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Different Lenses, Different Visions: (for Political Leaders and Activists)
Understanding and Influencing Political Behavior Based on Different Moral Perspectives
Do you ever wonder what motivates individuals to vote for or against an issue? To a large extent, voters make their decision on issues based on their own “moral lenses”: how they view the world and believe it should be. People operating at lower levels see issues in black and white, right and wrong; those operating at higher levels, see shades of gray and complexity in moral issues.
Why should difference this matter to political leaders and activists? Many, including George Lakoff, author of the widely acclaimed Don’t Think of an Elephant, have opined about the Culture War that rages in the U.S., in which the progressive and orthodox “camps” each compete for the support of the “movable middle.” Typically these camps are described as morally equivalent; however, a close examination of these camps in light of widely accepted moral development theory tells a different story. These theories also provide concrete strategies for how to move individuals from lower to higher levels of moral thinking, by helping them to personalize issues and by presenting them with moral dilemmas.
In this workshop, participants will gain:
Format : This topic typically is offered as a 75-90 minute presentation or as a 3-5 hour workshop, depending on group needs and time availability.
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Different Lenses, Different Visions: (for Sexuality and Health Educators)
Understanding and Dealing with Resistance and "Moral" Opposition to your Programs
Do you ever feel that, no matter how you address certain issues or programs, someone is going to object to it on “moral grounds?” Have you ever been accused of being “immoral,” undermining the family, or “promoting” something wrong or evil just because you’re doing your job? Do you ever wonder what makes some opponents so passionate about their issues that they seem unable to hear or understand any perspective other than their own? Do you get frustrated when the existing strong support for your program gets overshadowed by a handful of outspoken critics?
In this presentation/workshop, Dr. Evonne Hedgepeth examines the divergent moral visions of both “camps” of the Culture War and places them on moral development hierarchies. She then explores the implications of this analysis for managing controversial programs, suggesting concrete strategies for administrators to face program challenges more confidently and successfully and to rally the support of the “silent majority.”
Reported outcomes of this presentation/workshop include:
Format : This topic typically is offered as a 75-90 minute presentation or as a 2-3 hour workshop, depending on group needs and time availability.
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Effective Sexuality/HIV Education: What Works and Why
Based on a review of research and effective programs, as well as on her 25 years of successful experience as a sexuality educator, Dr. Hedgepeth reviews and explains the ten essential elements of effective sexuality or HIV education. These include:
Format: Typically offered as a keynote presentation or as a workshop.
Finding Common Ground on Abstinence and Sexuality Education
Workshop I:
“ Through Different Lenses”
“We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are.”
Individuals view the world (and how they think it should be) through their own “moral lenses.” Often these perspectives are reflected in organized groups involved in cultural struggles over social issues including abstinence and comprehensive sexuality education. In the first of three coordinated sessions, Dr. Evonne
Hedgepeth describes the two philosophical “camps” in the Culture War and how each views the proper role and character of abstinence/sexuality education.
Outcomes: increased understanding of the conflict and increased willingness to work together to find common ground
Workshop II and III:
Finding Common Ground
In these sessions, learners participate in a series of exercises working in groups to identify shared values and beliefs about sexuality, including the rights and responsibilities of youth, the proper role of the school and the rights of parents. Guidelines and strategies for working more effectively together to serve youth also are provided.
Outcomes: increased awareness of existing common ground and shared objectives in serving all youth, including marginalized groups
Format: These workshops are best offered in a 2-1/2 day residential training in a retreat setting.
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GLBTQ Youth and Their Substance Use Issues
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and “questioning” youth are at much higher risk for substance abuse than heterosexual youth, due to social stigma and rejection, secret-keeping and associated shame. Such youth often beginning using substances to help dull their emotional pain, and can and often do progress to serious substance use.
This training lays groundwork by examining the unusual challenges faced by GLBTQ youth and then focuses on substance use specifically: drugs of preference, heightened risks and specific strategies for working with youthful clients in recovery.
Training Objectives:
Format : Typically offered as a one and a half hour presentation to large groups or as a one day to one-and-a-half day training which includes a panel presentation by GLBT youth and skill-building scenarios specific to chemical dependency counseling.
KNOW HIV/AIDS
A Washington-State developed and approved HIV/STD prevention curriculum for Grades 9-12. Dr. Hedgepeth has served as one of the co-authors of this curriculum and has provided trainings for Washington school districts on this curriculum since its development in the late 1980s.
