Unfurl Facilitation focuses on honesty, courage and vulnerability.
We work closely with schools, organisations, and local councils to tailor each initiative to their unique needs and requirements.
Our courses are not a one size fits all approach, they are nuanced and work with the specific needs of the groups we are working with.
Leadership is not a set of rules that apply across all situations.
Rather, leadership is the ability to listen and respond to what the moment is calling for.
These moments are found across the scale from our personal lives up to the world stage and these techniques can benefit anyone who learns them. The impacts are deep and long-lasting and participants are constantly surprised by what they learn about themselves and how much they enjoyed the process. When we are relaxed yet ready, we can act with greater insight and wisdom.
We understand and value the importance of inclusion and cultural competency and we specialise in cross-cultural practice with diverse communities.
We have extensive experience working with groups and individuals including first nations people, people from refugee and migrant backgrounds, people with disabilities, and people from low socio-economic areas.
Who we are
Rachel Macindoe has worked as a Leadership Facilitator for 18 years, working with an array of organisations and schools all over Victoria.
Rachel is currently studying her Masters in Adolescent Health and Wellbeing at the University of Melbourne under the Robbie Mitchell Scholarship.
She commenced running Leadership Programs in 2007 and has since completed extensive training, founded multiple organisations, worked across government, non-profit and private sectors, and is highly respected in the field.
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Rachel has been selected for Leadership Courses from Brightest Young Minds in Sydney to Hearts and Minds in Indonesia and has trained under Simon Nette in Adaptive Leadership from Harvard University School of Governance.
She has studied voice and performance work under Vicki Rousell and Philip Gaulier. She was the co-founder of Polykala Leadership Courses and founded ‘Lady Fingers’ Female DJ Collective, Polyglot, Little Sirens and The Meeting Space. She has a passion for facilitation and group work and specialises working with adolescents, people with a diverse range of abilities and in a cross-cultural setting. She studied her BA at RMIT where she specialised in Philosophy, Cross-Cultural Communication and Community Development. She has also completed her Cert IV in training and assessment and Cert IV in Social Entrepreneurship.
Ollie Macindoe, a qualified secondary teacher, has taught in high schools in New Zealand and Australia, characterised by their diversity.
He speaks German and Maori and has an ability to connect to people from diverse backgrounds. He has co-facilitated leadership training and song writing workshops with Rachel for over 10 years. His BA focused on Decolonising Education, Indigenous Education, Maori Education and Counselling.
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He is a talented actor and has performed in plays and musicals in New Zealand where he lived for his first 27 years. He plays the guitar and, along with Rachel, is a talented singer/songwriter. He has a double degree in Education and Mathematics and completed a Post Graduate Diploma of Teaching.
Our services
Unfurl Leadership Programs are interactive and experiential. They are filled with creative exercises and activities where participants are invited to experience new methods of leadership. At Unfurl we challenge existing notions of leadership as a role and show participants that leadership is action in a moment and can be something we live into everyday. It is stepping up when something needs to be said or done; it is developing awareness of ourselves and others; it is learning to listen to ourselves deeply and having the courage to act. Our programs assist in catalysing change, supporting people with tools to tackle challenges, navigate complexity, and thrive in uncertainty.
Creative Leadership Program
5 day program
At Unfurl Facilitation we design and run our Creative Leadership Program that works in depth with participants, creating safe spaces for them to openly voice their views, develop their agency and discover their own unique gifts and qualities they have to share with the world.
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Our programs are designed to either run weekly across a term or to run as a week long intensive.
Participants leave with a greater sense of self-awareness, group awareness, skills of effective leadership, appreciation of the power of stories, a greater sense of empowerment and greater confidence in public speaking.
Each course culminates in a graduation ceremony where participants are celebrated as they get up, take their place, and share their own stories.
Outcomes:
- Learn the difference between Leadership and Authority
- Learn how to create safe, collaborative and dynamic spaces for teams to thrive in
- Practice the art of receiving and giving feedback and develop the ability to deeply listen
- Deepen connections and build authentic relationships between group members
- Deepen awareness around one’s own body language and the way it impacts how we are perceived by others
- Develop skills in dealing with complexity and managing uncertainty
- Increase confidence in planning and delivering engaging presentations
Adaptive Leadership Program
3 day program
Unfurl Facilitation teaches an Adaptive Leadership method from Harvard University. It follows ‘case-in-point’ methodology, where participants learn, in real time, how they habitually respond to given situations and how this impacts their ability to lead and to be effective in the world.
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We teach a technique known as ‘Peer Consultation’, where groups are equipped with skills to support each other and gain valuable insights on a variety of leadership challenges. This gives groups and organisations the skills needed to continue the work after the program is completed.
