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Appreciative Inquiry Coach Training (AICT©)

ENGAGE IN CONVERSATIONS THAT INSPIRE CHANGE

Appreciative Coaching is a revelatory and generative conversation that expands people’s capacity to perform by channeling their strengths and abilities for the greatest impact. Grounded in Appreciative Inquiry, this approach to coaching takes clients from good to great because it fosters personal transformation through innate talent and inherent strength and inspires action – increasing the likelihood of producing longer lasting results quickly.

AICT PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Appreciative Inquiry Coach Training (AICT©) looks at discovering and co-constructing the client’s positive core – what it is that connects them to life and the possibility to thrive. Through the affirmative framework of Appreciative Inquiry, discover how to deepen and enhance both your personal sense of yourself as well as your skills for generative one-on-one conversations in a small group learning environment.

International Coach Federation Continuing Coach Education Logo_This logo signifies that that Appreciative Inquiry Coach Training is an approved course and offers 32 hours towards ICF renewal requirements.This course is an approved ICF (International Coaching Federation) Continuing Coach Education (CCE) program. Participants who complete this program can apply 32 hours toward renewal requirements or as part of an application for an ICF credential.

This advanced-level certification course provides participants the opportunity to apply to Core Competencies of ICF through the lens of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) and is designed for individuals who understand and embody a strengths-based AI paradigm. For the best learning experience and meaningful engagement, we welcome up to sixteen (16) participants.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The Appreciative Inquiry Coach Training (AICT©) is ideal for:

  • Individuals who understand and embody a strengths-based AI paradigm, who want to deepen their ability to relate one-on-one in bringing out the best in individuals (including themselves). It is therefore useful to leaders and managers in business and corporations, community development, educational organizations, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations, and consultants, coaches, facilitators, educators, pastors/priests, etc;
  • Individuals who desire to enhance their systems thinking in order to engage individuals in a holistic and integrated way;
  • Experienced Appreciative Inquiry Facilitators who would like to strengthen and practice their individual communication skills;
  • Experienced coaches who seek to strengthen their life-enriching ways of coaching.

PREREQUISITES

To enroll in this advanced-level course, participants must meet one of the following three prerequisites:

  • Experienced coaches who seek to strengthen their life-enriching ways of coaching. OR
  • Successful completion of an approved Appreciative Inquiry Foundations course (with a minimum of 26 classroom hours) OR
  • Successful completion in an International Coaching Federation accredited course within the past 2 years or hold a commensurate professional coach credential AND verified completion of the Self-Directed Appreciative Inquiry Introduction offered by the Center for Appreciative Inquiry.

TRAINING DATES AND TIMES

The Appreciative Inquiry Coach Training (AICT©) consists of 33 hours of synchronous (live sessions hosted through Zoom) and asynchronous (assigned reading and activities outside of class time) learning over the course of 12 weeks. During the training, participants will meet weekly for two hours to engage in a training session designed to guide you through the full range and depth of what it means to be an Appreciative Inquiry Coach.

Participants must attend all sessions and complete the course in its entirety, including all online coursework, to be eligible for AI Coach Certification.

Date

Session & Time

September 11, 2024

Foundation: 9:00 am - 10:00 am PT / 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET

September 18, 2024

Session 1: 8:00 am - 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am - 1:00 pm ET

September 25, 2024

Session 2: 8:00 am - 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am - 1:00 pm ET

October 2, 2024

Session 3: 8:00 am - 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am - 1:00 pm ET

October 9, 2024

Session 4: 8:00 am - 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am - 1:00 pm ET

October 16, 2024

Session 5: 8:00 am - 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am - 1:00 pm ET

October 23, 2024

Session 6: 8:00 am - 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am - 1:00 pm ET

October 30, 2024

Session 7: 8:00 am - 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am - 1:00 pm ET

November 6, 2024

Session 8 Clinic: 8:00 am - 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am - 1:00 pm ET

November 13, 2024

Session 9: 8:00 am - 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am - 1:00 pm ET

November 20, 2024

Session 10: 8:00 am - 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am - 1:00 pm ET

Please note that the AICT synchronous training sessions are highly experiential and will not be recorded. The AICT Trainers will be utilizing breakout rooms to develop the community and trust among the participants, paired coaching practice, and small group discussions and reflections.

FOUNDATION SESSION – WELCOME & ORIENTATION

To ensure that all participants are off to a strong start, your vAICT trainers will host a live orientation session via Zoom on Wednesday, September 11, 2024 from 9am-10am Pacific Time / 12pm-1pm Eastern Time. This one-hour (1 hour) session allows you to connect with your trainers, engage with participants, become familiar with LearnDash (our online learning platform), and ask questions about reading and activities prior to your first AICT session in Zoom on September 18, 2024.

AICT TRAINING SESSIONS

During the AICT, we will explore and engage in the relational nature of coaching, based on the principles of Appreciative Inquiry.  The practicum, which is required for certification, will embody “Destiny” as you apply the lessons taught during this course for your coaching/consulting work. 

Click the session titles below to learn more about each session’s overview and learning outcomes.

In this session, the group will build community collectively in order to function as a strong AICT learning community. Together, they will uncover the Positive Core of AI Coaching, with bold ideas guided by the ICF Core Competencies.

BUILDING A LEARNING COMMUNITY

To ensure all participants are off to a strong start, the AICT trainers host a live Foundation Session to give participants the opportunity to connect with the trainers, engage with participants, become familiar with LearnDash (our online learning platform), and ask questions about reading and activities prior to Session 1.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Become familiar with the 5 Generic Processes of AI.
  • Understand the framework and tools that we will use in the AICT.
  • Build a community of practice by getting to know one another and creating Appreciative Agreements.
  • Understand the difference between coaching and facilitating.
  • Uncover the Positive Core of AI Coaching.
  • Clarifying the Core Competencies from the ICF as they apply to AI Coaching.
  • Experience AI with a 5-D inquiry to refresh prior learning and “mining” the collective knowledge & skills present.
DEFINING THE POSITIVE TOPIC IN COACHING

We look at how Defining the Positive Topic creates the foundation of AI Coaching. Following a demonstration of an AI Coaching session, we will debrief and begin practice in Define.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Defining the Topic of a coaching conversation using Reframing.
  • Understanding the 4 Levels of Listening.
  • Observing and debriefing a coaching session.
  • Examining Core Competencies:
    • Establishes and Maintains Agreements, and
    • Listens Actively
THE POWER OF QUESTIONS AND CONTRACTING

During this session, we will review the power of AI interviews as the cornerstone of an Appreciative Inquiry. We will highlight the key processes and points to define an appreciative inquiry topic for a coaching conversation.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Understand how to establish the coaching agreement and become familiar with examples of coaching contracts.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work with the client to define the coaching topic using Reframing.
  • Become familiar with the three levels of contracting.
  • Understand the Appreciative Inquiry principles and how they are applied in the coaching relationship.
  • Understand how to modify the Generic Interview Guide to meet client needs.
  • Examining Core Competencies:
    • Establishes and Maintains Agreements, and
    • Cultivates Trust and Safety.
MAINTAINING PRESENCE – THE TRANSITION FROM DISCOVERY TO DREAM

Through the lens of the ICF Core Competency of Maintaining Presence, we begin to practice the transition of Discovery into Dream. We look at the power of the Preferred Future and how we, as coaches, remain present to support our clients.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Distinguishing Discovery to Dream in a coaching session.
  • Creating images of a Preferred Future.
  • Practice coaching and feedback.
  • Examining Core Competencies:
    • Maintains Presence, and
    • Listens Actively.
EVOKING AWARENESS THROUGH THE APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY PRINCIPLES

In this session, we examine the AI Principles that apply to the Competency Evokes Awareness. We utilize these principles through powerful questioning, silence, and metaphors to enable our clients to come to their own insights.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Applying the Core Competency Evokes Awareness by using the tools of coaching.
  • Use of powerful questions, silence, metaphors, and analogy.
  • Applying “Big Picture” Systems Thinking.
  • Exploring the AI Principles that apply to this competency; Anticipatory, Constructionist, Simultaneity and Positive principles.
  • Practice coaching and feedback.
UNDERSTANDING OUR CLIENTS – SOCIAL STYLES FOR COACHING

To maximize your personal strengths and enhance your professional skills, it is helpful to understand the styles of communication. In this session, we will introduce Social Style – a helpful tool to help you gain insight into your behavior and the behavior of others. Social Style can serve as a foundation for building on your strengths and the strengths of others to develop productive, positive relationships.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Understanding the Social Style Framework.
  • Gaining insight about why you find some relationships more productive than others.
  • Better understanding of how Social Style can assist you to consider their behavioral needs and preferences of your clients.
DEVELOPING A PROVOCATIVE PROPOSITION IN COACHING

