Hear from people who have attended Ammerdown weekends
"As well as a complete change of pace in relaxed surroundings, the weekend offered me a very real opportunity to reconnect with my passion, to rediscover my sense of purpose..."
"Being the focus person in a Clearness Committee was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life."
"I loved seeing how resourceful and creative others are when they let go of external agendas."
"I liked the sense of belonging, of feeling secure in the group."
"One of the best things was space to speak without judgement."
"I departed the weekend feeling more in touch with myself..."
"I work in the world of training and development and I believe passionately in providing space and opportunities for others to grow. Coming to a courage to be weekend gave me the space and the support to notice that I was not giving myself the nurturing and care I needed to the best I could be for myself and therefore for my clients. Courage to Be... is all about: amazing spaces held by amazing people for amazing people. The only way you will know its joy is to have the courage to be there."
Chris B, June 08
"I have been part of four Courage to Be... weekends and have found them to be a wonderful time for reflection, affirmation and renewal. They are times where I can take a step outside of my normal life and, in the company of others, take time to reconnect with my sense of purpose. The structure of the 2 days is well balanced with time to be still and quiet as well as take part in workshops which encourage personal exploration and reflection. Although there is usually quite a different mix of people in terms of careers and ages, by the end of each weekend I have felt a strong sense of belonging of a network of people who really value space and reflection and who want to build in into their personal and professional lives. It is hard to explain but having the opportunity to be with and work alongside the people that I have met, has been and continues to be deeply enriching, sustaining, illuminating and satisfying. On a different, but still important level, the food is delicious and the countryside is great to be in... Bring wellies."
Mannie B, June 08
"This has been a timely experience for me. I am particularly grateful for the opportunity to engage with educationalists from other sectors and to understand that we share similar issues in terms of our roles as professionals and in terms of personal development. I see those two roles as one - a holistic approach to contributing to the support of a positive culture for learning.
"It is excellent to have a 'code of practice' for this work in relation to 'Creating Circles of Trust' and the conversations emerging from it have been powerful and empowering.
"Certainly the issue of mindfulness is close to the issue of making space for a balanced approach to living.
"The thought has often occurred to me that learning should be about zestfulness and playfulness which are necessary characteristics (I think!) of creativity and innovation. There is a lot of zest here today.
"I strongly feel that the approach offered today needs to capture the 'movers and shakers' responsible for Learning and Teaching strategy. Coming from my University I feel those would be well received particularly in response to cultural change."
Angela ('taster day' participant)
"A valuable insight into the Revitalise! Programme....Meditation particularly valuable ... A truly welcoming hospitable atmosphere - thank you ... The circle of trust activity was new to me but once started an essential part of development of relationships ... The explanation of the evening activities appeared attractive e.g. music, rhythm, selecting own music to share."
Deb ('taster day' participant)
"It seems to me that the underlying values and beliefs of Revitalise are fundamental to having a better understanding of how we can achieve a greater wellbeing - and how to achieve more effective influence in the workplace, life in general and the wellbeing of others."
Malcolm ('taster day' participant)
"I feel excited and inspired to be a part of this project... apart from anything else I see my involvement as nurturing and assisting my own growth and development."
Sue (programme manager and 'taster day' participant)
