We can choose to face the coming challenges in ways that exacerbate social harms, |
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We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we will gather, the Dhudhuroa, Taungurung, Waywurru, Gunaikurnai and Jaithmathang as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the Alpine Shire region of north east Victoria. We pay our deep respects to their Elders - past, present and emerging, and we honour their continuous connection to culture, community and Country.
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Our world has changed. We are living with more uncertainty than ever, and more and more we are feeling the effects of climate related emergencies.
The role of preparing and recovery belongs to all of us. Community, government, organisations, business - all of us. And… some of us are weary and unsure of how to take a next step. We need now more than ever to listen to each other, to invite more care into our interactions, and have the courage to face challenges together. The Art of Hosting and Harvesting Conversations that Matter (also known as the Art of Participatory Leadership) equips us with the understanding and skills needed to encourage deep listening and authentic connection. It offers simple and powerful shared leadership and collaborative practices to host generative conversations for coordinated action and positive change. These approaches have been used effectively in diverse contexts worldwide, and for more than 15 years in Australia. We warmly invite you to join us in Bright, Victoria for a 3-day residential training to explore how we can grow our leadership capacity to bring more care for each other in our communities, no matter what we face. |
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This training is for anyone and everyone who wants to explore the power of collective creativity, intelligence and collaboration with each other and within organisations and communities:
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What will we learn and practice? |
It’s time to discover new ideas and solutions for working generatively with complexity, conflict, and emergence. Together we will explore new perspectives, tools, and practical ways of engaging a diverse group of people.
The Art of Hosting focuses on action learning. That means we will not only explore the theory behind this innovative approach, but we’ll also step into hands-on practice. Participants will be encouraged to step up and lead parts of training, coached by the hosting team, to gain practical, embodied experience. In this way, we aim to create a community of practice that can support itself long after the training. |
What is the Art of Hosting, and why participatory leadership? |
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The Art of Hosting and Harvesting Conversations That Matter is a highly effective way of stepping into Participatory Leadership through harnessing the collective wisdom and self-organising capacity of groups of any size.
We believe that people give their energy and lend their resources to what matters most to them – in work and life. The Art of Hosting is a suite of powerful conversational processes and practices that invite people to step in and respond to the challenges facing them in creative, authentic, innovative and effective ways. We work with these participatory methodologies: World Café, Circle practice, Open Space Technology, Appreciative Inquiry, Storytelling and more. Participants will both experience and learn to host these methods. You will also have the opportunity to learn about how Harvesting can help to make your meetings and events more tangible, productive and impactful. The action learning focus supports participants to extend and deepen their capacities in hosting groups that stay together to create wiser action. People who experience the Art of Hosting typically say that they walk away feeling more inspired and empowered and more able to help guide the meetings and conversations they are part of, to move towards desirable outcomes. Even if you are an experienced facilitator, you will enhance and extend your group process work. We’ll work with real issues and challenges our communities are facing.
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You can find more articles, resources and stories of practice here, on the Art of Hosting website.
In the words of...Facilitating conversations that matter is hard. And it matters more than ever now. The times call for a different kind of leadership, and despite having done lots of facilitating and lots of training in the past, The Art of Hosting arrived for me like a revelation. This is absolutely the best professional development experience I have had the pleasure of participating in - and as a result I'm delighted and excited to share this opportunity with our local community of passionate doers. It's time to stand up, step up and share the load. 
…I am extremely grateful that I did take the time out of my regular local government role to learn how to have richer, deeper and more connected conversations with people. I have already put into practice some of the skills learnt which has benefitted my work and my team relationships. This is the best training I have had in the 20 years I have worked in the European Commission. 
I am consistently surprised how valuable the Art of Hosting training has been. Working in the spaces of environmental sustainability and community mobilisation, I now have the right tools to host myself to host communities, and for them to host others and more communities. These courses are a hands down must-do if you want to create change. |
At first I thought The Art of Hosting was going to offer me solutions. Instead I was reminded that we have capacity to discover our own solutions together, and was offered tools for this. I found the training extremely valuable, as the skills I learned can be applied to every part of my life and in any setting. 
AoH has provided me a set of guiding principles that I draw on constantly – listening attentively, devising powerful questions, harvesting information, designing activities and really getting amongst the facilitation side of things with confidence. 
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MEL GELTCH
PETER PIGOTT
I was born on Kuarna Country in South Australia. After spending early life overseas, home for my family is now Yuin Country on the NSW South Coast.
My learning and practice has been in NSW Government and volunteer roles working as a Landcare Facilitator and Disaster Recovery worker in South East NSW, and in contemporary rites of passage work with young people. Art of Hosting practices underpin what I do - working with people in inclusive, participatory and generative ways in these complex and uncertain times. I bring a hosting practice to leadership, collaboration, and engagement capacity building with communities and organisations - building islands of sanity where conversation and connection thrive. |
DAVID NEWELL
I work as a host and co-creator for good engagement and collaboration, with community, NFP and government organisations across Australia.
My experience includes working within the areas of agriculture, natural resource management, disaster recovery and preparedness, and resilience building. I had a previous 20 year career with the NSW Government in the field of NRM and Landcare, and have worked for the past 10 years as an Art of Hosting practitioner in collaboration with others on projects, workshops and trainings. I’m interested in walking alongside people who are trying to take thoughtful action, create positive change, move through conflict and create organisations that people are inspired to be a part of. I live in Cobargo, NSW, on Djiringanj - Yuin country. CLAIRE ALEXANDER
I grew up in Naarm (Melbourne) and relocated to Northeast Victoria – Duduroa country when my children were little. Raising children in a rural community, evolved into a professional commitment to support others through life’s challenges.
During my tenure with Emergency Recovery Victoria, I engaged with communities impacted by the 2022 floods. Many of these communities were still recovering from previous disastrous events. Reliance on government support often overshadowed the incredible strength within communities themselves. “How do we guide them through current challenges, and how do we empower them to prepare for the inevitable future events?” became my burning question. I bring a passionate commitment to finding new ways to support communities in their healing and preparation. |
JANE O'BRIEN
I am a nature lover, bush walker, food and flower grower. I dream of vibrant communities living in ways that really care and support each other and the earth.
I live on Gamilaraay Country in the north-west NSW town of Inverell. My professional background in large food companies, and as a long time partner and mother of three wild and beautiful people, has informed my deep knowing that a different path is needed. I'm an experienced Art of Hosting and Circle practitioner, bringing horizontal and shared leadership practices into communities and businesses to shift the way we work together, as a co-founder and member of Percolab Coop. HENRY GOODALL
I live with my family in Meroo Meadow (‘Place of Lightning’) in Dharawal Country, Yuin Lands on the South Coast of New South Wales. I was born and grew up in Gundungurra and Wiradjuri country in SW NSW - I am a fresh-water Aussie.
I feel lucky to have lived in nurturing, multi-generational communities in rural and regional Australia. I have spent many years working on the land and exploring the bush, guiding and learning from others. These opportunities have led me via sitting in circle, to experiential and environmental education to participatory leadership and Art of Hosting practice to now be working in helping our rural and regional communities recover after fire and floods. I love bringing Art of Hosting practice to all aspects of my work, family and personal life. |
Image: Gumnut at Mount Buffalo (Peter Pigott))
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