In this session we will be integrating the learning and focusing on the Core Competency of Evokes Awareness to develop the Provocative Proposition. The Design step of the Appreciative Inquiry emphasizes the coach’s role of being focused, observant and responsive.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Understanding how to work with clients to develop meaningful, bold, and affirmative provocative propositions using Reframing, Generic Interview Questions and reflecting on High Energy Themes.
  • Understanding the SCARF model and the five domains of human social experience.
  • Becoming familiar with Systems Thinking and the factors that may influence and inform Design.
COACHING CLINIC – PRACTICE WITH TRAINER OBSERVATION AND FEEDBACK

Participants receive group coach mentoring, trainer observation, and feedback to contribute and deepen the learning in this course.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Applying all aspects of the coaching conversation in practice with feedback and observations.
  • Experience both coaching and being coached.
FACILITATING CLIENT GROWTH – CREATING THE FUTURE

In AI Coaching we see that it is not just the five generic processes because it is flexible and non-linear, and the order is applied as appropriate to best serve the client. As we look to the Competency of Facilitating Client Growth, we see how AI Process and SOAR model can ground the actions to move forward in an appreciative way.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • To focus on helping the client ground their dreams in the present.
  • Completing the coaching session powerfully to expand the client’s capability to create their dream.
  • Processes and tools to end a coaching conversation.
  • Examine Core Competency: Facilitates Client Growth.
PRACTICUM, FEEDBACK, AND CELEBRATION

This final session is all about Celebration and Completion. In this deep dive we will review the AI Coaching model, the requirements for program certification, and celebrate your success.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Become familiar with the value of gratitude interventions and the value that they bring to the coaching relationship.
  • Understand the requirements to complete the Practicum and obtain the Appreciative Inquiry Coach certification.
  • Provide feedback on the AICT experience.
  • Take the opportunity to demonstrate gratitude to members of the AICT class.

KEY LEARNING OUTCOMES

As a fully engaged participant who completes the synchronous and asynchronous Appreciative Inquiry Coach Training (AICT©), you will:

  • Build confidence in co-creating new and inspiring futures in deep relationship with your clients to bring out their essential capacity.
  • Gain a deeper understanding of Systems Thinking, and how this view clarifies how environmental elements impact personal and organizational change.
  • Develop a clear understanding of the Core Competencies of the International Coaching Federation as they relate to the 5-D process.
  • Discover how to deepen and enhance both your personal sense of yourself as well as your ability to create generative one-on-one conversations, using the Social Style framework to enhance your personal insight and how you relate to the individuals you coach.
  • Become eligible for certification as an Appreciative Coach.
  • This course is an approved ICF (International Coaching Federation) Continuing Coach Education (CCE) program. Students who complete this program will be able to apply 32 hours toward renewal requirements or as part of an application for an International Coaching Federation (ICF) credential.

ADDITIONAL TRAINING INFORMATION

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS

Your trainers will assign readings from these two books throughout your training. You will need to purchase the textbooks prior to the start of this course. The books are available in electronic or printed versions. Please select the version that is in alignment with your learning style and preference.

Book Cover of Appreciative Coaching: A Positive Process for Change by Sara Orem, Jacqueline Binkert, and Ann L. Clancy

Appreciative Coaching: A Positive Process for Change (2007) by Sara Orem, Jacqueline Binkert, and Ann L. Clancy.

Book cover for "Flourishing Together: Guide to Appreciative Inquiry Coaching" by Miriam Subriana. The cover consists of a watercolored field filled with bright orange and red flowers.

Flourishing Together: Guide to Appreciative Inquiry Coaching (2016) by Miriam Subriana.

LETTER OF COMPLETION

To obtain a letter of completion (and to be eligible for consideration for AI Coach Certification) each participant must complete all 33 hours of synchronous and asynchronous Appreciative Inquiry Coach Training©. Letters of completion include your name, date of your training, and number of classroom hours earned.

AI COACH CERTIFICATION PROCESS

REQUIREMENTS

In order to qualify for certification as an Appreciative Inquiry Coach with The Center for Appreciative Inquiry, each participant must:

  • Actively participate and successfully complete the Appreciative Inquiry Coach Training (AICT) in its entirety, including all online coursework.
  • Coach an individual using all five generic processes of Appreciative Inquiry: Define, Discover, Dream, Design, and Destiny.  Your AICT trainers serve as an advisor to you during your practicum – at no extra cost.
  • Complete and submit a practicum (narrative) of your Appreciative Coaching experience that is suitable for publication. Practicums must demonstrate your understanding and practice of Appreciative coaching in a one-on-one client engagement.
PRACTICUM REVIEW

All submitted practicums are reviewed by a panel of seasoned appreciative inquiry practitioners. At least one trainer from your AICT will also be part of the panel that reviews your practicum. The Review Panel may contact you to engage in a conversation about your work once you have submitted your practicum. Typically, they will respond with questions, to deepen their and your shared understanding of AI. The practicum review is therefore a dialogical and interactive process.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Once certified, your Appreciative Inquiry Coach Certification lasts for 2 years and includes:

  • An Appreciative Inquiry Coach Certification document for your records;
  • Permission to use of the Center for Appreciative Inquiry Certification logo to embed on your website or include in your email signature;
  • Exclusive access to content and events reserved only for certified AI Community Members.
  • A free profile listing on our Appreciative Inquiry Directory for the duration of your certification. Learn more about the benefits of our AI Directory here.

Co-Creating a More Intercultural, Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive World with Appreciative Inquiry

Event Dates and Times

Webinar #1: Renew

Webinar #2: Relate

Webinar #3: Co-Create

Webinar #4: Resolve

Wednesday

Wednesday

Wednesday

Wednesday

July 12, 2023

July 19, 2023

July 26, 2023

August 2, 2023

9:00am-11:00am EDT

3:00pm-5:00pm SAST

9:00am-11:00am EDT

3:00pm-5:00pm SAST

9:00am-11:00am EDT

3:00pm-5:00pm SAST

9:00am-11:00am EDT

3:00pm-5:00pm SAST

Virtual Series Overview

Learn how to apply Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to create the social change of our time. This moment is opportune for AI principles and tools to help focus our work on intercultural competence, diversity, equity and inclusion (ICDEI) issues like #BlackLivesMatters, #MeToo, #Refugees Welcome and rise to the call to action. So, come prepared to collaboratively inquire into what’s working and what’s possible to create the change we want to see in our workplaces, communities and family systems.

This course is designed to support you in taking ICDEI actions with AI principles, process and tools. We invite you to come with a ICDEI project (big or small, personal or professional) that will ensure your learning through immediate application. We will help you identify the individual and collective strengths within your initiative, develop generative questions to engage in listening and storytelling for positive possibilities, and ensure you have an action plan to co-create a more interculturally competent, diverse, equitable and inclusive destiny.

We will share our expertise working in the fields of ICDEI and OD, including our theory of change and model published in an Inclusive Leadership book (2020, Routledge*). However, this course will not be a diversity, equity and inclusion training, an unconscious bias assessment, nor an anti-racism webinar. We will provide links to those resources, some which will form part of the pre-work, as there are incredible colleagues who have devoted their life and work to building ICDEI knowledge and skill set deep dives (for longer than the duration of this course permits).

This course is designed for all Appreciative Inquiry skill levels, whether you are new to AI or you’re an AI expert and yearning to incorporate ICDEI into your living AI practice. Come experience and learn how to apply our successful strengths based strategy and relational processes for systems change!

Learning Outcomes

As a result of participating in this 4-webinar series you will be able to:

– Actively contribute to a more intercultural competent, diverse, equitable and inclusive world.
– Learn bespoke ICDEI Appreciative Inquiry practice and tools.
– Work on your own ICDEI project at work, home or in your community using AI.
– Establish a learning and accountability process and community for your AI ICDEI work.
– Create an Action Plan to make your DEI project’s destiny inevitable.

Target Audience

AI practitioners and AI students, consultants, coaches, collaborative group leaders, DEI practitioners interested in AI and anyone seeking to strengthen their Appreciative Inquiry practices and tools to increase their diversity, equity and inclusion work at work, home, or in their communities.

