One of the ways we partner with leaders in child welfare and adjacent systems is through Breakthrough Sessions. These one to three day unique, immersive experiences allow leaders the chance to step away from their day to day work to dive deep into a concept or challenge they are looking to address, to guide their work moving forward.
Breakthrough Sessions combine two key elements: facilitation of innovation and problem-solving, and an atmosphere of radical hospitality. At Alia, we aim to mobilize your team to find breakthrough solutions to your most pressing challenges. Participants of our Breakthrough Sessions are given a general agenda beforehand and told they will not go hungry at Alia. Some participants have difficulty not knowing what our time together will be like. Some have anticipated it as training and bring their computer to take notes, others come as they have been “voluntold” to and are skeptical about taking time away from work with their already busy schedules.
Team Alia spends hours beforehand planning out thought-provoking questions, activities, and reflection time to take the group on a journey. Participants, extroverts and introverts alike, are at once energized by the time together and exhausted by the brain power used to innovate around a challenge, to see something in a new light, or to build consensus among their group on where they are going next. One participant noted, "I loved your approach which allowed us to create/respond and then you are doing the hard lift of organizing our responses!”
Team Alia prioritizes creating a highly productive, comfortable, and welcoming environment through a concept we call "radical hospitality." We maintain a clean space, supply delicious meals (even your favorite snacks and drinks, if you fill out the pre-survey!), provide plenty of fidget toys to keep you focused, and prioritize breaks to meet everyone’s bio needs. We also incorporate frequent opportunities for movement throughout the day – adding post-its to a wall, going on walks with a partner, sitting on the couch in our living room, or trying the corner trampoline! This atmosphere is meant to cultivate safety, where new solutions can emerge in shared moments of joy, hope, and genuine connection.
We know the work towards keeping children safely with their families is a massive challenge, that often leads to being overwhelmed and burnt out. As your hosts, we will help your team find renewed clarity and purpose as you discover what is truly needed to achieve your most ambitious goals – catalyzing your next steps of change together.