By Danielle Rocheleau
It’s amazing to me how change can move both slowly and quickly at the same time.
How, in the throes of it, the new is so overwhelming it feels like it’s taking forever to learn. And how, after a little time, you realize you’ve moved forward faster than you ever imagined.
That is how I would describe our journey shaping the learning experiences we provide here at Laridae.
The Lifecycle of Learning at Laridae
Early Success with Training
In early 2020, our newly-launched our management training program made a pandemic pivot to online delivery using a cohort-based course model. Despite the physical distance, our participants still enjoyed building community within their class cohort, and got to know each other well during monthly course modules, coffee house chats and coaching sessions. It got us thinking quite a lot about the power of community and ways we could bring this to the forefront of the work we do at Laridae.
Launching The Pier, a Community of Practice
One year later on January 21, 2021, we launched The Pier, a membership-based community of practice for non-profit managers and leaders. Our goal was to offer weekly educational events to a cohort of learners united by their membership at The Pier.
From January to September, we offered 26 individual learning events, spanning topics from how to run community engagement projects, tips for using communications to further change management, to how to set KPIs to drive employee behaviour. The Pier also hosted an excellent “Ask the Expert” feature, wherein guests from adjacent industries serving non-profits would answer questions on matters of employment law, dealing with difficult conversations, leading change management, using technology to drive engagement, and more.
Close but not Quite
And even as we were planning and promoting weekly events and working to fine-tune and optimize this new program, we noticed our model for The Pier was close, but not quite right in its design.
While each event was rich with learning and fun to attend and experience, we soon realized the entirety of The Pier was overwhelming our busy clients: Too much content, too much commitment, too frequent. Members felt guilty when they couldn’t attend sessions. This was not our goal!
Adaptation & Transformation
We made the decision in early June to merge The Pier with our existing Training function to create a new learning program that is more suitable to our audience’s needs.
Introducing Laridae Learning
“Laridae Learning” now encompasses all educational offerings at Laridae, including our popular Management and Leadership Training programs, as well as our stand-alone learning modules for non-profit managers and leaders, which are now offered on a pay-as-you-go basis – no more yearly commitment.
On a regular, repeating basis, Laridae Learning offers in-depth learning modules and practical workshops where learners can hone their skills. Our course calendar will display 12-18 months ahead, allowing plenty of advance notice for anyone who needs to arrange for time off or who needs extra time to organize a large group.
Our upcoming course calendar includes:
Deep Dive Learning Modules
These are three-hour online courses created in the format of Laridae’s existing Management and Leadership Training modules. Instructors will lead a deep dive into a topic of immediate relevance to non-profits, such as Finance for Non-Finance Managers, Giving and Receiving Feedback, or Leading through Change. Deep Dives will be offered nearly every month.
Deep Dive Anti-Oppression Learning
Hosted by community experts on matters of anti-racism and anti-oppression and offered a few times throughout the year, these important modules will be free to individuals working in non-profits who wish to grow their understanding of equity, inclusion and diversity.
Booster Workshops
These are one-hour, hands-on sessions that enable participants to practice a specific skill. Boosters are designed to follow a Deep Dive on a corresponding topic but are excellent skills development opportunities all on their own.
50% Discount for Laridae Alumni
Speaking of community, we’ve witnessed some powerful relationships form during our Management Training and Leadership Development programs. Cohorts often graduate these programs with a new sense of belonging within the non-profit sector, and with the ongoing support of like-minded people in jobs much like their own.
To help graduates maintain a path of professional growth, we’re offering alumni of Laridae’s Management Training Program and Leadership Development Program a 50% discount on all Laridae Learning Deep Dives and Booster workshops.
And even if you’re not a Laridae alumni, you can receive the same discount on any Booster workshop when you register for the corresponding Deep Dive.
Laridae Learning 2021-22 Learning Event Schedule
You can view our upcoming 2021-22 learning event schedule here.
Registration is closing soon for the upcoming Giving and Receiving Feedback and Non-Profit Governance Essentials Deep Dives.
Classes are limited to 20 participants, but we would be happy to discuss delivering any of our courses in a private session for teams from the same organizations.
To learn more about Laridae Learning, or to book private sessions, or to discuss Management and Leadership Training options and pricing, you can contact us via the form below.