Virtual Webinar Series

WEBINAR #1: CREATING A SAFE CONTAINER AND BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE – RENEW

We will share a relational theory of change and appreciative leadership model applied to ICDEI. We will discuss and identify various diversity markers and explore the term intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, with an additional AI lens, e.g. “how might the term serve as a meaningful metaphor for bringing out the best of women by exploring layers of strengths and wisdom developed by living with multiple forms of inequality and disadvantage” (Thriving Women, Thriving World. 2019, Taos*). We will build understanding and trust through paired work and group shared agreements. The discussions will be informed in part through ICDEI pre-readings and personal experiences of positive change.

WEBINAR #2: PROJECT-BASED WORK – RELATE

We will review and integrate AI principles, tools, and or process into each person’s identified personal or professional ICDEI project. Small groups will learn and practice a strengths-based peer mentoring and coaching “Spaciousness Thinking Partners” process to build, brainstorm and peer feedback on each project. The process involves amplifying and dreaming into what is possible.

WEBINAR #3: EMBODIED LEARNING – CO-CREATE

We will review and explore how the projects, following asynchronous project building, can go further with deeper reflection and breakthroughs on limiting beliefs. We will craft and use generative questions to center living AI and ICDEI ethos and values in your professional and personal processes. What is emerging that informs your ICDEI future? How can this be practically applied? Where do you need further support? How can you share, learn and grow as an AI ICDEI community? What are the generative questions we need to consistently and persistently be asking to grow our ICDEI strengths-based practice?

WEBINAR #4: AI ACTION PLANS IN INDIVIDUAL, COLLECTIVE, AND SYSTEMIC ICDEI INITIATIVES – RESOLVE

We will conclude harvesting the projects review and exploration. We will reflect on and converge all our key insights and emerging wisdom in order to solidify a vast toolbox for practical application post course. Our DEI resolve and resilience is explored by delving into the inner condition and external relationships (with both allies and antagonists) needed for successful action.

To strengthen our community of practice, supportive materials, resources and recommended readings will be made available, as well as between-session sharing of practices, questions, and reflections into new ways of thinking.

Method of Delivery

This course will be delivered virtually using Zoom over 4 weeks with a two-hour webinar per week. By joining the course, you also automatically join our Community of Practice and have access to the growing network of ICDEI and AI practitioners who have completed this course. Prior to this event, the facilitators will email you everything you need to participate in this course, including: your login details to join our Community of Practice Virtual Platform and online collaboration space as well as the Zoom meeting login information.

Please note: these virtual webinar sessions may be recorded for asynchronous reviewing, however, due to the experiential nature of the session and the extensive time working and learning in small groups they do not count towards certification of attendance. Asynchronous learning will focus on increasing confidence, courage, and clarity through application of our unique processes. DEI resources and Appreciative Inquiry resources from the AI commons are highlighted.

Additionally, the course is designed as project-based learning, so plan on your expertise and project thriving with up to 3 hours of asynchronous group work between each 2-hour webinar. This asynchronous work is required course work as learning application happens in this space. Total time on the course to meet the intended learning outcomes: 15 hours.

Conversations Worth Having for Clinicians, Caseworkers, and Coaches

SCHEDULE

Dates: Thursdays – April 6, April 13, April 20 and April 27, 2023
Time: 5:00 – 6:30pm Eastern Time (2:00 – 3:30pm Pacific Time)

ABOUT CONVERSATIONS WORTH HAVING FOR CLINICIANS, CASEWORKERS, AND COACHES

As helping professionals, our conversations are instrumental in our work with clients. They can support our clients in moving into a place of curiosity, creativity, and connection or in staying stuck in a place of fear, blame, or shame. This series explores simple strategies and applications for turning all of your conversations with clients into ones worth having.

WHO WILL BENEFIT:

  • Coaches
  • Therapists, counselors, psychologists
  • Case workers
  • Counselor/social work educators and supervisors
  • Graduate/undergraduate students
  • Anyone else in the wellbeing or helping field

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

You’ll leave with:

  • An understanding of the nature of conversation and why our words are important (drawing from neuropsychology, Appreciative Inquiry, and positive psychology).
  • A mindfulness practice that you can do on your own and share with clients.
  • Two simple strategies to transform your conversations.
  • Increased ability to access your curiosity in sessions.
  • Increased understanding of the power of our framing as it relates to outcomes.
  • Tools and practices that you can integrate into your work immediately.
  • A renewed sense of inspiration and excitement around the work you get to do!

Conversations Worth Having for Clinicians, Caseworkers, and Coaches has been approved by NBCC* for NBCC credit. Institute for Just Outcomes through Conversations (IJOC) is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. NBCC Approval No. SP-3900.

*National Board for Certified Counselors

You only need to register once to participate in the four (4) weekly sessions. Successful completion of all four (4) sessions is required for individuals who want to pursue Conversations Worth Having certification with this course.

METHOD OF DELIVERY

These live events will be delivered and recorded using Zoom. You can participate in these live events using any device: computer, tablet, or mobile.

You will receive the Zoom login information upon registration. If you have any questions about this event or have difficulty connecting in Zoom, please contact Michael Emmart at Michael.Emmart@Case.edu

 

EVENT IS OFFERED IN COLLABORATION WITH:

Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry – On-Demand Program

WHAT IS APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

In this self-paced asynchronous program, you will explore the foundational theories, principles, and 5-D process of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) through experiential exercises designed to invite discovery, reflection, and implementation. The objective of this course is to encourage you and others to use the appreciative inquiry methodology to cultivate stronger relationships, promote meaningful engagement, and inspire positive change.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

As a fully engaged participant in the Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry workshop, you will leave this workshop better able to:

– Recognize the power of storytelling and its ability to transform our paradigm and reality. – Understand the difference between the AI Process (doing) and Principles of AI (being). – Provide real-life examples that illustrate the AI principles’ impact on your way of being, thinking, and doing. – Intentionally seek new ways of knowing, understanding, and interacting with others. – Begin a personal paradigm shift from “what’s wrong” to “what’s right”. – Broaden your capacity to draw on positive emotions, images, and experiences to create opportunities for joy, growth,

   and fulfillment.

PRE-REQUISITES:

There are no pre-requisites to participate in this Appreciative Inquiry foundations course.

DESIGNED FOR:

Anyone who wants to make positive and lasting change within themselves, their organizations, and communities.

DELIVERY FORMAT:

The Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry online program is an asynchronous, self-paced course. An asynchronous online course is a fully online course with no required virtual or face-to-face (live) sessions. This offers participants the flexibility to access instructional materials and resources, complete activities, and practice techniques and skills essential to the learning goals for this course at time, place, and location that works best for them. All course materials and activities are located online and can be found on LearnDash, the Center for Appreciative Inquiry’s learning management system.

COURSE MODULE CONTENT:

To enhance the learning experience, this course has been designed to accommodate various learning styles by incorporating a mix of text, graphics, videos, and downloadable activities.

FOUNDATIONS OF APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY In this opening module, we begin by introducing Appreciative Inquiry (AI) as a transformational change model that invites meaningful dialogue around our strengths and successes by using generative questions that inquire into the ideal. Next you will explore the power of storytelling, two approaches to human learning and change, and see how the practice and application of AI has evolved over time.

SUPPORTING RESEARCH & THEORIES OF APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY In this module, we present scientific research, theories, and fields of study that support strength-based approaches to change, such as Appreciative Inquiry. Understanding the working theories and research that support Appreciative Inquiry and its impact on our beliefs, learning, and behavior help illustrate why Appreciative Inquiry is a powerful and energizing tool for creating and sustaining change.

PRINCIPLES OF APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY What are the principles of Appreciative Inquiry and what purpose do they serve? In this module, you will learn about the original and emergent principles of AI through experiential activities and reflective questions that demonstrate how the principles influence your way of being, thinking, and doing in the world.

5-D APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY PROCESS Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a way of being and seeing; it is both a worldview and process for inviting and facilitating positive change. In this module, you will learn about the 5-D’s of Appreciative Inquiry – Define, Discover, Dream, Design, and Destiny – by experiencing the process first hand as they apply to designing and completing a personal appreciative visioning plan.

APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY IN ACTION Appreciative Inquiry encourages individuals to adapt and alter the process to create a custom change experience appropriate to the needs, outcomes, timelines, and budgets of the individual, group, or organization. The invitation to create new and inclusive forms of engagement sparked the development of new programs and workshops built upon the AI methodology. In this module, we will present a variety of subjects to demonstrate Appreciative Inquiry’s scalability and versatility in its application.

