Previous Professionals Networking Evenings

Details of our current event can be found on the Passage Professionals Networking (PPN) evenings page of this website or on our Passage Twitter feed.

If you would like to be added to our email list to receive invitations to our upcoming event and/or other Professionals networking news, then please contact Revathy Menon at: ppn@passage.lu

 

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Previous Professionals Networking Evenings – 2020

Event 29:  Thursday 14th May 2020

What a suprising year it has been this far! In both bad ways, and some good. Humanity has suffered, no doubt, but the planet has had a chance to heal. More than anything else it has been a reminder for all of us about what is really important in our lives and in society.

Needless to say then, the impact of lockdown has been different for everyone. We hope the pause has been more good than bad for most of us. And this is what we would like to talk about on our next Passage Professionals meeting: “The impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on education and professional practice in the field of child development and care”

And we are excited to share that as a first, we have decided to take our networking evenings to an online format/platform!

Our first online Professionals networking evening was a success with a buoyant attendance and many new insights and working practices discussed. The subsequent continuation of conversations were also carried out in separate ‘break-out rooms’, which allowed for more in-depth explorations on the chosen topics.

Our Passage coordinator Revathy Menon has provided a summary of the evening for those who unfortunately couldn’t join us on the night. Click on the following page to read: “COVID-19 and Professional Practice – Impact and Lessons”.

 


 

Previous Professionals Networking Evenings – 2019

Event 28:  Thursday 14th March 2019

The topic of the evening and we are delighted to welcome Magali Netrval — a very inspiring parent and also a volunteer at Dyspraxie.lu — who will talk about: “Dyspraxie.lu – the iPad as the ultimate adjustment for DYS children“.

Magali will present her personal experience: how she found out her son was dyspraxic, the diagnostic, the therapies, the dedicated research on the subject and neurosciences, and her search for the reasonable adjustments for him so that he could reach his full potential at school. She will talk about her eventual association with Dyspraxie.lu, and her aim to make all dyspraxic children in Luxembourg benefit from her experience. Finally the presentaion will finish with a quick demonstration of their iPad training courses at the IFEN.

To see the application on the iPAD in action, please click on the following video link.

 


Previous Professionals Networking Evenings – 2018

Event 27:  Thursday 29th November 2018

On the night, we will have the pleasure of hearing from Libby Kramer – a certified Grief Recovery Method Specialist – who will talk about: “Helping Children Deal with Loss – the Grief Recovery Method”.

Moving house, changing schools, losing a pet, a death or divorce… these normal experiences growing up can profoundly affect children. Unfortunately, the way we tend to deal with losses in our culture means that well-meaning adults often say things to children that don’t help them deal effectively with grief. Instead, they’re left feeling more isolated, misunderstood and frustrated than before.

 

 

Libby will give an insight into the Grief Recovery Method and how it teaches parents, teachers and caregivers about what grief REALLY is, and how they can help their children deal with loss in a healthy and constructive way.

 

Event 26:  Wednesday 16th May 2018

We are delighted to welcome Kylie Morrison and Kate Ensor – both qualified EFL (Equine Facilitated Learning) practitioners and co-founders of HERD – who will speak candidly on: “The bond that develops between human and horse also opens up many new opportunities, such as independence and responsibility.”*

Both Kylie and Kate have experienced the power and benefits of EFL for themselves and their families first-hand, and created HERD to share this with the community at large. They will discuss the benefits & opportunities of Equine Facilitated Learning by exploring some of the lessons horses can teach us, as well as share research-based information and a short experiential activity to bring the topic to life.

 

Event 25:  Thursday 22nd February 2018

We are fortunate to be hearing from two guest speakers Ivana Ballova and Elisabeth Wille – both experienced practitioners of Gestalt Therapy – who have kindly volunteered to give an informal presentation/practical demonstration entitled: “Working with Gestalt – Stay Present and Live Here and Now”.

