The ‘Imagine Create Belong’ programme for adolescents with social difficulties – Part 1: Foundation (2 Day ONLINE Facilitators’ Workshop)

Tuesday 28 November, 9:30am – 4pm

Wednesday 29 November , 9:30am – 4:30pm

2023

Presented by Sophie Goldingay and Belinda Dean 

*Start and end times are in Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Canberra, UTC+11:00

ABOUT

This foundation workshop is for those who have not yet undergone facilitators training for the Imagine Create Belong (ICB) Social Development Programme for Adolescents. This workshop would be valuable for those working with tweens/teens who are neurodivergent and/or have social difficulties, including those who currently work as social workers, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, psychologists, teachers, members of school wellbeing teams, youth mental health nurses and play therapists.

This workshop involves immersion into many of the activities within the ICB programme manual ‘Storying Beyond Social Difficulties’ to enable you to then facilitate tweens / teens through the programme confidently. You will apply the ICB method in a small group throughout the workshop to create your own characters and story, culminating in creation of a movie by the end of the training, which you can record and retain for future use.

PRE-WORKSHOP ACTIVITIES 

A list of pre-readings, pre-recorded videos and a list of materials needed for the interactive workshop, to prepare you for participation, will be sent to you prior to the commencement of the workshop.

POST WORKSHOP ASSESSMENT

Following the workshop you will be invited to undertake a short online assessment and if completed successfully,  you will receive a signed certificate from Learn To Play.

THE “IMAGINE, CREATE, BELONG” SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME” MANUAL

It is highly recommended that you purchase “Storying Beyond Social Difficulties with Neuro-Diverse Adolescents: The “Imagine, Create, Belong” Social Development Programme Manual. This resource can be purchased from Routledge here Registrants will receive a 20% discount, the discount code will be sent to you once you register.

DAY ONE

 9.30-11.30 (2hrs)

What is Imagine Create Belong (ICB)?

• Exploring issues for neurodivergent tweens and teens: their characteristics, strengths, and challenges
• Working through the aims of the programme and how ICB will assist your tween / teen clients
• Working through what is needed and basic principles for success

20-minute break

11.50-1.20 (1.5hrs)

How does Imagine Create Belong work?

• Exploring the structure and content of the programme in detail including how to use the ‘Storying Beyond Social Difficulties with Neuro-Diverse Adolescents: The Storying beyond social difficulties with neurodiverse adolescents: The “Imagine, Create, Belong” Social Development Programme Manual
• Testing participants’ progress: The animated movie test

40-minute break

2.00-4.00 (2 hr)

Planning for experiential activities and opportunity for questions

• Outline of structure of experiential activities, what to expect, structure of the group, some examples from previous groups, and practice with the interactive technology (Zoom™ and Padlet™) plus sound effects and music.
• Opportunity for discussion and questions

DAY TWO

Immersion into the programme

Note: you will be placed into breakout groups according to discipline area and will be in a combination of a large group and small groups throughout the day.

You will also need to organise some inexpensive materials for the interactive training day (details to be advised).

9.30-11.30 (2hrs)

Immersion into sessions one and two:

• Setting the scene and development of the self as storyteller and self as creator of characters
• Small group work creating characters

20-minute break

11.50-1.20 (1.5hrs)

Immersion into sessions three, four and five:

• Narrative and identity – creation of ecomaps, Tree of Life* and roles for character/s you have created
• Creation of context, plot structure, props and scenes in small groups via interactive technology

*Tree of Life is a well-known concept that has been adapted to provide a symbol for representation of a person in their family/community/Country by Wadawurrung woman Corrina Eccles.

40-minute break

2.00-3.45 (1.75hrs)

Immersion into sessions six to eight: 

• Further developing narrative and props, sound effects and music
• Bringing it all together
• The grand finale – filming the movie you have created together

15-minute break

4.00-4.30 (.5hrs)

Debrief and opportunity for movie viewing discussion and questions

WORKSHOP PRESENTERS

“We operate from a strengths-perspective, drawing on theorists such as Vygotsky and Rogers, enlisting a person-centred approach involving unconditional positive regard.”

Sophie Goldingay

B.A, PG Dip SW, GCHE, PhD

Sophie Goldingay is an Associate Professor at Deakin University and the lead author of the Imagine Create Belong programme, the website www.imaginecreatebelong.com and the the Storying Beyond Social Difficulties training manual. Sophie is an experienced trainer of ICB facilitators and has facilitated ICB groups with young people in schools. Sophie’s expertise is in identity, well-being, and inclusion, especially for neurodivergent adolescents. She won the Vice Chancellor’s award for ‘Excellent Contributions to Equity and Access’ in 2012 and the Deakin University Vice Chancellor’s Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Education and Employability’ in 2022.  She is also the recipient of three teaching awards.

Belinda Dean

BN, MCPT, GCHE, RND1, RPT

Belinda is a Lecturer in Play Therapy, a Play Therapy Supervisor, PhD Candidate and author of Imagine Create Belong programme and the training manual. Belinda is a facilitator of ICB groups with young people in schools and clinic settings. Belinda’s area of research is in play-based learning to promote wellbeing for children, adolescents and within territory education. Belinda’s expertise is in translating cross disciplinary knowledge between the fields of Play Therapy and Nursing Practice. Belinda is the director of Light Heart Publications and Play Based Learning (Play Therapy).

COMING SOON

• Training for newly created parent and caregiver program based on our most recent research with family members of neurodivergent teens and tweens.