The Just Listening Approach:

LELAN was introduced to the Just Listening approach by the Humane Clinic. It is described below.

'Just listening is simple – two people sitting or standing together, a listener and a person with a story to share. This approach can be facilitated anywhere, any time and in any community.

Listening can be a just exercise, offering justice both to the person narrating their personal reality and to the person listening. In the process of deep listening we hear both ourselves and the other person and can honour the truth of each person' [justlistening.com.au]

Just Listening may look different for different people, depending on where you are, your purpose and your capacity to commit time.

It may be someone heading to the same community space for one hour each week and setting up two chairs to be joined by anyone walking by
It could be someone offering the Just Listening approach as a starting point to the people that attend the self-help group they want to start
It could look like a regular Connection & A Cuppa session held online via Zoom
It might be letting your family or friends know that you are available for a Just Listening chat if that would be helpful

The exciting thing is that there is no limit to what your version of Just Listening could look like.

The Focus of this Workshop:

There will be two parts to this workshop. People may choose to come to the first session only or to both parts.

Part One (10am-12pm) will be an introduction to the Just Listening approach, exploring the value of providing a space for connection in community and with family or friends, what it broadly looks like in practice and tips on making it work for you and the people you sit with.

Part Two (1-3pm) will be an open conversation exploring individual ideas that participants bring about how they might use the Just Listening approach in their own lives.