The term ‘Gestalt’ comes from German and can be translated as shape, form or pattern. In life we tend to act according to certain patterns depending on the circumstances. This helps us build reliable and simple ways to function in the world. From time to time we get stuck in ‘autopilot’ mode with certain behaviours, certain patterns, without taking the present situation into consideration e.g. reacting in the same way towards our boss as towards our spouse – which could potentially create difficulties for us!

 


 

Previous Professionals Networking Evenings – 2017

Event 24:  Wednesday 22nd November 2017

The event takes place on the eve of Thanksgiving and as such, it is an ideal occasion for us to celebrate and be genuinely thankful for the community of professionals and practitioners, and the expanding range of services that we have within reach in Luxembourg.

To elaborate upon this theme of being thankful, Passage coordinator Lynn Frank will be giving a quick talk about the “The Wisdom of Gratitude”; a reflective and mindful appreciation of using the healing power of gratitude in the many facets of our lives.

Thankfully you can get more information of resources, tips and guides to gratitude practice by reading Lynn’s accompanying article here!

 

Event 23:  Thursday 26th October 2017

On the night we will be hearing from our guest speaker Nadège Ravoux, a professional coach and sophrologist, who has kindly volunteered to give an informal presentation entitled “Sophrology: What it is? How it works? Who can benefit from it?”

Sophrology is a structured method using the mind-body connection, that incorporates a mix of physical, mental and meditative exercises, which restores or reinforces the state of balance and harmony in our everyday lives. In fact, it has often been cited in discussion at previous networking events, that for professionals working in mentally and emotionally demanding fields, the challenge of finding a harmonious work and life balance is sometimes hard to attain. Therefore we hope that Nadège’s talk will not only provide an opportunity to learn something new, but perhaps a way towards achieving some focus and equilibrium for ourselves too!

 

Event 22:  Thursday 15th June 2017

The theme for this event is Special Educational Needs (SEN) and we are delighted to have as our guest speaker, Dr Ineke Pit-ten Cate, a research associate at the University of Luxembourg to present her talk: “What’s in a name – that which we call SEN”: Stereotypes and attitudes towards children with SEN and their influence on behaviour.

Decisions concerning the interaction with and educational instruction of students with special educational needs may be affected by general stereotypes and associated attitudes, which in turn can enhance or limit the successful inclusion of students with SEN in society and schools. Ineke will talk about her research which focuses on these stereotypes and attitudes, that can consequently elicit positive or negative expectations and judgments. She will then discuss her findings in relation to their consequences for inclusive education and social participation.

Event 21:  Thursday 6th April 2017

To support the World Autism Awareness Day, we are delighted to announce that Jean-Marie Govaerts from Autisme Luxembourg will be our special guest speaker for the networking evening.

Autisme Luxembourg has been known to Passage since our own fledgling start; and equally we have had the good fortune to visit their vocational training ‘ateliers’ in Beckerich and have seen the life-affirming work that Jean-Marie and his colleagues are doing for ourselves. Armed with this wealth of experience, Jean-Marie has kindly volunteered to share his insights regarding his work with “Young Adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)”.

The presentation will cover many situations that young adults with ASD will encounter, such as school environments and communication. There will be an emphasis on the practical, citing certain situations and giving a number of leads, tips and methods on how these challenges can be mitigated. Finally there will be a brief overview of the ongoing research in this field and how results produced by the experts may provide parents and educators with the tools to cope.

Read Lynn’s overview of Jean-Marie’s presentation (with relevant links and recommended reading resources also included): “Supporting Young People with Autism: Try, Try and Try Again!”. This article also appears elsewhere on the website as a Passage blogpost.

 

 

Event 20:  Thursday 16th March 2017

We are delighted to welcome Shruti Tulsian from Vedic Maths Luxembourg, who will deliver her presentation: Why we hear: “I hate Maths!” so often. What’s missing in our education system, which our children can’t adjust to?

