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There’s a new style on the cusp of being huge… ‘Unconferencing’. ‘Unconferencing’ is an event that takes place annually in the Hunter Valley Hotel Academy, however, there is no reason why you cannot apply the same principles to your own conferences or meetings. Without disregarding the idea of a leader and reaching goals, ‘Unconferencing’ uses key agitators who bring their wisdom and knowledge to the different groups involved. As the name suggests, ‘Unconferencing’ aims to remove the classic boardroom style of a meeting by creating a more open forum where participation is encouraged from all. The ‘Unconference’ style works best for groups of under 150 people in order to give each person a chance to share and also to instill a sense of community with your attendants. Whether you use this exercise as a new conference style or as a team building activity it is sure to engage you and your staff. Innovative companies like the ‘Do Lectures’ have designed a model similar to the ‘Unconference’ idea although it is more closely aligned to a festival than a conference. The idea involves bringing together people who inspire change to speak and share their ideas with like-minded others, which can be achieved by hosting your conference in a way that is more informal and comfortable for your attendants, such as live music and camping together for a couple of days! This is a great way to animate change in your work place and host team building exercises that will bring you closer together and also working more efficiently as a team! Peppers Salt Resort and Spa Peppers Salt Resort & Spa is a fully-contained conference, accommodation and event destination. The breathtaking location – Kingscliff, a charming coastal village at the edge of an unspoilt beach, combined with world-class facilities and fantastic catering make this resort ideal for corporate conferences, executive meetings, seminars and incentives. For more information on this resort click here! Mercure Portsea and Portsea Golf Club Located within walking distance to the Portsea Village and the serene beaches of Port Phillip Bay, The Portsea Golf Club and Mercure is perfectly suited for conferencing, incentives and leisure trips! The Mercure is a fully integrated development incorporating the Portsea Golf Club, adjoining the Point Nepean National Park. Read more on this beach side venue! Destination... Gold Coast Renowned for its magnificent beaches, world heritage listed rainforest and bronzed inhabitants; the Gold Coast is one of Australia’s most visually astounding destinations. But this city is not just a pretty face; its world-class convention centre, plethora or venues and attractions, and vibrant buzz makes the Gold Coast a fantastic option for your next corporate event. The versatility of this city never ceases to amaze, with venues large enough for any sized delegation, as well as a multitude of smaller venues for a more intimate experience. BRA Happenings 2015 has kicked off with a bang! This year we say farewell to Nell who has been running marketing and warm welcome to Sally who will now be in charge of managing all things marketing. We are also very excited to be organising several famils, the first of which is a breakfast at the gorgeous new Sheraton Melbourne in April, the date to be confirmed. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to receive the latest news! An insiders guide to... With the new year rolling in, a new newsletter segment was sure to follow. We here at BRA have convinced the experts of their trades to let us, and you, in on their secrets. Over the next few newsletters we will feature interviews with professionals in the conferencing and events industry. To kick things off we have been lucky enough to chat with the crew at Trippas White Group, one of Australia’s leading restaurant and catering companies. Book review by Katarina Cobain The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Rachel Joyce This is a lovely little book hiding much more in its pages than it appears to on the surface. The man, just at the beginning of his retirement, leaves his house to drop off a letter at a post box, but after walking to the closest one he decides to walk a bit further to the next one. Somewhere along this walk he comes to the decision to actually self-deliver the letter on the other side of England. So, the walk commences and he leaves his wife and “life” behind. He’s not prepared as he has left the house wearing only his t-shirt, pants and sailing shoes but he keeps going. On the journey he meets many different people, listens to their stories and confronts many of his own buried demons. Although there is not a whole lot that happens in the book, we, the reader, learn more about him and his life. Who he was, who was in his family, his childhood and how he imagined his wife and son saw him. It really is just about an old man walking from one end of England to the other. The author is through the walk taking us into fine nuances of the main character’s life as well as his wife’s. How they ended up living together but not living at all. Why they haven’t moved over that barrier and stopped it before it was too late and it crept in and become their life. I loved the intimacy of this book and slow, well described moments when I felt the loneliness and regret of the characters as my own. At the end we are confronted by the inevitable end, death, no more purpose, no more walking just waiting for disappearance. I believe that you will enjoy this book quietly. Comments are closed.
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