Conference Proceedings Report - Final Draft - National Federation ...

Introduction
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies Providing Services to People with
Intellectual Disability devoted this year’s conference to the topic “New Ideas, New
Approaches – Supporting Innovation in Services & Support to People with
Intellectual Disability”.
“Innovation has its source in the relationship that people with intellectual disabilities
have with their allies. The more clearly service designers can see the person’s gifts and
the more deeply they are able to listen for capacities the more creatively they will be able
to respond.”
Dr. John O’Brien
In organising this conference the National Federation took a somewhat different approach
to previous years, an approach informed by the insights of Ed Bernacki of the Ideas
Factory in Canada.
Mr. Bernacki identified 7 rules for designing more innovative and worthwhile
conferences;
1. The experts at the conference are in the audience as well as on the stage
2. Think of return on investment for the conference….even though its hard to
measure
3. Design the conference based on plans for logistics and learning
4. Learning objectives drive the design of the conference
5. Always use the brainpower of an audience to create something
6. Put structure into your networking and mingling opportunities
7. Assume that conference participants have weak skills for participating in a
conference.
To this end top priority was given to audience participation, both in the plenary and
parallel sessions. Active participation was encouraged through structured discussions and
supported/structured networking. This active participation was none more evident than
during the parallel workshops, which were of a different nature at this event to that of
other conferences.
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