As a Mental Mathematics trainer, Shruti is well versed in teaching and coaching children, but is often initially met with a negative attitude and many that suffer from Math-phobia. The question is why that is the case? Shruti will start with an interactive dialogue on the topic, followed by a brief history and introduction of Vedic Maths, explaining the basis of calculation and its application to various area in mathematics, etc. Finally she will then share her simple speed Maths methods with a quick demonstration, which she hopes will encourage us to try for ourselves!

 

Event 19:  Thursday 16th February 2017

On the evening we will be welcoming Marise Hyman and Erin Botrie, both from LuxMama Club & ParentPrep asbl, who have kindly volunteered to talk about their recently launched 1st Birth Rights Campaign “Have a Choice 2 Have a Doula”. They wish to present their campaign to get some informed feedback and peer support from the professionals network.

Passage are also introducing both Eyda Moot and Sophie Le Dorner into our burgeoning team of coordinators. Eyda will be heading up the Professionals Networking Group and consequently organising the new schedule from now on. She brings her enthusiasm and passion for education, multi-culturalism and languages to the forefront and hopefully this will be reflected in the diverse programme of speakers and events we have planned for the months ahead.

However we are by no means losing Kate Ensor – as she will still be resuming her role as facilitator on the occasional basis – but we just wanted to take this opportunity to officially thank her for all the fabulous work and natural grace she has in presenting these evenings thus far.

 


 

Previous Professionals Networking Evenings – 2016

Event 18:  Wednesday 30th November 2016

This being the season of giving and goodwill, the theme for the evening is: Your Wish List for the Community”. As a practitioner and professional working in Luxembourg, have you ever asked yourselves: If money, politics and social conformity were not an issue, then what would be your on ‘Wish list’ or ‘Gift’ for those families or individuals you work with in the community? What resources are sorely lacking or can be improved? Additionally can you and your professional expertise be a part of this gift to yourself?

 

Event 17:  Thursday 27th October 2016

We will be extending a warm welcome to our special guest speaker Sophie Le Dorner – a Language Educator and Coach from Mindmatters Hub – who has generously offered to talk about “Brainwise”; a practical method to build emotional, social and cognitive skills in children and parents. She will be presenting a series of skills – 10 wise ways “to stop and think” – which essentially helps the brain build neural pathways to replace impulsive responses with sound decision-making behaviour.

 

 

Event 16:  Thursday 2nd June 2016

Join Lynn, Mei and Melissa in the garden terrace of Bosso for a relaxed evening of conversation, networking and the meeting up of new and old friends. Also at the event will be Sariah Ann Howard, who has kindly offered her time to help at the upcoming Passage “Ohana” Family Picnic. She will introduce her wonderful “Cloud Tales” concept and talk about how her simple idea has ignited the creative imaginations of adults and children in appreciating the great outdoors.

 

Event 15:  Wednesday 27th April 2016

The theme for the evening is “Good Endings & New Beginnings” — Have you ever asked yourself, whilst you are standing in the airport, would you rather be the person staying or leaving? Goodbyes and hellos are a reality of Expat life. Lynn Frank talks about how to navigate a safer passage through these choppy waters. She will be discussing strategies in providing support for families in transition, for children and adults faced with having to say goodbye to their friends or families.

Read the first of Lynn’s articles, that will be exploring this topic entitled: “The Beginning of Good Endings”.

 

Event 14:  Wednesday 16th March 2016

The theme for the evening is Child Education – A Precious Window of Opportunity! and we are fortunate to have a guest speaker kindly volunteer to lead the discussions. Ranka Šarenac, is the founder and director of the Centre on Mutual Education “SeeMe”, whose mission is to behave towards children the way we want them to behave towards us and others: with respect, compassion and understanding.

There is a key to every child that lets us understand, appreciate, respect and hold with compassion his/her personality, his/her way of being in this world. Ranka will share some hints about how to get a hold of that key for your own child, pupils or clients. She will talk about non-violent communication and how it applies to both our family and school life through the perspective of the parent, the child and the teacher.

