***This event has been canceled

This one day training will equip attendees with rich knowledge and confidence in games and team-building activities as vital foundations to healthy group dynamics. The Games Training is relevant for current and future educators, managers, supervisors, mentors, and facilitators that want to create a learning and work environment that fosters brave risk taking, relationship building, and lifts up the importance of having fun.

Objectives:

Participants will…

• Gain a philosophical framework for youth and group development work rooted in the Life Cycle of a Group

• Learn a basic team-building framework including concepts like Challenge by Choice and powerful debrief conversations

• Leave with a set of games to take with them, some of which we will introduce during the training, relevant to each phase in the Life Cycle of a Group

• Understand the context for why and when to play games, which ones to use for the particular setting and dynamics of a group, and how to modify games to accommodate people

Lunch, beverages, and snacks will be provided. GRuB is an approved Clock Hour provider and hours will be available for educators who need them.

The registration fee per person is sliding scale, $100-$300, which can be paid through the online registration. If you need to pay in another way, please contact us. 

If the registration fee is a barrier to your participation, do not let that deter you. Contact us and we can look at options.

Please let us know if you require accommodations to attend this training and we will do our best to accommodate you. Indoor masking is no longer required at GRuB. If this prevents you from participating in this training, please reach out. We anticipate being outside the entire time, however.

For questions or support, contact Wade at wade@goodgrub.org, or 360-753-5522.

Two teams play "hot lava" at the July 2024 Games Training

"I appreciate the meta process of learning and playing a game, debriefing it, and then talking about how it's applicable for me. I love experiencing facilitators and learning and then getting a chance to really integrate it into my toolbelt."   -2024 Games Training Attendee

"There were a lot of insights about the level of trust and how to cultivate more trust, along with how this correlates to participants’ willingness to take risks. This was a dynamic workshop in which we explored the many stages a group goes through with games and group discussion."   -2023 Games Training Attendee

"I loved that we went through the process together and moved between thinking like a participant and a facilitator. Excellent modeling of skills."   -2023 Games Training Attendee

The group plays "predator vs. prey" at the July 2024 Games Training.

Trainers:

Kim Gaffi (she/her) is the co-founder of GRuB and served as Co-Director, Executive Director, and Director of Youth Programs from 1997 through 2019. Kim has led GRuB’s work in building a successful youth empowerment program that engages youth in food justice work. Kim has successfully collaborated with multiple school districts to integrate GRuB’s food justice curriculum and youth development model into regional high schools. She has also helped to launch similar programs through other organizations and agencies throughout the state. Kim has written Career and Technical Education (CTE) frameworks outlining the curriculum taught in the GRuB School model as well as the Tend, Gather, and Grow curriculum. She co-designed and co-led every Institute GRuB has offered since 2010, and co-led the July 2024 Games Training. She graduated from The Evergreen State College with a Bachelor of Arts in Community Development and Bachelor of Science in Urban Ecology. Kim now supports GRuB projects as an independent contractor. 

Dusty Marble (she/they) was hired as GRuB’s Youth Program Manager in 2024, and has directly been delivering programming to youth on the farm for over a year. While relatively new to GRuB, they are a passionate educator who has worked with youth in the non-profit realm for 8+ years, holding positions at Community Youth Services and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Dusty attended the Games Training held in July 2024, and has been utilizing the skills (and games!) they learned to contribute to building healthy group dynamics in GRuB’s youth cohorts.