Outcomes:
- Learn the Adaptive Leadership Framework
- Be able to apply the framework to your specific context
- Make the distinction between technical and adaptive challenges
- Use the Peer Consultation method to make progress on present challenges
Professional Development
1 day program
Unfurl Facilitation offers professional development training in areas inclduing public speaking, group cohesion, creative wellbeing, and listening and responding to feedback.
Tailored Workshops
2 hour to half day program
Unfurl Facilitation offers workshops tailored to suit the needs of the client. Topics include deep listening, group cohesion and team development, public speaking (presentation skills), and songwriting (developing your voice).
Public Speaking Training
1-2 day program
Unfurl Facilitation understands that Public Speaking often evokes anxiety for those asked to take the stage. We take a gentle approach.
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Through this course we help participants gain skills step by step, often without them realising they are already beginning public speaking.
We teach and demonstrate the effectiveness of stories, how to structure a speech, how to ‘take your place’, how to deal with fear and nerves that arise, and to tackle the barriers that can stop participants from connecting to their audience and communicating their desired message.
This course is experiential and offers participants the chance to develop skills and build courage so they can feel more confident to speak in front of others.
Outcomes:
- Increased confidence in planning for and delivering engaging speeches and presentations
- Deeper understanding of the key components that create a compelling speech
- Increased ability to use storytelling as a tool to create and deliver powerful and memorable speeches
- Greater ability to understand the audience and their needs and to prepare content relevant to a specific context
Testimonials
Rachel and Ollie have the ability to bring out the best in people. They create lasting bonds within a group through creating a safe learning environment where participants can thrive and find their voice. They have run many Creative Leadership Courses with my students over the years, each culminating in a Graduation Certificate where students take their place and shine through their stories and performances.
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They are gifted facilitators and have a special ability to work with students from an array of different cultural backgrounds and English Speaking abilities.
Chris Franke – NMIT YAMEC Teacher
Patient and strong. Warm hearted and steady. Rachel’s ability to hold space as a facilitator is a joy to experience. She embodies honesty, respect and integrity which fosters a sense of belonging and safety for participants. This allows and encourages vulnerability and growth, empathy and understanding.
I have witnessed Rachel’s facilitation for 17 years and it is always a pleasure working with her.
Chris Hortin – Foundation House
As facilitators, Rachel and Oliver Macindoe have been consistently reliable, thoughtful, intelligent and inclusive. In creative writing classes, cross cultural activities and song writing workshops, learners and participants have experienced success, with feedback always demonstrating a high level of enjoyment and satisfaction with the teaching.
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Rachel and Ollie are able to draw on their broad range of skills and interests to make classes engaging and their sensitivity to cultural difference and a range of participants’ abilities, ensure that activities are always accessible.
Suzanne Crellin – Director, Olympic Adult Education
More testimonials
I have had the honour of knowing Rachel and Ollie for many years, and I must say that their work and engagement has left an indelible mark on my personal and professional journey. They possess an extraordinary passion and a remarkable ability to see individuals and their souls beyond the confines of conventional filters and labels. Their work and skills defy conventional notions of hierarchy, and authority.
In recent years, I had the opportunity to attend an Adaptive Leadership Workshop led by Rachel and Ollie. Those three days were nothing short of transformative.
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The workshop was a dynamic blend of interactive and experiential activities, creative exercises, and thought-provoking tasks, all designed to delve into various facets of leadership and personal development.
The impact of this workshop on my personal and professional growth has been profound. It opened my eyes to a deeper level of self-awareness and understanding others. Rachel and Ollie’s approach is nothing short of authentic, driven by an unwavering passion for people and their development. Their focus on individuals is a breath of fresh air in the world of leadership training. Rachel and Ollie’s work has the power to genuinely change lives, leaving an enduring and positive imprint that lasts a lifetime. I am deeply grateful for the insights and skills I gained through their leadership workshop, and I highly recommend their work to anyone seeking a transformative and soul-enriching journey.
Mustafa Najib – Social Cohesion Policy Officer, Department of Education
Over the years I have had the privilege of working alongside and attending Rachel and Ollie’s leadership programs and musical sessions. Rachel and Ollie embody the principle that in order to become more aware and to create lasting change we need to feel safe and accepted. Through the sense of acceptance I have had many profound insights and developed many meaningful relationships.
I know that whatever they undertake they will do with full commitment, care and intelligence. I am grateful for the possibilities that have emerged through my engagements with them.
Athalia Zwartz – Senior Leader and Current Consultant