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

Certificates of Completion are available to all participants. To obtain a letter, participants must complete the training and submit course feedback. Certificates of Completion include the participant’s name, the name of the course completed, and the number of training hours offered by the course. The Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry online course offers 10 training hours.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

REFUND POLICY All fees are due upon registration. Your full participation is very important to us and we know that from time to time, your plans to attend one of our workshops or programs may change. Our refund policy reflects our interest in your continued growth and learning journey as well as our planning needs and expenses incurred based on your enrollment. For more information about our Refund Policy, please click here.

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Co-Creating a More Intercultural, Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive World with Appreciative Inquiry

Event Dates and Times

Webinar #1: Renew

Webinar #2: Relate

Webinar #3: Co-Create

Webinar #4: Resolve

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

September 7, 2023

September 14, 2023

September 21, 2023

September 28, 2023

9:00am-11:00am PDT

12:00pm-2:00pm EDT

5:00pm-7:00pm BST

6:00pm-8:00pm SAST

9:00am-11:00am PDT

12:00pm-2:00pm EDT

5:00pm-7:00pm BST

6:00pm-8:00pm SAST

9:00am-11:00am PDT

12:00pm-2:00pm EDT

5:00pm-7:00pm BST

6:00pm-8:00pm SAST

9:00am-11:00am PDT

12:00pm-2:00pm EDT

5:00pm-7:00pm BST

6:00pm-8:00pm SAST

Virtual Series Overview

Learn how to apply Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to create the social change of our time. This moment is opportune for AI principles and tools to help focus our work on intercultural competence, diversity, equity and inclusion (ICDEI) issues like #BlackLivesMatters, #MeToo, #Refugees Welcome and rise to the call to action. So, come prepared to collaboratively inquire into what’s working and what’s possible to create the change we want to see in our workplaces, communities and family systems.

This course is designed to support you in taking ICDEI actions with AI principles, process and tools. We invite you to come with a ICDEI project (big or small, personal or professional) that will ensure your learning through immediate application. We will help you identify the individual and collective strengths within your initiative, develop generative questions to engage in listening and storytelling for positive possibilities, and ensure you have an action plan to co-create a more interculturally competent, diverse, equitable and inclusive destiny.

We will share our expertise working in the fields of ICDEI and OD, including our theory of change and model published in an Inclusive Leadership book (2020, Routledge*). However, this course will not be a diversity, equity and inclusion training, an unconscious bias assessment, nor an anti-racism webinar. We will provide links to those resources, some which will form part of the pre-work, as there are incredible colleagues who have devoted their life and work to building ICDEI knowledge and skill set deep dives (for longer than the duration of this course permits).

This course is designed for all Appreciative Inquiry skill levels, whether you are new to AI or you’re an AI expert and yearning to incorporate ICDEI into your living AI practice. Come experience and learn how to apply our successful strengths based strategy and relational processes for systems change!

Learning Outcomes

As a result of participating in this 4-webinar series you will be able to:

– Actively contribute to a more intercultural competent, diverse, equitable and inclusive world.
– Learn bespoke ICDEI Appreciative Inquiry practice and tools.
– Work on your own ICDEI project at work, home or in your community using AI.
– Establish a learning and accountability process and community for your AI ICDEI work.
– Create an Action Plan to make your DEI project’s destiny inevitable.

Target Audience

AI practitioners and AI students, consultants, coaches, collaborative group leaders, DEI practitioners interested in AI and anyone seeking to strengthen their Appreciative Inquiry practices and tools to increase their diversity, equity and inclusion work at work, home, or in their communities.

Virtual Webinar Series

WEBINAR #1: CREATING A SAFE CONTAINER AND BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE – RENEW

We will share a relational theory of change and appreciative leadership model applied to ICDEI. We will discuss and identify various diversity markers and explore the term intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, with an additional AI lens, e.g. “how might the term serve as a meaningful metaphor for bringing out the best of women by exploring layers of strengths and wisdom developed by living with multiple forms of inequality and disadvantage” (Thriving Women, Thriving World. 2019, Taos*). We will build understanding and trust through paired work and group shared agreements. The discussions will be informed in part through ICDEI pre-readings and personal experiences of positive change.

WEBINAR #2: PROJECT-BASED WORK – RELATE

We will review and integrate AI principles, tools, and or process into each person’s identified personal or professional ICDEI project. Small groups will learn and practice a strengths-based peer mentoring and coaching “Spaciousness Thinking Partners” process to build, brainstorm and peer feedback on each project. The process involves amplifying and dreaming into what is possible.

WEBINAR #3: EMBODIED LEARNING – CO-CREATE

We will review and explore how the projects, following asynchronous project building, can go further with deeper reflection and breakthroughs on limiting beliefs. We will craft and use generative questions to center living AI and ICDEI ethos and values in your professional and personal processes. What is emerging that informs your ICDEI future? How can this be practically applied? Where do you need further support? How can you share, learn and grow as an AI ICDEI community? What are the generative questions we need to consistently and persistently be asking to grow our ICDEI strengths-based practice?

WEBINAR #4: AI ACTION PLANS IN INDIVIDUAL, COLLECTIVE, AND SYSTEMIC ICDEI INITIATIVES – RESOLVE

We will conclude harvesting the projects review and exploration. We will reflect on and converge all our key insights and emerging wisdom in order to solidify a vast toolbox for practical application post course. Our DEI resolve and resilience is explored by delving into the inner condition and external relationships (with both allies and antagonists) needed for successful action.

To strengthen our community of practice, supportive materials, resources and recommended readings will be made available, as well as between-session sharing of practices, questions, and reflections into new ways of thinking.

Method of Delivery

This course will be delivered virtually using Zoom over 4 weeks with a two-hour webinar per week. By joining the course, you also automatically join our Community of Practice and have access to the growing network of ICDEI and AI practitioners who have completed this course. Prior to this event, the facilitators will email you everything you need to participate in this course, including: your login details to join our Community of Practice Virtual Platform and online collaboration space as well as the Zoom meeting login information.

Please note: these virtual webinar sessions may be recorded for asynchronous reviewing, however, due to the experiential nature of the session and the extensive time working and learning in small groups they do not count towards certification of attendance. Asynchronous learning will focus on increasing confidence, courage, and clarity through application of our unique processes. DEI resources and Appreciative Inquiry resources from the AI commons are highlighted.

Additionally, the course is designed as project-based learning, so plan on your expertise and project thriving with up to 3 hours of asynchronous group work between each 2-hour webinar. This asynchronous work is required course work as learning application happens in this space. Total time on the course to meet the intended learning outcomes: 15 hours.

Co-Creating a More Intercultural, Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive World with Appreciative Inquiry

Event Dates and Times

Webinar #1: Renew

Webinar #2: Relate

Webinar #3: Co-Create

Webinar #4: Resolve

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

June 1, 2023

June 8, 2023

June 15, 2023

June 22, 2023

9:00am-11:00am PDT

12:00pm-2:00pm EDT

5:00pm-7:00pm BST

6:00pm-8:00pm SAST

9:00am-11:00am PDT

12:00pm-2:00pm EDT

5:00pm-7:00pm BST

6:00pm-8:00pm SAST

9:00am-11:00am PDT

12:00pm-2:00pm EDT

5:00pm-7:00pm BST

6:00pm-8:00pm SAST

9:00am-11:00am PDT

12:00pm-2:00pm EDT

5:00pm-7:00pm BST

6:00pm-8:00pm SAST

Virtual Series Overview

Learn how to apply Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to create the social change of our time. This moment is opportune for AI principles and tools to help focus our work on intercultural competence, diversity, equity and inclusion (ICDEI) issues like #BlackLivesMatters, #MeToo, #Refugees Welcome and rise to the call to action. So, come prepared to collaboratively inquire into what’s working and what’s possible to create the change we want to see in our workplaces, communities and family systems.

This course is designed to support you in taking ICDEI actions with AI principles, process and tools. We invite you to come with a ICDEI project (big or small, personal or professional) that will ensure your learning through immediate application. We will help you identify the individual and collective strengths within your initiative, develop generative questions to engage in listening and storytelling for positive possibilities, and ensure you have an action plan to co-create a more interculturally competent, diverse, equitable and inclusive destiny.

We will share our expertise working in the fields of ICDEI and OD, including our theory of change and model published in an Inclusive Leadership book (2020, Routledge*). However, this course will not be a diversity, equity and inclusion training, an unconscious bias assessment, nor an anti-racism webinar. We will provide links to those resources, some which will form part of the pre-work, as there are incredible colleagues who have devoted their life and work to building ICDEI knowledge and skill set deep dives (for longer than the duration of this course permits).

This course is designed for all Appreciative Inquiry skill levels, whether you are new to AI or you’re an AI expert and yearning to incorporate ICDEI into your living AI practice. Come experience and learn how to apply our successful strengths based strategy and relational processes for systems change!