Format : Typically sponsored by a school district and offered as a full day training, with evening HIV/STD update session.
Leading More Effective Staff Meetings
Even under normal circumstances, running a staff meeting can feel like “herding cats.” In this era of increased pressure on staff due to reduced budgets and understaffing, however, meetings may be even more anxiety-laden and difficult to manage. Having the knowledge and skills to run an effective meeting can help a leader in any professional setting maximize staff performance and minimize workplace stress.
A key element to holding successful meetings in today’s work environment is making all staff feel like valued contributors and co-owners in what happens. In this training, participants review the dynamics, guiding principles and strategies of effective staff meetings including:
"Less is More": Teaching the Key Concepts
As teachers and trainers are given more and more content they are "supposed" to teach, this tried and true theoretical approach to teaching and learning becomes especially useful. Some see teaching as "filling up the vessel (learners)" with an assortment of facts, figures and learning experiences, in the hopes that they eventually will make sense of it all and get the main ideas. The reality is that learners forget most of what they learn from this style of teaching almost immediately-and thus may never gain the key understandings they need about your topic.
The "less is more" approach cuts to the chase, so to speak, by focusing on only the most essential concepts within the content, helping learners make immediate connections between what they already know and your content area, and then building facts onto that conceptual foundation. Based on Piagetian theory, this approach has been shown to be the most effective approach to helping learners acquire knowledge in the cognitive domain (facts and concepts).
Format : This workshop is typically provided as a 3-4 hour offering, often in conjunction with a keynote address on other education-related topics (see "Different Lenses, Different Visions: Dealing with 'Moral' Opposition to your Programs" NO FEAR: Preventing and Stopping School Harassment and Violence and "Effective Sexuality/HIV Education: What Works and Why")
Making Healthy Choices
This comprehensive, integrated human development/sexuality education curriculum for ages 14-21 is the best of its kind, with 63 theory-based lessons reinforcing conceptual and skill-based threads throughout eight topic units including an Introduction, Life Cycle, Sexual Health, Gender, Attraction, Relationships, Exploitation and Violence, and Families.
Although originally developed for high risk and incarcerated youth, by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Making Healthy Choices has attracted the attention of numerous school districts, which will use it with general high school populations, especially in alternative programs. The curriculum may be ordered on-line by visiting the Washington State Dept. of Printing.
Lifespan Education staff designed the curriculum, trained a cadre of faculty, and conducted the formative pilot-testing on five of the units. We are available to design site-appropriate staff trainings on this unusual and cutting edge curriculum.
Format : Depending on the number of units selected and the specific needs of the learners, this training ranges from a one day introduction to the curriculum to five days covering all eight units.
Making Schools Safe for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,
Transgender and Questioning Students
Numerous studies have documented the fact that gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning (GLBTQ) youth (along with others falsely presumed to be GLBT), are the prime targets for relentless school harassment and violence. GLBTQ youth are more likely to be taunted and assaulted, have their property destroyed, and suffer harassment on school grounds and off. In general, they hear anti-gay epithets, usually ignored by teachers and other school personnel, an average of 26 times a day.
As a consequence, they avoid certain areas of school and classes, have difficulty concentrating, experience depression or illness, skip school, drop out, and, occasionally, carry a weapon for protection (which increases their risk for harm).
This training is intended for all school personnel who play a role in making a school climate safe and respectful for all its children: e.g., administrators and school board members, teachers, coaches, counselors, school nurses, secretaries, bus drivers and janitors.
Training Objectives:
Format : Typically offered as a full day training for teachers and other school staff, and as a 3-4 hour training for administrators, parent groups and school boards.
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No Fear: Preventing and Stopping School Harassment and Violence
Psychologists have developed "profiles" of bullies and school shooters, in an attempt to understand the underlying causes for harassment and school violence. To date, prevention strategies have focused largely on promoting increased security for schools, such as reporting systems, surveillance cameras, metal detectors, guards and searches at the door.
