Our world is demanding that we change at an unprecedented rate, together. Regardless of where you live or which system you work in, the collective learning curves we face have never been steeper. If we're to make these changes we'll need learning that builds agency and adaptability, connects multiple perspectives, and centres strong, peer-to-peer relationships.
Deepen, broaden and accelerate the change you're designing. If you work with cohorts, teams, communities, organisations, networks or movements, this training immersion will help you multiply the generative potential of these groups. Hosted by experienced Huddlecraft practitioners, and rooted in a practice-based approach, we provide you with the tools, methods and confidence to craft your own collective learning processes.
“The training was welcoming and inspiring. It prepared me to understand the needs of peers and how to engage them playfully. I leave with practical activities, games and visual frameworks.”
Visual Storyteller
CIVIC SQUARE
“I learned about the many design considerations for creating the conditions to support peer-to-peer learning. I gained practical tools that will support our internal processes and our programmes.”
Communities and Art Lead
Doughnut Economics Action Lab
"Huddlecraft 101 is one of the best trainings I've ever been on! I loved the balance of evidence and research underpinning the work, with creative framings and use of metaphor to explore big ideas."
Assistant Director of Design
UK Youth
Who is this for?
This is for you if you work with groups of any size, for an organisation or independently, in any sector. You'll already know, or sense, the value of peer-led approaches, but you want to multiply your ability to put them into practice.
Time commitment:
3 days time commitment over 5 weeks, including a break week. There are 7 scheduled, facilitated sessions, as well as self-paced learning resources. See our 'training in detail' tab for more info.
Key dates:
Our next training programme takes place from Nov 7th - Dec 5th 2023. Booking is now open, and will close at midday Oct 31st.
Location:
The training takes place online on Zoom, so you can join us from any location. All sessions start at 1.15pm UK time.
Organisations:
We offer a discount if you'd like >3 employees to join. If you'd like >6 employees to join it may make more sense to run this training in-house. Get in touch to discuss.
Huddlecraft 101 will prepare you with the mindset, tools and confidence to design and deliver impactful collective learning initiatives that harness the power of peer-to-peer relationships.
We are hyped to be offering Huddlecraft 101 training. Here's why we think this is so important, right now:
Humanity has never needed to learn so much, within such a short timeframe.
We want to spread approaches that encourage all participants to be active agents of each other's learning.
How we learn needs to embody thechange we want to see in the world.
We need learning that adapts todifferent contexts, includes more people and builds greater emotional, social and collaborative skills.
No work towards sustainable futures can ignore social justice.
Peer-led approaches actively distribute power and are structurally more equitable than many traditional approaches.
"I loved how playful the activities were, and how we weaved in and out of personal reflection and group conversations. The digital collaboration activities were particularly well designed."
Delivery and Engagement Manager
The RSA
“Huddlecraft 101 helped us implement a peer buddy system at LearnJam: part of our move away from a hierarchical organisational structure. The training was expertly facilitated.”
Director
LearnJam
"I'm going to cascade this learning throughout the Trust to help us transition to more peer-led learning both internally and externally - it will be a key part of our work going forward."
Head of Communities and Engagement
Avon Wildlife Trust
You might be looking to top up your professional practice, invest in your organisational culture, or design and deliver a people-powered intervention. Here's what you can expect to take away:
A deeper understanding of the potential of collective learning for amplifying impact in your specific context, and how to realise that potential.
Invest in needed capabilities: the pandemic has highlighted how the skills of gathering and relating effectively, are essential for everyone to thrive.
Greater understanding of where you can apply the power of collective learning to support your aims, objectives and live challenges.
Reinvigorate organisational culture by supporting a culture of ongoing learning and collaboration, and by doing so build wellbeing, satisfaction and agency.
Confidence bringing people together as peers, online and offline, to create 'new power' spaces even within 'old power' organisations.
Use cutting edge approaches to learning, community, culture and change for your programmes, ventures and initiatives.