Learning Outcomes

As a result of participating in this 4-webinar series you will be able to:

– Actively contribute to a more intercultural competent, diverse, equitable and inclusive world.
– Learn bespoke ICDEI Appreciative Inquiry practice and tools.
– Work on your own ICDEI project at work, home or in your community using AI.
– Establish a learning and accountability process and community for your AI ICDEI work.
– Create an Action Plan to make your DEI project’s destiny inevitable.

Target Audience

AI practitioners and AI students, consultants, coaches, collaborative group leaders, DEI practitioners interested in AI and anyone seeking to strengthen their Appreciative Inquiry practices and tools to increase their diversity, equity and inclusion work at work, home, or in their communities.

Virtual Webinar Series

WEBINAR #1: CREATING A SAFE CONTAINER AND BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE – RENEW

We will share a relational theory of change and appreciative leadership model applied to ICDEI. We will discuss and identify various diversity markers and explore the term intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, with an additional AI lens, e.g. “how might the term serve as a meaningful metaphor for bringing out the best of women by exploring layers of strengths and wisdom developed by living with multiple forms of inequality and disadvantage” (Thriving Women, Thriving World. 2019, Taos*). We will build understanding and trust through paired work and group shared agreements. The discussions will be informed in part through ICDEI pre-readings and personal experiences of positive change.

WEBINAR #2: PROJECT-BASED WORK – RELATE

We will review and integrate AI principles, tools, and or process into each person’s identified personal or professional ICDEI project. Small groups will learn and practice a strengths-based peer mentoring and coaching “Spaciousness Thinking Partners” process to build, brainstorm and peer feedback on each project. The process involves amplifying and dreaming into what is possible.

WEBINAR #3: EMBODIED LEARNING – CO-CREATE

We will review and explore how the projects, following asynchronous project building, can go further with deeper reflection and breakthroughs on limiting beliefs. We will craft and use generative questions to center living AI and ICDEI ethos and values in your professional and personal processes. What is emerging that informs your ICDEI future? How can this be practically applied? Where do you need further support? How can you share, learn and grow as an AI ICDEI community? What are the generative questions we need to consistently and persistently be asking to grow our ICDEI strengths-based practice?

WEBINAR #4: AI ACTION PLANS IN INDIVIDUAL, COLLECTIVE, AND SYSTEMIC ICDEI INITIATIVES – RESOLVE

We will conclude harvesting the projects review and exploration. We will reflect on and converge all our key insights and emerging wisdom in order to solidify a vast toolbox for practical application post course. Our DEI resolve and resilience is explored by delving into the inner condition and external relationships (with both allies and antagonists) needed for successful action.

To strengthen our community of practice, supportive materials, resources and recommended readings will be made available, as well as between-session sharing of practices, questions, and reflections into new ways of thinking.

Method of Delivery

This course will be delivered virtually using Zoom over 4 weeks with a two-hour webinar per week. By joining the course, you also automatically join our Community of Practice and have access to the growing network of ICDEI and AI practitioners who have completed this course. Prior to this event, the facilitators will email you everything you need to participate in this course, including: your login details to join our Community of Practice Virtual Platform and online collaboration space as well as the Zoom meeting login information.

Please note: these virtual webinar sessions may be recorded for asynchronous reviewing, however, due to the experiential nature of the session and the extensive time working and learning in small groups they do not count towards certification of attendance. Asynchronous learning will focus on increasing confidence, courage, and clarity through application of our unique processes. DEI resources and Appreciative Inquiry resources from the AI commons are highlighted.

Additionally, the course is designed as project-based learning, so plan on your expertise and project thriving with up to 3 hours of asynchronous group work between each 2-hour webinar. This asynchronous work is required course work as learning application happens in this space. Total time on the course to meet the intended learning outcomes: 15 hours.

Accelerated Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (vAIFT)

What might be possible if a community of individuals were fully engaged and using their strengths to collectively achieve shared visions?

What is Appreciative Inquiry

Appreciative Inquiry is a collaborative, strengths-based approach to both personal and organizational development that is proving to be highly effective in thousands of organizations and communities in hundreds of countries around the world. It is a way of bringing about change that shares leadership and learning, fully engaging everyone in the organization.

Virtual AIFT Program Overview

The Virtual Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (vAIFT)© Accelerated is a four-day online certification program (see specific, detailed schedule below) that engages participants to learn about the foundations and principles of Appreciative Inquiry as well as provide the skills necessary to facilitate appreciative inquiry sessions in all human systems (large or small). This course teaches the basics of Appreciative Inquiry (e.g. principles, 5-Ds, supporting theory and research, etc.) but delves deeper by providing experiential exercises that teach participants how to define the topic of inquiry, practice positive framing, work with core teams, design and field test an interview protocol, and more…

This Appreciative Inquiry foundations course includes mini-lectures, and experiential learning (individual, pairs, trios, small group, and large group) as well as auditory and visual materials to enhance the learning experience.

Training is designed for:

Leaders in businesses and corporations, community development, educational organizations, governmental organizations, and nonprofit organizations–in short, anyone who wants to learn how to facilitate Appreciative Inquiry.

Training Schedule and Hours

The virtual Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (vAIFT) is designed to be a blended learning experience. This means portions of the course will be delivered synchronously (in real-time through services like Zoom) and asynchronously (you read and participate in activities and exercises at a time/pace/place that works best for you to be ready for the synchronous session). The combination of synchronous and asynchronous work will equate to 26 training hours (same as our face-to-face AIFT program). Participants will need to complete the program in its entirety to be eligible to earn their AI Facilitator Certification, this includes participating in all synchronous sessions.

Please note: the synchronous portions of the vAIFT are highly experiential and will not be recorded. The vAIFT Trainers will be utilizing breakout rooms to develop community and trust amongst participants, conduct paired interviews, and engage in small group discussions and reflections.

vAIFT Orientation:

To ensure that all participants are off to a strong start, your vAIFT trainers will host a live orientation session via Zoom on Tuesday, July 11, 1023. Orientation allows you to connect with your trainers, engage with participants, become familiar with LearnDash (our online learning platform), and ask questions about pre-workshop reading and activities prior to your first vAIFT session in Zoom on July 17, 2023.

vAIFT Training Dates/Times:

The SYNCHRONOUS portion (‘real time’ learning with your vAIFT trainers). The virtual AIFT program is an intensive, accelerated program spanning over the course of 4-days. Below are the hours for live interaction and collaboration with your vAIFT trainers and cohorts:

ORIENTATION
Tuesday,
July 11, 2023

Monday
July 17, 2023

Tuesday
July 18, 2023

Wednesday
July 19, 2023

Thursday
July 20, 2023

4:00 - 5:00  pm SAST





9:00 - 10:00 am ET

South Africa Time
11:00-1:00 pm
and
3:00-5:00 pm



Eastern Time

5:00-7:00 am 

and
9:00-11:00 am 

South Africa Time
11:00-1:00 pm
and
3:00-5:00 pm


Eastern Time

5:00-7:00 am 

and
9:00-11:00 am 

South Africa Time
11:00-1:00 pm
and
3:00-5:00 pm

 


Eastern Time
5:00-7:00 am 

and
9:00-11:00 am 

South Africa Time
11:00-1:00 pm
and
3:00-5:00 pm

 


Eastern Time
5:00-7:00 am 

and
9:00-11:00 am 

*Please note: all times listed above are as noted for each time zone specified. You may verify the time with this converter or one of your choosing.

The ASYNCHRONOUS portion of your training begins:

  • Monday, July 17, 2023 with introductory activities and runs throughout the 4 days of synchronous learning. You will receive login information to the Center for Appreciative Inquiry’s (CAI) online learning platform in a confirmation email after registering for the course.
vAIFT Training Segments:

AIFT is divided into 4 ‘segments’. Each segment consists of modules containing exercises, readings, and discussions.

SEGMENT I – EXPERIENCING APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY

Learn basic processes and experience AI by participating in a facilitated Appreciative Inquiry led by the Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training Trainers

SEGMENT II – UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY

Actively learn about the concepts, principles, theories and research.

SEGMENT III – PLANNING AND DESIGNING AN APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY SESSION

Plan and practice how you will begin helping your organization, group, or community build upon their strengths.

SEGMENT IV – PRACTICING APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY APPLICATIONS

  • Practice exercises you can take home to use Appreciative Inquiry in your personal and professional life.
  • Practice choosing the best language, words for facilitating Appreciative Inquiry within a particular culture.
  • Begin developing your plan to become a certified Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator by completing a Practicum/Supervised Experience.

