How to centre care in workshop design and delivery

When designing and delivering workshops, there can be tensions between using resources to express care and being fiscally responsible. Care is often the first thing to be compromised in the face of time, energy, and budget constraints. When the Centre for Public Impact Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand (ANZ) ran a series of workshops with the City of Melbourne and Hinterland, we wanted to explore this tension: How might we emphasise care and be fiscally responsible?

While few people will deny the value of expressing care and relationships, many feel they do not have the permission or the time to prioritise them in workshop delivery. Our experience, informed by the work of KA McKercher (Model of Care Framework), Priya Parker (Art of Gathering) and the Relationship Project, suggests that when we care about wellbeing and psychological safety, we create inclusive spaces for people to participate fully. This creates the conditions for higher quality work and an affirming experience for all. In our case, where the purpose is to support people in taking courageous steps into more expansive thinking, psychological safety is even more important.

So, what actions did we take to ensure we were being relational and demonstrating care for our participants? How did we balance time, energy, and resources with our fiscal responsibilities to create psychologically safe spaces? And what did we learn about balancing this tension?

This graphic overviews time, energy, cost considerations, and perceived contribution to psychological safety for some of the actions we did to express care. Below is a brief explanation of each activity and our intentions in expressing care for the group.

• One-on-one conversations — As part of our recruitment process, and midway through the workshops, we scheduled individual meetings with each participant. During these sessions, we listened to understand why they chose to engage with the process, what resonated with them, and what they hoped to achieve. At the midpoint, we explored their evolving needs and concerns. This approach ensured that participants felt seen and heard, allowing us to make informed design decisions for the workshops accordingly.
• Personalised coffees on arrival — In our pre-workshop communications, we were able to get the participants’ coffee orders. Upon arrival, we hoped each participant felt welcomed and appreciated by having something personalised in the room.
• Pre-workshop goodie bags — The week before the workshops, we prepared personalised tote bags containing an agenda, a journal, a bookmark, a media consent form, and some pens. The team then delivered these to participants’ workplaces or homes so they received ample information and support. By delivering these in person, we created another touchpoint before the workshops, demonstrating they were welcomed.
• Interactive map — Upon arrival, participants were greeted with a large map of Southbank and prompted to annotate it with their recommendations for the best coffee, food, or place to visit. This helped participants to form connections and share experiences, emphasising place and community. The map remained present throughout the workshops as a physical reminder of the growing connections within the group.
• Providing catered beverages throughout the day — In each workshop, a team member offered beverages to participants, making them feel pampered and providing additional touchpoints for informal check-ins.

At CPI ANZ, we believe strongly that centring care and relationships in workshops is worthwhile, valuable, and doable. Based on our experiences and feedback, this does not need to be expensive or complicated. With some thought, care can be expressed in any budget — it is the intention behind these actions that truly resonates with participants. By taking time to understand the preferences and needs of each participant, building relationships and strengthening the social infrastructure of the group, we demonstrated a genuine investment in their wellbeing and validated their presence as valued contributors.

As we embark on the next phase of our journey, we are excited to explore new ways to create environments where transformative learning and collaboration can thrive. We are committed to this approach and will continue to integrate care into the workshop design and facilitation process. We’d love to learn about what else is being done in this space, so please contact us and share how you’ve shown care for participants in your workshops.