Introducing Collective Action Workshops for Nonprofits
Hi everyone! Happy First Day Back At Your Desk to all who celebrate (me, and hopefully you if you got some time off). The January newsletter will be out later this week, but I have exciting news I couldn't wait to share: 8th House is adding several new learning opportunities which extend beyond fundraising and into the deeper community work we're going to need for the next four years of this administration. Introducing the Collective Action Quarterly Workshop Series! These will be two-hour trainings geared toward nonprofit workplaces and other community organizations, led by a skilled professional with two masters' degrees and decades of experience in activism, restorative practices, and collective care.
She also happens to be my sister.
GUYS THIS IS GONNA BE SO MUCH FUN
Cat Willett is an activist and facilitator with masters degrees in Social Work and Social Justice from Chicago Loyola and decades of experience working for and with nonprofits of all shapes and sizes in Portland, Chicago, the Bay Area and beyond. She's been doing trainings on practices like mental health first aid and restorative justice for years, but is in the process of developing some brand-new offerings that are specifically geared towards the nonprofit world, and you guys get first crack at them!
Cost is $100 each and each workshop is capped at 100 people. (South Sister and Mount Hood cohort discounts won't apply, as these are outside the regular series of grantwriting offerings; but members at that level will still be able to invite a second guest for the price of one!) You can also subscribe to the whole four-part series for $300.
Cat and I have been talking about this since last summer, and we are really excited to be working together for the first time. Read on for more below on what we've got coming up!
4-Class Series Package
Subscribe to all four upcoming workshops, including:
FEBRUARY - Beyond Massages and Mindfulness: Taking Care of Each Other (and Ourselves) in Hard Times
MAY - Love Our Neighbors: Skills and Practices for Bystander Intervention
AUGUST - We Can’t Lead Where We Won’t Go: Power and Privilege Issues at Work
NOVEMBER: TBD
All will take place on Saturday mornings from 11 am - 1 pm PST. $300 per person (or 2 people for South Sister & Mount Hood cohort members). Recordings will be available after each workshop for anyone who pre-purchased but can't attend. Facilitated by Cat Willett.
Beyond Massages and Mindfulness: Taking Care of Each Other (and Ourselves) in Hard Times
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2025 (11 am - 1 pm PST)
Learn new tools to address burnout on the individual, relational, and organizational level. Participants will leave with a basic plan to assess individual and organizational burnout and increase resilience personally and systemically. $100 per person (or 2 people for South Sister & Mount Hood cohort members). Facilitated by Cat Willett.
Love Our Neighbors: Skills and Practices for Bystander Intervention
MAY 2025 (date TBD)
We know that incidents of hate and bias are increasing in our communities. Many of us want to act but, in the moment, freeze up, fumble or even seem to make things worse. Our social conditioning and even our brain’s wiring can work against us in the moment, despite our best intentions. Come learn some practical skills to intervene effectively, consistently, and humbly and help build the communities we need and deserve. $100 per person (or 2 people for South Sister & Mount Hood cohort members). Facilitated by Cat Willett.
(Note from Claire: this is a great opportunity for artists and arts organizations, whose venues are public gathering spaces, to provide new skills to public-facing staff, board and volunteers!)
We Can’t Lead Where We Won’t Go: Power and Privilege Issues at Work
AUGUST 2025 (date TBD)
This training engages the individual, relational, and organizational impacts of privilege at work. Build the skills you need to mindfully address privilege personally and create tools for collectively shifting power. $100 per person (or 2 people for South Sister & Mount Hood cohort members). Facilitated by Cat Willett.
(Note from Claire: we strongly recommend this one for board members, staff leadership, and HR personnel!)
ABOUT CAT
Cat Willett was born and raised in NE Portland. She holds dual Masters’ degrees in Social Work and in Social Justice from Loyola University - Chicago, where her work centered on youth impacted by community violence. After moving to the Bay Area, she worked for six years in restorative practices and led numerous trainings on mental health, burnout, vicarious trauma, and system-wide trauma-responsive practices, which is still the best job she’s ever had.
Cat currently lives across the river from Portland with her wife, two kids, two cats, and a truly excessive amount of library books. During the workweek, she helps to provide well-being and collective care benefits for educators across Oregon. When she's not working, Cat is a novice gardener, amateur cook, and highly-skilled laundry-procrastinator.
OTHER CLASSES ON SALE!
Don't forget to mark your calendars for one of my three upcoming Prospect Research Workshops (January 18th, February 8th and March 8th from 10 am - 1 pm PST) for a three-hour deep dive to help you and your organizations go hunting across the internet for grants to apply for. Everyone will leave with at least three new, real funding prospects you didn't have on your calendar before!
I'm also offering both the Prospect Research Workshop and my Grants 101 Master Class for private groups, with more info at the link below! I've retired the master class since I'll be turning it into some video modules this month for paid subscribers, but if you've got a group of 5-40 people who are interested in an in-depth grants training for beginners, all the info is at the link below.
Member discussion