 

Event 13:  Wednesday 27th January 2016

The theme for the evening is “Appreciative Inquiry – Envisioning a Positive 2016” and Passage coordinator Kate Ensor will be drawing on her experience as a Management Development Specialist and Coach to introduce the topic and facilitate our discussions.

Read Kate’s overview on Appreciative Inquiry by downloading the following document:

Passage-AI-Overview-Handout.docx (195 downloads)

 


 

Previous Professionals Networking Evenings – 2015

Event 12:  Thursday 3rd December 2015

The theme for the evening is “Parent Advocacy” and we are fortunate to have a guest speaker kindly volunteer to lead the discussions. Melissa Elenes – a special educator and mother of four – will give us an introduction to Parent Advocacy, with information on how to access support for your child and the vital role for professionals supporting parents.

It’ll be the last Networking evening of 2015 and likewise the last for our Passage coordinator, Björn Callmar, who will be finishing his sabbatical and returning to Sweden at the end of December. During this past year, Björn has tirelessly and stoically steered these Passage Professionals Networking events and we will be incredibly sad to see him go. It will be a our final opportunity to say a fond farewell to him and to wish him well on his new endeavours.

Read Melissa’s article on Parent Advocacy entitled: Every Child Needs a Champion. Every Parent Needs a Champion”.

 

Event 11:  Wednesday 28th October 2015

We have a guest speaker on the evening’s agenda. Julie Eeckhout-Duff – a qualified Bowen therapist and teacher based here in Luxembourg – has kindly offered to give us a short introduction and some live demonstrations of the Bowen Technique. Following that, she will be available to answer any questions you have regarding the therapy and its many applications. Finally to finish the evening, we will have a “Spotlight On” presentation about Young Youth Workers.

 

Event 10:  Wednesday 16th September 2015

As a departure from our usual proceedings, Passage are introducing our sociable “Speed-dating” concept – not as daunting as it sounds! – where we will share informal reflections and set the mutual goals for the Passage Professionals Network. More topic details given on the night, but there is ample opportunity for additional topics from the participants themselves.

 

Event 9:  Wednesday 1st July 2015

We are delighted to announce that Gaby Damjanovic a family and systemic therapist from La Fondation Jugend-an Drogenhëllef – has kindly volunteered to speak about her organisation, its services and to give an insight into her work with traumatised people having a problem with drug addiction and then subsequent rehabilitation from drug abuse.

This will be followed by our new “Spotlight” section, which will give someone a platform to speak briefly about a project that they wish to promote or draw attention to. This month Lynsey Baxter (who runs Food for Thought, which provides an holistic approach to health and well being) has agreed to provide an overview and answer any questions regarding a NEW Breast Thermography (early detection) process that she is now offering through her practice.

 

Event 8:  Wednesday 6th May 2015

The theme for the evening is “Youth Programmes” and we have two speakers who have kindly volunteered to talk informally at the event. To start, renowned Luxembourg-based family psychologist Fari Khabirpour – member of the Baha’i community – will give a short introduction to their Junior Youth Empowerment Programme.

This is followed by Paul Sweetnam – a Head Coach of the Ecole de Rugby of Rugby Club Luxembourg – who will speak briefly about youth programmes for “youngsters who have gotten in trouble with the law”.

 

Event 7:  Thursday 26th March 2015

We are pleased to announce a brand new venue in which to continue our networking activities and we hope that many of you can join us at Bosso Brasserie in the Grund from now on.

We also have a guest speaker Anne Guignard of Dys…Solutions!, who has kindly offered to give an informal, short discourse on her work with the Davis Dyslexia Programme and there will also be an opportunity for an open forum afterwards.

Passage will also have good reason to celebrate – as the official launch of our long-awaited website draws near – we are excited to share news of our progress with you. Likewise we celebrated our 2nd birthday last month and therefore we hope that our dear professional friends of Passage would like to join us in raising a toast to the continuing success of these networking evenings.