you here. Post a photo when you can so we can really "see" you here. Then join in with all the conversations. You'll find plenty of resources here, too, to help you deepen your practice. And the more you add to your profile, the more the community can learn from you and share with you. We hope you will find value in exchanging in this virtual community!
Comment Wall (2 comments)
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Join The Art of Hosting
Good Day,
How is everything with you, I picked interest on you after going through your short profile and deemed it necessary to write you immediately. I have something very vital to disclose to you, but I found it difficult to express myself here, since it's a public site.Could you please get back to me on ( mrjamespollard@yahoo.com ) for the full details.
Have a nice day
Thanks God bless.
Hello, Philip, and welcome to the Art of Hosting community! Glad to see you here. Post a photo when you can so we can really "see" you here. Then join in with all the conversations. You'll find plenty of resources here, too, to help you deepen your practice. And the more you add to your profile, the more the community can learn from you and share with you. We hope you will find value in exchanging in this virtual community!