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Presentation Topics
- Cultural Shifting: Understanding Community and Social Capital
This presentation, taken from work on my book, explores the elements of culture and community in thinking about change and leadership. Designed for all levels of staff, family members and advocates this presentation introduces the element of culture, focuses the potency for change within these elements, and then offers strategies to implement “cultural shifting” in your own organization or life. - Why We Do What We Do: Bringing Back the Passion in Our Lives
The work done in human services and community building is often routine and repetitive. If we focus on just the work, energy can give way to mediocrity. This animated presentation will re-examine the roots and background of our work. The history of how people with disabilities have been treated will be explored and ways we can rekindle our passions for inclusion and community will be offered. - Communications: The Problem and the Answer
Regardless of where we find ourselves in the scheme of things one thing is certain; we will be more successful (or unsuccessful) based on how well we communicate with others around us. This interactive presentation will explore the basics of communications and then offer ways we can communicate more effectively. - Building Community from the Inside Out
The challenge of inclusion rests with not only understanding culture and community, but also finding ways within the culture for meaningful participation. Historically, people with disabilities have been kept apart from community. This exclusion has set a tone for the greater community that people with disabilities are better off in their own space. This presentation takes an active look and community and relationships with an effort toward building a community where each belongs. - Interdependence: The Route to Community
The key to life (or community) success is found not in specific strategies, but in building strong natural relationships. This session looks at the elements of Interdependence, how relationships grow and develop and how we all can get better at making them happen in our lives. - Beyond Difference
Often the differences we have from one another can be huge barriers to life or community success. These differences can range from physical to cultural to cognitive. In some ways, the step stone to achieving the goals we have set for our organizations or ourselves are found in getting beyond the differences that can push us apart. This session examines the sociological elements of difference and how we can find our commonality to bond us in action. - Change, Challenge and Opportunity
Change is a paradoxical issue that can keep us confused. Although our instincts are to resist, the one thing we can count on is that change will occur. This interactive session looks at the elements of change, why resistances occur and how we can get in front of the change process. - Advocacy and Change
Pulled from my recent book “Advocacy for Change” this presentation explores the aspects of advocacy. For self-advocates, people advocating for another or professional advocates the key aspects of power, change and strategies are explored. - Together is Better
Taken from my newest book of the same title, this presentation explores relationship building, the gatekeeper concept, basic elements of human relations and the notions of bridging and bonding social capital. - How Organizations Behave
This session builds from my 10 years of teaching organizational theory at the undergraduate and graduate level. Organizations, like people have unique characteristics and this session looks at how organizations can be successfully influenced. - Creativity
All people have a natural penchant for creativity. Unfortunately, the demands of life and routines that we fall into can stunt us into mediocrity. This interactive session looks at the stages of creativity and offers strategies for building our creative abilities. - Power through Groups and Teams
All research on outcome success is convincing that groups and teams are much more potent than individuals alone. This session explores the elements of teambuilding and ways that groups and teams can be more functional. - Human Relations
All success in life comes back to our basic ability to relate to people in our world. This session takes a close look at the human relations process using Stephen Covey’s model. Interactive exercises are used to help not only understand who we are, but get a clearer sense of others. - Social Capital
For the past 40 years, researchers have been exploring the power and potency of social capital. This interactive session looks closely at research on social capital and identifies ways and means to building more viable relationships in our lives. - Human Sexuality
One of the biggest areas of challenge in human services is dealing with human sexuality issues. All of us are sexual beings and there is a natural drive to this area. This presentation looks at human sexuality, clearing up myths and making suggestions for supporting clients in this area. - Ethics and Social Capital
All of us are interested in seeing a more ethical culture. In these settings, there is greater tolerance, honesty, and respect. This session shows how social capital impacts ethics.
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