We will start our synchronous sessions on time and work diligently to maintain the vAIFT schedule, honoring our commitment to the learning experience. We have found full participation to be the most productive for the participants and the trainers.

Key Learning Outcomes

As a fully engaged participant in the Virtual Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (vAIFT©), you will leave the workshop better able to:

  1. Create/enhance your personal way of being and doing in order to use an appreciative approach; focus on what’s right in your world, so that you can deeply inquire into what’s right and why, and then find ways of intentionally creating more of what’s right in your world.
  2. Facilitate individuals, groups, organizations, and communities to create collective ways of being and doing using an appreciative approach; that will help them focus on what’s right so that they can deeply inquire into what’s right and why, and then find ways of intentionally working with them to both create more of what’s right and envision innovation and new ways of being and doing.

Letter of Completion

To obtain a letter of completion (and to be eligible for consideration for AI Facilitator Certification) each participant must complete 26 training hours. Letters of completion include your name, date of your training, and number of classroom hours earned.

Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Certification

Each of our certification courses require a written practicum (‘narrative’) of your work. The learning management system will be accessible to you to review materials for a full year after the vAIFT. The purpose of your practicum is to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the principles of Appreciative Inquiry, its various applications, what you learned, etc. Participants will submit their practicum for review by our Practicum Review Committee which consists of 2-4 seasoned Ai practitioners. It is standard practice for the panel to engage participants in a conversation (conducted virtually) about their practicum. Typically, they will respond with questions to deepen their and the participant’s mutual understanding of, and learning about, AI. The practicum review is therefore a dialogical and interactive process.

Participants have up to one year from the date of their training to submit their practicum for review. During this time, your trainers make themselves available to you for mentoring and support (at no additional cost) as you work through your first inquiry. Your mentoring/support can be done via telephone, skype, zoom, etc. You and your trainers can arrange a time and platform in which to conduct these sessions. Learn more about our Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Certification requirements here.

Once certified, your Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Certification lasts for 2 years. AI Certification with the Center for Appreciative Inquiry includes:

  • Appreciative Inquiry Certification document that will be emailed to you for your records;
  • Center for Appreciative Inquiry Certification logo that you are welcome to embed on your website or include in your email signature;
  • Listing on our Appreciative Inquiry Directory. Your Ai Directory listing is an editable profile page that includes your photo and professional biography that highlights your specialties, articles, videos and testimonials. Directory profiles are easy to create and update and will make you locatable by our worldwide audience. All Directory profiles will remain visible on our website for the duration of your certification. Our Appreciative Inquiry certification is good for 2 years; after which you may renew your Ai certification. You can learn more about the benefits of our AI Directory here.

Additional Training Information

Online Learning Platform

Participants will receive login information to the Center for Appreciative Inquiry’s (CAI) online learning platform closer to the training date. We will open the online platform to participants prior to the start of the training. This allows participants time to navigate the software and become acquainted with the various features and tools it offers, introduce themselves to their trainers and other vAIFT participants, and access all pre-workshop reading and materials.

Refund Policy

All fees are due upon registration.  Your full participation is very important to us and we know that from time to time, your plans to attend one of our workshops or programs may change.  Our refund policy reflects our interest in your continued growth and learning journey as well as our planning needs and expenses incurred based on your enrollment. For more information about our Refund Policy, please click here.

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Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (AIFT) – Northern Essex Community College

The Center for Appreciative Inquiry is pleased to partner with Northern Essex Community College to host a hybrid Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (AIFT) on their Haverhill, MA campus on May 23, 24, 25 & 26, 2023. If your organization would like to host an AIFT please contact us.

What is Appreciative Inquiry

Appreciative Inquiry is a collaborative, strengths-based approach to both personal and organizational development that is proving to be highly effective in thousands of organizations and communities in hundreds of countries around the world. It is a way of bringing about change that shares leadership and learning, fully engaging everyone in the organization.

Hybrid In-Person AIFT Program Overview

Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training© (AIFT) engages participants to learn about the foundations of Appreciative Inquiry as well as the skills to facilitate inquiry sessions. At the end of this intensive Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (AIFT), participants will understand how to guide organizations, groups, and communities to consciously and deliberately shift their collective way of being and seeing to an appreciative approach, that will help them focus on what’s right in their organization, group or community, rather than on what’s wrong.

Training is designed for:

Leaders in businesses and corporations, community development, educational organizations, governmental organizations, and nonprofit organizations–in short, anyone who wants to learn how to facilitate Appreciative Inquiry.

Training Segments, Schedule and Hours

The Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training© – AIFT – is a foundations course. It includes mini-lectures, and experiential learning (individual, pairs, trios, small group, and large group) as well as auditory and visual materials to enhance the learning experience.

Each day has a morning and afternoon session; a morning and afternoon break; and one hour for lunch (a variety of options will be provided by the host.)

AIFT is divided into 4 ‘segments’. Each segment consists of modules containing exercises, readings, and discussions.

DAY 1 – EXPERIENCING APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
Learn basic process and experience AI by participating in a facilitated Appreciative Inquiry led by the Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training Trainers

DAY 2 – UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
Actively learn about the concepts, principles, theories and research.

DAY 3 – PLANNING AND DESIGNING AN APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY SESSION
Plan and practice how you will begin helping your organization, group, or community build upon their strengths.

DAY 4 – PRACTICING APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY APPLICATIONS

  • Practice exercises you can take home to use Appreciative Inquiry in your personal and professional life.
  • Practice choosing the best language, words for facilitating Appreciative Inquiry within a particular culture.
  • Begin developing your plan to become a certified Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator by completing a Practicum/Supervised Experience.

We start each day on time and work diligently to maintain the schedule, honoring the commitment to the learning experience. We have found full participation to be the most productive for the participants and the trainers.  To obtain a letter of completion (and to be eligible for consideration for certification) each participant must complete 26 training hours.

Days one through four begin at 8:30 a.m. for networking. The training sessions will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. each day.

AIFT Training Dates/Times:

ORIENTATION

To ensure that all participants are off to a strong start, your AIFT trainers will host a live orientation session via Zoom – Wednesday, May 17, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time.   The trainers will provide an overview of the course timelines and learning outcomes and ensure you have access to the LMS which contains your materials and readings. Your interaction with your cohort and trainers within the LMS will enhance your learning and prepare you to begin your practicum.

You will have time to become familiar with the LMS, read assignments and engage with trainers and other participants prior to the first synchronous (live) session on the campus of NECC May 22, 2023

Date

Session & Time

May 23, 2023

Day 1 - Experiencing Appreciative Inquiry
Networking 8:30 am
Training: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm ET 

May 24, 2023

Day 2 - Understanding the Power of Appreciative Inquiry
Networking 8:30 am

Training: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm ET

May 25, 2023

Day 3 - Planning and Designing an Appreciative Inquiry Session
Networking 8:30 am

Training: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm ET

May 26, 2023

Day 4 - Practicing Appreciative Inquiry Applications
Networking 8:30 am

Training: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm ET

*Please note: all times listed above are Eastern Daylight Savings Time – EDT

Key Learning Outcomes

As a fully engaged participant in the Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (AIFT©), you will leave the workshop better able to:

  1. Create/enhance your personal way of being and doing in order to use an appreciative approach; focus on what’s right in your world, so that you can deeply inquire into what’s right and why, and then find ways of intentionally creating more of what’s right in your world.
  2. Facilitate individuals, groups, organizations, and communities to create collective ways of being and doing using an appreciative approach; that will help them focus on what’s right so that they can deeply inquire into what’s right and why, and then find ways of intentionally working with them to both create more of what’s right and envision innovation and new ways of being and doing – on any topic that focuses on human systems change, i.e. “the way we do things.”

Letter of Completion

To obtain a letter of completion (and to be eligible for consideration for AI Facilitator Certification) each participant must complete 26 training hours. Letters of completion include your name, date of your training, and number of classroom hours earned.

Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Certification

Each of our certification courses require a written practicum (‘narrative’) of your work. The purpose of your practicum is to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the principles of Appreciative Inquiry, its various applications, what you learned, etc. Participants will submit their practicum for review by our Practicum Review Committee which consists of 2-4 seasoned AI practitioners. It is standard practice for the panel to engage participants in a conversation (conducted virtually) about their practicum. Typically, they will respond with questions to deepen their and the participant’s mutual understanding of, and learning about, AI. The practicum review is therefore a dialogical and interactive process.

