Give it Away - Giving, Gifting, and Gratitude
Workshop Title: Give it Away - Giving, Gifting, and Gratitude

Description of Presentation:
Participants will develop an understanding and appreciation of sharing an established culture of giving, gifting, and gratitude. With natural materials (bone, rock, leather), we will create small gifts including rings, bracelets, and necklaces. Attendees will explore important factors of intention, meaning-making, ethics, and sincerity in the process of creating and sharing gifts with clients, co-workers, parents, visitors, and friends. Each participant will leave the workshop with a completed gift and the skills necessary to recreate the experience within their own work environment. Focus will be on both the hard skills of creating the jewelry and the larger process of growing a positive organizational culture.

Why this presentation/workshop is of value to residential and wilderness therapy practitioners?
Giving gifts is a complex and important part of human interaction, helping to define relationships and strengthen bonds with family and friends. It is often the giver, rather than the recipient, who reaps the biggest gains from the act of gifting. Policy and procedures, program culture, and fear, can tempt people and programs to opt out of a gift giving culture altogether. Programs who refuse to accept or exchange gifts miss out on important and profound connections. In this presentation we will provide participants with the opportunity to make a gift and to “give it away”. We want participants to come away from this presentation encouraged to promote giving within their program cultures.

Preview:
