The Emerging Kind Peer Group Facilitator (tEK PGF) Training Information
The tEK Project is currently funded by the Missing Kind Charity as a kindness project to help people in the community who are going through a challenging spiritual transformation process access a ‘Safe Space’ support group, where they can feel heard and connect with Peers who understand and have also had similar experiences, as a way of supporting their psychological wellbeing.
How tEK Project Emerged
The Emerging Kind project came about due to the outcomes of the #Emerging Proud campaign, which launched in May 2017. #Emerging Proud provides a platform to give those people who feel they have not had a voice, the chance to speak out and tell the world how they found a way out of their own darkness; a celebration of the positive transformation potential of these experiences, whilst at the same time acknowledging how challenging they can be, and what support is helpful during the process.
The feedback from the 14 countries that took part in the international Emerging Proud launch addressing the question “What do we need to create a society in which it’s safer to talk about our madness?”, clearly stated that we needed ‘Safe Space’ support groups, where people going through a spiritual emergence could go to feel validated, supported, and to make sense of their processes without worrying about being pathologised or judged.
The Emerging Kind project is focused on setting up ‘Safe Space’ groups to support people in spiritual emergence. Peers who have been through what they perceive as their own spiritual emergence, are being trained as Peer Group Facilitators with the aim to set up local in- person groups where people can go to access support and to talk openly.
The training of the first cohort of Peers was facilitated by Elizabeth Sabet of ACISTE (www.aciste.org) and seed- funded by the UK Charity, The Missing Kind (http://missingkind.org) whose work focuses on spreading Kindness; hence the name, The Emerging Kind! tEK are now delivering our own UK training program which has been inspired by, and co – developed with ACISTE and Linda Allen of KindaListening.
tEK PGF’s will now receive Kinda Listening training, as a foundation for the group facilitator skill set.
What is Kinda Listening?
The responsibility for healthy communication and connection lies within each of us to develop skills and capacity to support each other in our community. Deep listening and empowering conversation training has been created by Linda Allen, to bring back and enhance these vital communication skills to improve our connection and wellbeing.
Kinda Listening training teaches skills in listening to ourselves and each other, so that we can create a ‘safe space within’ to empower us to have the strength to hold a safe space for others.
“Suicide is everybody’s business and any one of us could have the opportunity to save a life” Ruth Sutherland – Chief Executive of the Samaritans
Why become a tEK PGF?
By taking part and possibly becoming a trained tEK PGF, you will be helping to achieve the predicted outcomes for tEK project: social impact (aligned with the Objects of tMK)
·Advancement of health / the saving of lives: Research into what is most important for people experiencing this awakening process and preventing associated distress, (including possible suicide), says that the most important interventions are reducing isolation and providing validation of personal experience; tEK aims to provide this to approx. 400 people internationally over the first year (average 10 people per Peer Support Group)
· Empowering individuals to make a difference to people, planet and animals: Facilitating the development of compassionate, self- sufficient local support groups, spreading kindness and skill- sharing and seeding their own kindness projects in line with their unique passions
· Increasing inclusivity and connectivity: Through introducing ‘The Emerging Kind’ to each other, in their geographical locations, to mobilise in- person connections irrespective of class, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, or anything else that can lead to separation.
· Education and Training: To develop awareness- raising opportunities, through learning and sharing information.
Expectations of you if you agree to take part:
• Complete the Kinda Listening pre- training webinar series and exercises.
• Undergo a 14 session online training course in Peer Group Facilitation with our UK Trainer Linda Allen
• Commit to take part in regular liaison with Katie Mottram to report progress and mutually organise a free community screening of the #Emerging Proud film to initiate your support group post- training
• Operate under the ethical guidelines of the KL+ tEK training
• Commit to regular mentor sessions with Linda as required
• Commit to setting up a self- sufficient regular Peer support group posttraining in your local area.
• Take part in evaluation questionnaires / blogs / video interviews
What you’ll receive in return for your commitment:
• Free Kinda Listening and Peer Group Facilitator Training
• Becoming part of The Emerging Kind UK Peer network
• Free #Emerging Proud film screening brought to your local area to assist initiating your local support group
• Free advertising for your local group on the Emerging Proud websites
• Knowing that your kindness is potentially helping to reduce crisis or even save lives
The tEK PGF training process: I’m interested, so what Next?
Be quick – places are limited and time is short! Please email: emergingkind@missingkind.org
You will then be contacted by Linda regarding the next step of the process. Thank you for your interest in joining the Emerging Kind team; we are very grateful!
Our Vision… Communities where individuals feel empowered to share and connect to support themselves and each other, to evolve wellbeing.
Our Mission… Sharing of knowledge and enhancement of innate skills, so that individuals feel supported and empowered to make a difference to themselves and others; to ‘Emerge Kind’
Values… CONNECTION – Connecting with Self and others is at the heart of mental. emotional and spiritual health
CURIOSITY – Being curious about behaviour and narrative will set the foundations for learning, growth and connection
COMMUNICATION – Listening and empowering conversation enables connection, empathy, synergy, creativity and wellbeing
SHARING – Sharing knowledge and wisdom through education, training, coaching and supervision to enhance skills
EMPOWERMENT – Empowering ourselves and others is key to living our best life and co-creating sustainable communities
FLEXIBILITY – Responding effectively to new awareness and information to maintain higher intentions
EVOLUTION – There is always something to learn from every experience and every interaction – for raising consciousness
Reframing Mental distress as a potential catalyst for positive change 