PLANNING MEANINGFUL PROJECTS
Course
Planning meaningful projects
OFFER | PLANNING MEANINGFUL PROJECTS
You will also learn how to use free online tools such as Google Drive for management of virtual project teams, communication, and project brainstorming.You will learn cutting edge methods, such as Design Thinking and Service Design used by companies like Google and IBM.
For whom?
This course is for anyone who is engaged in projects, whether you work in the social, education, or non-profit sector.
What do we expect from participants:
- English level – communicative / intermediate 60%
- Physical fitness – you enjoy gentle physical activity, such as cycling and hiking 40%
- Good attitude and openness 🙂 90%
PLANNING MEANINGFUL PROJECTS
During this 5-day course, you will learn how to develop project ideas, understand the needs of your target groups and design projects that will have a meaningful impact on peoples’ lives. During this course, you will create a project map that will help you to identify the most influential stakeholders and decide who you should invite into your project consortium. It will also help you to construct a realistic budget and plan project activities.
You will also learn how to use free online tools such as Google Drive for management of virtual project teams, communication, and project brainstorming.You will learn cutting edge methods, such as Design Thinking and Service Design used by companies like Google and IBM.
For whom?
This course is for anyone who is engaged in projects, whether you work in the social, education, or non-profit sector.
What do we expect from participants:
- English level – communicative / intermediate 60%
- Physical fitness – you enjoy gentle physical activity, such as cycling and hiking 40%
- Good attitude and openness 🙂 90%
Locations and dates
Killary Lodge, Derrynacleigh, Leenane, Ireland
Date: contact marzena@m-powered.eu
Course fee: €490
Krakow, Poland
Date: contact marzena@m-powered.eu
Course fee: €490
Erasmus+ client support
Erasmsus+ programme can cover all of the associated costs (travel, course fees) allowing your organisation to participate FOR FREE in this course!
Writing a successful project application is not easy. Our team of experienced project writers would like to support you. Completing the application process with our assistance is much easier than doing it on your own, guaranteeing you a higher success rate of being approved for funding.
Read about our SUPPORT here.
M-Powered PIC number: 915657982
OID code: E10172805
The course price includes
37 hours of project management workshops and teambuilding activities run by experienced trainers
Project management workbook (printed and pdf) “Introduction to project management” worth €12.99
Welcome package “I’m M-Powered” worth €19,99 (a towel, a notebook and a bag) + maps of the course place
Course programme
The programme may change, according to the weather, participants’ requirements, or other issues. The participants will receive a detailed programme a month before the course.
Day 1 – Sunday
Duration of activities: 3 h
| 4:00 pm | Arrival to Killary Lodge and room allocation |
| 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm | Welcoming session |
| 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Dinner |
| 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm | Sauna on the beach & a swim in the Killary fjord |
Day 2 – Monday
Duration of activities: 8 h
| 7:30 am – 8:00 am | Guided meditation (optional) |
| 8:00 am – 9:00 am | Breakfast |
| 09:00 am – 1:00 pm | Teambuilding outdoor activity session – cycling to Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Gardens Return journey = 24 km. The entrance to the Abby is approx. 14 EUR |
| 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Lunch |
| 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Break |
| 3:00 pm – 6:30 pm | Project management workshop 1: Introduction to project management |
| 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Dinner |
| 7:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Break |
| 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm | Project management workshop 2: Project map |
Day 3 – Tuesday
Duration of activities: 8 h
| 8:30 am – 9:00 am | Guided meditation (optional) |
| 9:00 am – 10:00 am | Breakfast |
| 10:00 am – 1:00 pm | Teambuilding outdoor activity session: Burma bridge & Sky fall and Giant swing |
| 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Lunch |
| 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Break |
| 3:00 pm – 6:30 pm | Project management workshop 3: – How to identify target group needs using the Design Thinking Method – Service Design – Goals and vision of change |
| 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Dinner |
| 7:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Break |
| 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm | Project management workshop 4: Project time-line |
Day 4 – Wednesday
Duration of activities: 8 h
| 8:30 am – 9:00 am | Guided meditation (optional) |
| 9:00 am – 10:00 am | Breakfast |
| 10:00 am – 1:00 pm | Teambuilding outdoor activity session: Killary challenge |
| 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Lunch |
| 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Break |
| 3:00 pm – 6:30 pm | Project management workshop 5: – Work breakdown structure – Outcomes – Project consortium |
| 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Dinner |
| 7:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Break |
| 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm | Project management workshop 6: – Stakeholders – Budget |
Day 5 – Thursday
Duration of activities: 8,5 h
| 8:00 am – 8:30 am | Guided meditation (optional) |
| 8:30 am – 9:30 am | Breakfast |
| 9:30 am – 1:00 pm | Teambuilding outdoor activity session: “Famine trail’ (hike along the Killary fjord) & sheepdog demonstration |
| 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Lunch |
| 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Break |
| 3:00 pm – 6:30 pm | Project management workshop 7: – Collaboration model – Project concept (brief) and project application – Project management handbook |
| 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Dinner |
| 7:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Break |
| 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm | Project management workshop 8: – Online tools for project management Certificates ceremony and celebration! |
Day 6 – Friday
Duration of activities: 2 h
| 9:00 am – 10:00 am | Breakfast |
| 10:00 am – 12:00 noon | Project management workshop 9: Reflection & evaluation |
| 12:30 noon | Departure Killary Lodge |
| 2:00 pm | Galway |
The programme may change, according to the weather, participants’ requirements, or other issues. The participants will receive a detailed programme a month before the course.