Greater ability to articulate a strong case and advocate for the value of peer-led approaches in your setting.
Make cost savings by adopting a distributive, peer-to-peer mentality in place of a service-provider mindset.
Connect with a cohort of practitioners (and wider network of alumni) grappling with their own context, and exchange multiple perspectives and ideas.
Create resilience for an uncertain future, by placing relationship-building at the heart of your approach.
We run Huddlecraft 101 twice a year in May and November.
Huddlecraft 101 live sessions and content requires 3 days' time commitment over 5 weeks. This included 7 scheduled, facilitated sessions, as well as self-paced learning resources. All session times are in BST (UK time zone).
Our live sessions will take place via Zoom, using a variety of online tools like Mural and Google Jamboards, but you will also be sent videos and resources to use on your own time. A good internet connection will ensure the best experience. There will be an option to turn on live captions during sessions.
This is an experiential programme, so participants will be expected to actively participate on multiple occasions, and there will be a mix of solo, pair and group exercises throughout.
After signing up, all participants will be contacted and there will be a chance to create an access plan together if needed. If you have any access questions before signing up, please contact [email protected].
We'll focus on 5 levels of peer-led approaches, starting with the self and building gradually, finishing by looking at the wider ecosystem.
In collective learning, the individual cannot be a passive recipient, and intrinsic motivation matters. How can we help people step into new roles?
Groups and communities are built on the strength of their smaller units. How can we design with pairs as a powerful building block?
The power of small groups for multiplying potential cannot be overstated. How can craft be applied to navigate group dynamics and pitfalls?
This level is all about the strategic application of peer-led approaches to achieve objectives. How can the power of peer-to-peer fuel your goal/s?
No peer-led intervention exists in a vacuum. What is going on in the wider context, and how can you work with this intentionally and strategically?
Some snapshots & resources from our training:
Huddlecraft 101 will be hosted by the Huddlecraft team - with lots of contributions from our Host Community too.
Zahra has been geeking out over the power of peer groups since 2016, although she suspects her interest has roots in childhood experiences of alternative education and Islamic gatherings. Zahra is co-founder of Huddlecraft and hosted our first 3 peer groups. Since then, Huddlecraft has hosted hundreds of people through peer-led experiences. Zahra’s background spans service design, system change and visual communication.
Anneka is a campaigns, partnerships and marketing professional with 17 years experience in establishing ventures and building communities. She has worked with TEDx, Impact Hub, and the University of Birmingham. Anneka set up Huddlecraft’s first Huddle outside London and she’s now leading on Money Movers, applying peer-led methodology to a complex challenge: how to support women to take #ClimateAction through their personal finances.
Daniel has spent the last 7 years working in the field of futures and systems change. His passion lies in designing change processes that centre co-learning and collaboration, with experience from Forum for the Future, Deep Democracy and Healthy Human Cultures. Daniel will be the lead facilitator for Huddlecraft 101.
Imani is a Host Mentor for Huddlecraft and previously hosted her own Huddle ‘Education for Liberation’. Imani works with people to co-create communities, youth programmes and social impact programmes. She is also Curator of Partnerships and Community at Act Build Change.
We've schedule all facilitated sessions at 1.15 - 3.30pm GMT/BST so that people in a wide variety of time zones can participate.
If you are interested in Huddlecraft 101 training you can express your interest by filling out this form.
We've created options to make Huddlecraft 101 accessible to a wide range of people. Please get in touch with any questions via [email protected].
Note: We have some bursary places available. You can apply for a bursary when you sign up via the booking form.
We'll get back to you to let you know if we can offer a bursary. There is more information in our FAQs. If you have any questions, please get in touch with Daniel on [email protected].
Booking for the November 2023 cohort is now closed.
If you'd like to find out more or chat to a member of the team, you can book a slot for a 1:1 call with Daniel here, or send an email via [email protected]