Dr. Hedgepeth suggests that we must also examine what's happening in the school as the context in which such violence occurs. If the problem boils down to troubled youth, why do they choose the school in which to vent their rage and why, often, do they target random as well as specific victims? Much about the environment in modern schools is psychologically unhealthy, creating a medium in which school violence and harassment can flourish. In many ways, this environment simply reflects the culture outside the school; some dynamics, however, are unique to the large public school. In this presentation, Dr. Hedgepeth examines unhealthy social dynamics, such as competition, violent rhetoric, elitism, anonymity, strict gender roles, uninterrupted harassment, cultural/gender privilege and social intolerance, and suggests some concrete strategies for improving the "health" of schools.
Format : This offering is currently available both as a keynote/large group presentation (such as for professional conferences, PTA meetings, voluntary organizations, etc.) and/or as a presentation followed by strategy-development workshop (4-6 hours depending on group needs and time available).
Reducing the Risk
This HIV prevention curriculum, developed and tested by ETR Associates of Santa Cruz, Ca., emphasizes role play and other creative strategies to affect learning. This highly effective program is listed among the Center for Disease Control's "programs that work" because of its documented positive impacts on specific student risk-taking behavior. Dr. Hedgepeth was trained by EDC and ETR Associates to train teachers on the implementation of this curriculum.
Format : Typically offered as a full day training, sponsored by a school district.
Sex, Gender and Attraction: The Differences and Why They Matter
When a colleague calls and says they have a client who is having a problem with their "sexual identity," what might s/he mean? (There are at least three possible answers, depending on how the colleague defines “sexual identity”!) What's the difference between "sex" and "gender"? Between gender role identity and sexual orientation? What's the difference between being transgendered and transsexual? Where do cross-dressers fit in? What's the accurate (and respectful) terminology for someone identifies as neither male nor female? Is it possible for someone to be “asexual”?
We have a crisis of ambiguous, overlapping and conflicting language among professionals when it comes to discussing and explaining gender and sexuality concepts. We often muddle them up together, confusing not only ourselves but our clients and students as well. Dr. Hedgepeth's taxonomy of gender and sexuality* provides helpful guidance in teasing out the separate concepts and understanding their distinctions, no matter what terminology you choose to use.
This workshop is useful for educators, counselors, medical providers, clergy, social service providers, employers, human resource directors, trainers and any others who work with clients who may ask questions or have issues about sexuality and gender.
Format : Two-three hour workshop or one hour presentation.
Sexual Diversity: A Workplace Issue for Employees and Managers
Some people wonder why it is appropriate to address issues of sexual diversity in the workplace as part of an agency’s diversity program. Here are some good reasons:
Most organizations realize that having all employees feel included and respected in their work environment ultimately affects the “bottom line.” When diversity training does not appropriately address these issues, GLBT people feel they don’t really count in the organization. Sexual diversity training sends a strong message that all employees are valued members of the team.
Managers face a special challenge in acknowledging the rights of individuals to hold their own beliefs about this issue while creating an inclusive environment for everyone. The manager-specific version of this training addresses such topics as promoting professional behaviors among all staff, dealing with opposition to inclusive policies, ensuring that GLBT client needs are appropriately addressed, and articulating the difference between “affirming” diversity and “promoting” a particular group.
Teaching about Sexuality and HIV (TASH)
Based on the nationally acclaimed book Teaching about Sexuality and HIV: Principles and Methods for Effective Education* by Evonne Hedgepeth and Joan Helmich, this 3 day intensive, residential training is designed for professionals who are teaching and training on topics within the human development/sexuality field including abstinence, pregnancy and parenting, gender issues, sexual orientation, relationships, domestic violence, sexual abuse and assault, contraception, STDs/HIV, and others.
It consists of a series of integrated, developmental workshops on such topics as . .
Format : This training typically is advertised as 3 day training, with general enrollment, but also can be scheduled at the specific request of an organization or agency. Because it is developmental in nature, and not a "conference," learners are encouraged to attend all of the sessions.
The “Menu Model”©: Planning Effective Presentations and Educational Sessions
Want to learn a surefire method for designing theory-based, effective learning sessions? This planning model, developed by Dr. Hedgepeth, Jeff Gould and the Making Healthy Choices curriculum team, may be just what you looking for, whether you are planning lessons for classroom settings, workshops for professionals, keynote presentations or even some written communications (such as personal letters or articles).
