LoP-lite

LoP-lite

Last week and this week we’ve been running what we call “LoP-lite.”

Learning on Purpose (or LoP) is our two-week leadership development course. It’s also our recommended first course in the Diaconal Ministries program, because it introduces the themes and many of the tools and practices that students will make use of throughout their program.

Of course this year, because of the pandemic – gosh I’m looking forward to writing sentences that don’t include “because of the pandemic” – we decided we couldn’t run Learning on Purpose. What we did do, though, was offer four online workshops for new students coming into the diploma or certificate programs, just to get them off on the right foot. Five students, from Ontario, New Brunswick, and Manitoba, are taking part, plus David, Janet, Marcie, and Scott representing CCS staff. The participants have been learning group planning processes, thinking about expansive language, dipping a toe into the action-reflection spiral, discussing “brave space” and how to have difficult conversations, practicing feedback, and learning in community.

It’s not a replacement for Learning on Purpose, but we hope it will help them to enter a year of studies (much of it online) with confidence.