Participants have up to one year from the date of their training to submit their practicum for review. During this time, your trainers make themselves available to you for mentoring and support (at no additional cost) as you work through your first inquiry. Your mentoring/support can be done via telephone, skype, zoom, etc. You and your trainers can arrange a time and platform in which to conduct these sessions. Learn more about our Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Certification requirements here.

Once certified, your Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Certification lasts for 2 years. AI Certification with the Center for Appreciative Inquiry includes:

  • Appreciative Inquiry Certification document that will be emailed to you for your records;
  • Center for Appreciative Inquiry Certification logo that you are welcome to embed on your website or include in your email signature;
  • Listing on our Appreciative Inquiry Directory. Your AI Directory listing is an editable profile page that includes your photo and professional biography that highlights your specialties, articles, videos and testimonials. Directory profiles are easy to create and update and will make you locatable by our worldwide audience. All Directory profiles will remain visible on our website for the duration of your certification. Our Appreciative Inquiry certification is good for 2 years; after which you may renew your AI certification. You can learn more about the benefits of our AI Directory here.

Additional Training Information

Venue Information

Address:

Northern Essex Community College
100 Elliott St
Haverhill, MA 01830
Lunch is included.

Hotel Suggestions:

  • Located in Newburyport, Massachusetts a 15 min drive from campus: Essex Street Inn
  • Located in Haverhill, Massachusetts a 5 minute drive to campus: Hampton Inn

Airport Options:

  • Boston-Logan International Airport – BOS
  • Manchester-Boston Regional Airport – MHT
  • Portland, Maine Jetport – PWM 
Campus Map and Parking Information

Link to Campus Map and Directions: https://www.necc.mass.edu/directions-maps/

Campus Map PDF

Parking info:  Parking is free and requires no campus registration in the Technology Center parking lot. This lot is labelled VP in the map.

Online Learning Platform

Participants will receive login information to the Center for Appreciative Inquiry’s (CAI) online learning platform closer to the training date. We will open the online platform to participants prior to the start of the training. This allows participants time to navigate the software and become acquainted with the various features and tools it offers, introduce themselves to their trainers and other AIFT participants, and access all pre-workshop reading and materials.

Please plan to bring your laptop to the college as we engage in the asynchronous work in the online learning platform (learning management system). 

COVID-19 Information Provided by Northern Essex Community College

As visitors to the campus, proof of vaccination is not required, however, we will request campus registration via a QR code at the beginning of the AIFT training.  Information in the registration will only be used for contact tracing purposes if needed.   Please know the NECC campus is a fully vaccinated campus; all employees and students on campus are vaccinated.

Refund Policy

All fees are due upon registration. Please note that travel, accommodations and hotel/airport transportation are separate. 

Your full participation is very important to us and we know that from time to time, your plans to attend one of our workshops or programs may change.  Our refund policy reflects our interest in your continued growth and learning journey as well as our planning needs and expenses incurred based on your enrollment. For more information about our Refund Policy, please click here.

Privacy Policy

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Accelerated Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (vAIFT)

What might be possible if a community of individuals were fully engaged and using their strengths to collectively achieve shared visions?

What is Appreciative Inquiry

Appreciative Inquiry is a collaborative, strengths-based approach to both personal and organizational development that is proving to be highly effective in thousands of organizations and communities in hundreds of countries around the world. It is a way of bringing about change that shares leadership and learning, fully engaging everyone in the organization.

Virtual AIFT Program Overivew

The Virtual Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (vAIFT)© Accelerated is a four-day online certification program (see specific, detailed schedule below) that engages participants to learn about the foundations and principles of Appreciative Inquiry as well as provide the skills necessary to facilitate appreciative inquiry sessions in all human systems (large or small). This course teaches the basics of Appreciative Inquiry (e.g. principles, 5-Ds, supporting theory and research, etc.) but delves deeper by providing experiential exercises that teach participants how to define the topic of inquiry, practice positive framing, work with core teams, design and field test an interview protocol, and more…

This Appreciative Inquiry foundations course includes mini-lectures, and experiential learning (individual, pairs, trios, small group, and large group) as well as auditory and visual materials to enhance the learning experience.

Training is designed for:

Leaders in businesses and corporations, community development, educational organizations, governmental organizations, and nonprofit organizations–in short, anyone who wants to learn how to facilitate Appreciative Inquiry.

Training Schedule and Hours

The virtual Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (vAIFT) is designed to be a blended learning experience. This means portions of the course will be delivered synchronously (in real-time through services like Zoom) and asynchronously (you read and participate in activities and exercises at a time/pace/place that works best for you to be ready for the synchronous session). The combination of synchronous and asynchronous work will equate to 26 training hours (same as our face-to-face AIFT program). Participants will need to complete the program in its entirety to be eligible to earn their AI Facilitator Certification, this includes participating in all synchronous sessions.

Please note: the synchronous portions of the vAIFT are highly experiential and will not be recorded. The vAIFT Trainers will be utilizing breakout rooms to develop community and trust amongst participants, conduct paired interviews, and engage in small group discussions and reflections.

vAIFT Orientation:

To ensure that all participants are off to a strong start, your vAIFT trainers will host a live orientation session via Zoom on Tuesday, October 3rd at 9:00am Pacific Time. Orientation allows you to connect with your trainers, engage with participants, become familiar with LearnDash (our online learning platform), and ask questions about pre-workshop reading and activities prior to your first vAIFT session in Zoom on October 10, 2023.

vAIFT Training Dates/Times:

The SYNCHRONOUS portion (‘real time’ learning with your vAIFT trainers). The virtual AIFT program is an intensive, accelerated program spanning over the course of 4-days. Below are the hours for live interaction and collaboration with your vAIFT trainers and cohorts:

ORIENTATION

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

TUESDAY
October 3, 2023 

9:00am-11:00am PDT

TUESDAY
October 10, 2023
9:00am-11:00am PDT
and
1:00pm-3:00pm PDT

WEDNESDAY
October 11, 2023
9:00am-11:00am PDT
and
1:00pm-3:00pm PDT

THURSDAY
October 12, 2023
9:00am-11:00am PDT
and
1:00pm-3:00pm PDT

FRIDAY
October 13, 2023
9:00am-11:00am PDT
and
1:00pm-3:00pm PDT

*Please note: all times listed above are Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)

The ASYNCHRONOUS portion of your training begins:

  • Tuesday, October 10, 2023 with introductory activities and runs throughout the 4 days of synchronous learning. You will receive login information to the Center for Appreciative Inquiry’s (CAI) online learning platform in a confirmation email after registering for the course.
vAIFT Training Segments:

AIFT is divided into 4 ‘segments’. Each segment consists of modules containing exercises, readings, and discussions.

SEGMENT I – EXPERIENCING APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY

Learn basic processes and experience AI by participating in a facilitated Appreciative Inquiry led by the Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training Trainers

SEGMENT II – UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY

Actively learn about the concepts, principles, theories and research.

SEGMENT III – PLANNING AND DESIGNING AN APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY SESSION

Plan and practice how you will begin helping your organization, group, or community build upon their strengths.

SEGMENT IV – PRACTICING APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY APPLICATIONS

  • Practice exercises you can take home to use Appreciative Inquiry in your personal and professional life.
  • Practice choosing the best language, words for facilitating Appreciative Inquiry within a particular culture.
  • Begin developing your plan to become a certified Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator by completing a Practicum/Supervised Experience.

We will start our synchronous sessions on time and work diligently to maintain the vAIFT schedule, honoring our commitment to the learning experience. We have found full participation to be the most productive for the participants and the trainers.

Key Learning Outcomes

As a fully engaged participant in the Virtual Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (vAIFT©), you will leave the workshop better able to:

  1. Create/enhance your personal way of being and doing in order to use an appreciative approach; focus on what’s right in your world, so that you can deeply inquire into what’s right and why, and then find ways of intentionally creating more of what’s right in your world.
  2. Facilitate individuals, groups, organizations, and communities to create collective ways of being and doing using an appreciative approach; that will help them focus on what’s right so that they can deeply inquire into what’s right and why, and then find ways of intentionally working with them to both create more of what’s right and envision innovation and new ways of being and doing.

Letter of Completion

To obtain a letter of completion (and to be eligible for consideration for AI Facilitator Certification) each participant must complete 26 training hours. Letters of completion include your name, date of your training, and number of classroom hours earned.

Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Certification

Each of our certification courses require a written practicum (‘narrative’) of your work. The learning management system will be accessible to you to review materials for a full year after the vAIFT. The purpose of your practicum is to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the principles of Appreciative Inquiry, its various applications, what you learned, etc. Participants will submit their practicum for review by our Practicum Review Committee which consists of 2-4 seasoned Ai practitioners. It is standard practice for the panel to engage participants in a conversation (conducted virtually) about their practicum. Typically, they will respond with questions to deepen their and the participant’s mutual understanding of, and learning about, AI. The practicum review is therefore a dialogical and interactive process.

Participants have up to one year from the date of their training to submit their practicum for review. During this time, your trainers make themselves available to you for mentoring and support (at no additional cost) as you work through your first inquiry. Your mentoring/support can be done via telephone, skype, zoom, etc. You and your trainers can arrange a time and platform in which to conduct these sessions. Learn more about our Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Certification requirements here.

Once certified, your Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Certification lasts for 2 years. AI Certification with the Center for Appreciative Inquiry includes:

  • Appreciative Inquiry Certification document that will be emailed to you for your records;
  • Center for Appreciative Inquiry Certification logo that you are welcome to embed on your website or include in your email signature;
  • Listing on our Appreciative Inquiry Directory. Your Ai Directory listing is an editable profile page that includes your photo and professional biography that highlights your specialties, articles, videos and testimonials. Directory profiles are easy to create and update and will make you locatable by our worldwide audience. All Directory profiles will remain visible on our website for the duration of your certification. Our Appreciative Inquiry certification is good for 2 years; after which you may renew your Ai certification. You can learn more about the benefits of our AI Directory here.

Additional Training Information

Online Learning Platform

Participants will receive login information to the Center for Appreciative Inquiry’s (CAI) online learning platform closer to the training date. We will open the online platform to participants prior to the start of the training. This allows participants time to navigate the software and become acquainted with the various features and tools it offers, introduce themselves to their trainers and other vAIFT participants, and access all pre-workshop reading and materials.

Refund Policy

All fees are due upon registration.  Your full participation is very important to us and we know that from time to time, your plans to attend one of our workshops or programs may change.  Our refund policy reflects our interest in your continued growth and learning journey as well as our planning needs and expenses incurred based on your enrollment. For more information about our Refund Policy, please click here.

Privacy Policy

Company of Experts.net does not sell nor share information gathered at its Web Site to any third party outside of the provider network to which it belongs. By using this Site, or by joining our e-mail distribution list, you are not identifying nor disclosing your affiliation with us, our partners, or anyone. For more information about our Privacy Policy, click here.

Terms and Conditions

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS WEBSITE. All users of this site agree that access to and use of this site are subject to the following terms and conditions and other applicable law. If you do not agree to these terms and conditions, please do not use this site. To read the complete list of Company of Experts’ terms and conditions, please click here.

Co-Creating a More Intercultural, Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive World with Appreciative Inquiry

Event Dates and Times

Webinar #1: Renew

Webinar #2: Relate

Webinar #3: Co-Create

Webinar #4: Resolve

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

February 2, 2023

February 9, 2023

February 16, 2023

February 23, 2023

9:00am-11:00am PST

12:00pm-2:00pm EST

5:00pm-7:00pm GMT

7:00pm-9:00pm SAST

9:00am-11:00am PST

12:00pm-2:00pm EST

5:00pm-7:00pm GMT

7:00pm-9:00pm SAST

9:00am-11:00am PST

12:00pm-2:00pm EST

5:00pm-7:00pm GMT

7:00pm-9:00pm SAST

9:00am-11:00am PST

12:00pm-2:00pm EST

5:00pm-7:00pm GMT

7:00pm-9:00pm SAST

Virtual Series Overview

Learn how to apply Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to create the social change of our time. This moment is opportune for AI principles and tools to help focus our work on intercultural competence, diversity, equity and inclusion (ICDEI) issues like #BlackLivesMatters, #MeToo, #Refugees Welcome and rise to the call to action. So, come prepared to collaboratively inquire into what’s working and what’s possible to create the change we want to see in our workplaces, communities and family systems.

This course is designed to support you in taking ICDEI actions with AI principles, process and tools. We invite you to come with a ICDEI project (big or small, personal or professional) that will ensure your learning through immediate application. We will help you identify the individual and collective strengths within your initiative, develop generative questions to engage in listening and storytelling for positive possibilities, and ensure you have an action plan to co-create a more interculturally competent, diverse, equitable and inclusive destiny.

We will share our expertise working in the fields of ICDEI and OD, including our theory of change and model published in an Inclusive Leadership book (2020, Routledge*). However, this course will not be a diversity, equity and inclusion training, an unconscious bias assessment, nor an anti-racism webinar. We will provide links to those resources, some which will form part of the pre-work, as there are incredible colleagues who have devoted their life and work to building ICDEI knowledge and skill set deep dives (for longer than the duration of this course permits).

This course is designed for all Appreciative Inquiry skill levels, whether you are new to AI or you’re an AI expert and yearning to incorporate ICDEI into your living AI practice. Come experience and learn how to apply our successful strengths based strategy and relational processes for systems change!

Learning Outcomes

As a result of participating in this 4-webinar series you will be able to:

– Actively contribute to a more intercultural competent, diverse, equitable and inclusive world.
– Learn bespoke ICDEI Appreciative Inquiry practice and tools.
– Work on your own ICDEI project at work, home or in your community using AI.
– Establish a learning and accountability process and community for your AI ICDEI work.
– Create an Action Plan to make your DEI project’s destiny inevitable.

Target Audience

AI practitioners and AI students, consultants, coaches, collaborative group leaders, DEI practitioners interested in AI and anyone seeking to strengthen their Appreciative Inquiry practices and tools to increase their diversity, equity and inclusion work at work, home, or in their communities.

Virtual Webinar Series

WEBINAR #1: CREATING A SAFE CONTAINER AND BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE – RENEW

We will share a relational theory of change and appreciative leadership model applied to ICDEI. We will discuss and identify various diversity markers and explore the term intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, with an additional AI lens, e.g. “how might the term serve as a meaningful metaphor for bringing out the best of women by exploring layers of strengths and wisdom developed by living with multiple forms of inequality and disadvantage” (Thriving Women, Thriving World. 2019, Taos*). We will build understanding and trust through paired work and group shared agreements. The discussions will be informed in part through ICDEI pre-readings and personal experiences of positive change.

WEBINAR #2: PROJECT-BASED WORK – RELATE

We will review and integrate AI principles, tools, and or process into each person’s identified personal or professional ICDEI project. Small groups will learn and practice a strengths-based peer mentoring and coaching “Spaciousness Thinking Partners” process to build, brainstorm and peer feedback on each project. The process involves amplifying and dreaming into what is possible.

WEBINAR #3: EMBODIED LEARNING – CO-CREATE

We will review and explore how the projects, following asynchronous project building, can go further with deeper reflection and breakthroughs on limiting beliefs. We will craft and use generative questions to center living AI and ICDEI ethos and values in your professional and personal processes. What is emerging that informs your ICDEI future? How can this be practically applied? Where do you need further support? How can you share, learn and grow as an AI ICDEI community? What are the generative questions we need to consistently and persistently be asking to grow our ICDEI strengths-based practice?

WEBINAR #4: AI ACTION PLANS IN INDIVIDUAL, COLLECTIVE, AND SYSTEMIC ICDEI INITIATIVES – RESOLVE

We will conclude harvesting the projects review and exploration. We will reflect on and converge all our key insights and emerging wisdom in order to solidify a vast toolbox for practical application post course. Our DEI resolve and resilience is explored by delving into the inner condition and external relationships (with both allies and antagonists) needed for successful action.

To strengthen our community of practice, supportive materials, resources and recommended readings will be made available, as well as between-session sharing of practices, questions, and reflections into new ways of thinking.

Method of Delivery

This course will be delivered virtually using Zoom over 4 weeks with a two-hour webinar per week. By joining the course, you also automatically join our Community of Practice and have access to the growing network of ICDEI and AI practitioners who have completed this course. Prior to this event, the facilitators will email you everything you need to participate in this course, including: your login details to join our Community of Practice Virtual Platform and online collaboration space as well as the Zoom meeting login information.

Please note: these virtual webinar sessions may be recorded for asynchronous reviewing, however, due to the experiential nature of the session and the extensive time working and learning in small groups they do not count towards certification of attendance. Asynchronous learning will focus on increasing confidence, courage, and clarity through application of our unique processes. DEI resources and Appreciative Inquiry resources from the AI commons are highlighted.

Additionally, the course is designed as project-based learning, so plan on your expertise and project thriving with up to 3 hours of asynchronous group work between each 2-hour webinar. This asynchronous work is required course work as learning application happens in this space. Total time on the course to meet the intended learning outcomes: 15 hours.