Kirsty Lewis focuses her new festival planning on the different themes and workshops we need
For those of you who missed the previous blog, let me catch you up:
- SOFest is THE new festival for facilitators, trainers, coaches and consultants
- It is a place to connect, learn and share on all things facilitation and training
- It is happening in the UK in 2025, specifically 10-12 June, Essex
Imagine walking through a glade of trees with a lake by your side, along a path that leads you to a large field filled with tipis, yurts, a campfire and 120 people. That is what SOFest is going to be like, no stuffy hotel or boring conference centre. I am even holding out for sunshine!
It’s all in the mix
I knew I wanted to create a festival that is built on a mix of speakers, workshops, activities, communal meals and plenty of downtime for connection and conversation. It has to be dynamic, engaging and gives ownership over to the attendees to choose what they want to do, when and where.
With the workshops we’re not talking your everyday run-of-the-mill stuff here. These workshops are packed with cutting-edge techniques, real-world applications, and fresh perspectives. I want people to be able to add new tools to their toolkit or deepen their practice. Leaving with an ‘AHA’ is one of the outcomes.
I think the four workshop zones cater to all our facilitator needs:
- The Playground – space to learn new techniques and experiment
- Client Corner – time to think about proposals, pricing and your client principles
- The Business Lab – how exactly can we manage our businesses, when we started out wanting to share our passions?
- The Heart Centre – creating space for some zen and calm, to centre and come back to ourselves
There will be 16 workshops, over three days that span the four zones. Each 90-minute workshop is hosted by a facilitator or trainer, someone like you or me who is passionate about their topic, their thing. Everyone applied and submitted their idea for the workshop.
Here is a flavour of some of the workshop topics and the hosts:
- Building a business on recommendations without relying on social media – Naomi Graham
- The Body as an Intelligent System – Using Body wisdom to increase performance, presence & peace – Rachel Allan
- No two facilitators are alike – How to elevate your facilitation style with the power of creative intelligence – Hanne Kristian
- What are the factors that determine learning transfer a success? – Melanie Martinelli from the Learning Transfer Institute
- The importance of pausing – Fiona McBride
One thing that is really important to me is fostering a sense of community. By being there, you’re contributing to a culture of learning and support. You’ll be part of a community that values collaboration and growth, creating lasting friendships and professional relationships that extend beyond the festival.
I look forward to meeting you in the field later this year.
Kirsty Lewis is founder of School of Facilitation and architect of the SOFest learning event.