The Menu Model is based on Piagetian and social learning theories and originally was created to provide a standardized, simplified format for use by non-professional educators. However, it has proven to be a very useful tool for professional trainers and educators as well. It consists of four elements, which vary depending on whether the session is primarily cognitive or skill focused:
Setting the Table |
assessing your learners |
The Appetizer |
engaging interest in the topic or, if a skill-based lesson, explaining a skill |
The Entrée |
elaborating on the topic, or modeling the skill |
The Dessert |
crystallizing the lesson, or giving skill practice |
Format : This training can be offered in a 2-4 hour format, depending on time available and amount of skill-building practice desired. For professional conferences, this offering can be coordinated with a related keynote address (see "Effective Sexuality Education: What Works and Why" and "Different Lenses, Different Visions: Dealing with 'Moral' Opposition to your Programs")
The Eye of the Beholder: Preventing Sexual Harassment
Description coming soon
The Magic of Effective Training
This general training of trainers was developed for professionals both new and experienced in the training field-i.e., subject area experts who newly find themselves placed in a training role, individuals just starting out on their quest to be professional trainers, or experienced trainers who want to polish their skills, learn new strategies and gain a fresh perspective.
It consists of a series of integrated workshops on such topics as . . .
Format : This 2-4 day training typically is sponsored by an agency or business for its employees, rather than being offered for general enrollment; however, both options are possible, or some combination of both (i.e., an agency or business can sponsor the offering, enroll some of its employees, and make slots available to other organizations on a per person fee basis.).
Understanding and Working with GLBTQ Youth and Families
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and “questioning” youth are at higher risk for a variety of psychological and social problems, including running away, school harassment, sexual abuse, homelessness, substance abuse, prostitution, unplanned pregnancy, STDs/HIV, and suicide. This increased risk is not because of their sexual orientation or gender identity per se, but rather due to social stigma, rejection and secret-keeping.
On the other hand, youth who grow up in families headed by gays or lesbians suffer no exceptional difficulties; in fact, they are as successive, on all measures, as children raised by heterosexual parents.
This training is intended for various professionals who want to work more sensitively and effectively with GLBTQ youth or families: social workers, foster parents, mental health therapists, chemical dependency counselors, clergy, school personnel and other youth-serving individuals.
Training Objectives:
Format : Typically offered as a one day to one-and-a-half day training, including a panel presentation by GLBT youth and case scenarios specific to different professional roles.
The relationship between coaches and their athletes is unique. Athletes depend on coaches to help them develop into star performers. The coach commits much time and energy to this goal and fosters a close, productive relationship with the athletes.
Most coaches are able to recognize the difference between appropriate bonding with athletes and abuse of power. But the relationship is fraught with risks, either real or apparent. Knowing how to avoid these pitfalls is crucial, for coaches, their districts and the individual athletes.
In this workshop, participants will . . .
1) Learn how to recognize the line between a positive coaching relationship and sexual harassment or exploitation.
2) Know how to recognize and report abuse of athletes by other adults
3) Learn how to avoid inappropriate or compromising situations.
4) Learn about the impacts of harassment and exploitation on athletes.
This workshop addresses RCW 180-87-080 of the Wa. State Code of Professional Conduct for Education Practitioners and falls under the “Liability Training” category for coaching clock hours.
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Working with Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Clients
Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people represent at least 10 percent of clients served by any organization. They have their own unique needs and realities that have significant implications for the care they receive from professionals. These include, among other things, their stage of “coming out,” family of origin issues, internalized and externalized homophobia, sociocultural factors within the GLBT communities, unique medical concerns, and generational factors.
Service providers who are aware of these issues and realities and make their agency environment “welcoming and affirming” increase the likelihood that 1) GLBT clients will receive needed services; and 2) they will continue to seek the services of that provider. This training is designed to further those goals.
Audience: Teachers, community health educators, health care providers, mental health counselors, substance abuse counselors, and other human services professionals
Training Objectives:
Learner Comments: The Regional Service Network in Mount Vernon, Washington, compiled information from 60 evaluations from three clinical trainings and obtained the following results:
“Excellent trainer—one of the best I’ve seen.”
“Excellent job covering basic definitions/assumptions while applying to complex clinical/school/workplace situations, creating a safe place focus to process potentially controversial issues.”
“It should be offered widely and regularly.”
Format : Trainings typically are offered in a full day format and tailored to different professional audiences. Includes a panel of GLBT consumers and skill-building scenarios specific to the professional role.
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