Solution Focused practice is an approach to foster positive change effectively and in a considerably shorter amount of time than other approaches. It was developed in 1980’s by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg as Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and has since been worldwide used across different fields, such as therapy, social work, coaching, training, business, management, education, facilitation, project management, etc.

Solution Focused practice is having a massive impact on all aspects of education and is associated with making a massive difference in behaviour, attendance, school achievement, leadership and staff morale. It provides a simple framework for managing influential conversations between professionals and young people/children/families, which have the capacity to improve:

• well-being of families, children or young people
• parental support and cooperation
• school attendance
• learning
• behaviour
• relationships
• enthusiasm and job satisfaction
• burnout prevention

On 1st and 2nd February 2020, Ribalon Institute is proudly hosting two special guests from United Kingdom and offering you a 2-day Masterclass for Slovenian professionals working with families, children and young people in school settings, social services youth field or another educational sector.

Ben Scott trained in Solution Focused Practice with BRIEF in London, and has since gone on to receive accreditation with UKASFP (UK Association of Solution Focused Practice). Ben works in the Education department of Bedford Borough Local Authority, co-ordinating a schools-based Solution Focused service, and providing targeted Solution Focused training to senior school staff. This training targets family support workers, pastoral leads, and Heads of Year. In addition, Ben uses Solution Focused Practice when volunteering for ‘Azalea’, a charity that supports women to exit from sexual exploitation and that offers mentoring to men who purchase sex and wish to quit doing so.

Greg Oberbeck has been using the Solution Focused approach for over seven years now, working with families as part of an ‘edge of care’ team within Essex County Council. In addition to working with families, Greg helps to develop practice through regular workshops, SF supervision as well as SF trainings. He has also wanted to continue to do more with the approach, and so over the past few years has been working with the Young Women’s Trust, providing SF telephone coaching and also has an online-based private practice. Like Ben, Greg has also been trained in Solution Focused Practice with BRIEF in London and is also received accreditation with the UKASFP.

In January 2019 Ben, Greg and Biba have formed a new organisation in the UK called SF Possibilities, at which they are designing and delivering face-to-face and online training courses in Solution Focused practice in the UK and beyond with the mission of keeping the practice succinct, minimalistic and straightforward. Some of their work you will be able to experience in this two-day Masterclass, which will be geared specifically towards teachers, psychologists, learning support staff, mentors, youth workers, social workers and any other professionals working with children, young people or whole families. The course will be in English, with occasional Slovenian translation upon demand.

In the February 2-day Masterclass, you will learn all the essential skills of Solution Focused tools and techniques and will be able to start putting them into practice as soon as you return to work. Full course content can be accessed here. To book your place, please visit https://forms.gle/QfCvkzCVkVJusJsm8. The cost for the whole Masterclass is 320 eur. One day bookings are also possible (170 eur). For all the queries, contact Biba at biba@ribalon.org. We are very much looking forward to seeing you in February!

Ben, Biba & Greg

Click here for detailed course content.