Day 1 – Monday
Duration of activities: 8 h
| 9:00 am – 10:30 am | Welcome session |
| 10:30 pm – 12:30 noon | Project management workshop 1: Introduction to project management |
| 12:30 noon – 1:30 pm | Lunch |
| 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm | Project management workshop 2: Project map |
| 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm | Free time |
| 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm | Guided evening walking tour from the Main Square to the Vistula River and river cruise(1h Vistula river cruise) |
| 7:00 pm | Dinner in the Old Town |
Day 2 – Tuesday
Duration of activities: 8 h
| 9:00 am – 12:00 noon | Study visit to an NGO that created educational projects in Poland and Europe |
| 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm | Lunch |
| 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Project management workshop 3: – How to identify target group needs using the Design Thinking Method – Service Design – Goals and vision of change |
Day 3 – Wednesday
Duration of activities: 8 h
| 9:00 am – 10:00 am | Cycling to Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec (approx. 13 km from the Old Town on a cycle path along the river) |
| 10:00 am – 11:00 am | Coffee and sightseeing of the abbey |
| 11:00 pm – 1:00 pm |
Project management workshop 4: |
| 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Lunch |
| 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Project management workshop 5: – Stakeholders – Budget |
| 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Cycling back to Krakow |
Day 4 – Thursday
Duration of activities: 8,5 h
| 9:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Project management workshop 6: – Collaboration model – Project concept (brief) and project application – Project management handbook |
| 2:00 pm – 5:30 pm | Walk to Kosciuszko Mound (6km) through the Jewish quarter where we will also have lunch |
Day 5 – Friday
Duration of activities: 7 h
| 9:00 pm – 12:00 pm | Project Management Workshop 7 – Online tools for project management |
| 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm | Lunch |
| 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm |
Certificate ceremony and celebration! |
Course details – travel, food, accommodation and outdoor activities
TRAVEL
The best way to get to Killary Lodge is to fly to Dublin Airport (ideally on Sunday morning). From the airport, you can take one of the buses to Galway: Citylink or GoBus. The journey takes around 2.5 to 3 hours.
We organise transport from Galway to Killary Lodge. It takes around 1.5 hours and costs approx €15.00 one way (you can pay the driver or he can send you an invoice). We’ll book a driver when all the participants confirm the time of their arrival.So, please, let us know as soon as you book your flights.
The course starts on Sunday evening with a welcoming dinner and finishes on Friday around noon.
You will leave Killary Lodge on Friday afternoon. The best option is to book a flight home on Saturday. You can also stay an extra night in Galway (which we recommend!) or in Dublin. If you would like to do some sightseeing, we recommend visiting the beautiful Cliffs of Moher. You can book a bus day trip from Galway.
ACCOMMODATION
The course is organised in Killary Lodge. All participants and trainers will stay in this villa.
The lodge features a beautiful, fully equipped kitchen with a large dining area. There is also a stylish lounge, which opens out onto an extensive outdoor area. The lounge has 3 large couches and plenty of comfortable chairs so there is plenty of space for everyone to sit and socialise. Further seating is available in the adjacent reception room.
Each of the 10 spacious bedrooms are individually designed with bespoke features. All bedrooms are en-suite with bathrooms equipped with rainforest showers. Most bedrooms are very flexible in their configuration; some can be set up as twin or king rooms, others have bespoke fold down beds or wooden bed pods. These pods give great privacy and some of them are bunk pods, which are always a huge hit with kids and adults alike!
Price (5 nights’ accommodation + food + outdoor activities):
- € 490 if sharing a room with 2-4 other participants
- € 560 for single room allocation
FOOD
Nutrition is essential for our bodies and minds to work properly. In Connemara, you’ll eat a lot of vegetables, fruits, and fish. Our delicious dinners will be cooked by Kim and Reinaldo, a couple who run a food truck called Misunderstood Heron, which was recently named one of the 10 Coolest Food Trucks in the World by the Lonely Planet travel guides!
The price of meals (3 meals per day) is included in the accommodation price.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
We always combine physical activity into our courses. We adapt outdoor activities to participants’ fitness level. Proposed activities are:
- Hiking along the Killary Fjord and watching a sheepdog demonstration
- Cycling in Connemara to Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Gardens
- Stretching exercises
- Climbing
WHAT TO BRING
- Comfortable clothes
- Warm and waterproof clothing for hiking, cycling, and other outdoor activities
- Waterproof shoes
- Hair dryer (if you need one)
- Favourite snacks and a bottle of wine if you like (the nearest shop is 5 km from the Lodge!)
- Swimwear (On the first evening, we organise a sauna session on the beach with a swim in the fjord. This activity is optional.)
You can read more about the venue, environment, and our approach in one of our blog articles. You can also find photographs of previous workshops on our blog.
TRAVEL AND ATTRACTIONS
Most people travelling to Krakow will arrive at John Paul II International Airport (KRK). It lies 15km outside the city centre, a mere 20-minute train ride. However, some airlines still serve Katowice Airport (KTW), roughly 100km away.
Once you fly to Krakow airport (KRK), taking the train is the fastest way to reach the city centre. It is a 20-minute ride. Taxis, Ubers, and private drivers will drive you to the centre in about 35 minutes. Public buses usually take 50 minutes to reach the main station (they have many stops along the way). The cost of getting from the Airport to the city centre varies from 4 zł (PLN) for a public bus, up to 100 zł (PLN) for a taxi.
Krakow is a very walkable city so, once you arrive, consider exploring on foot instead of via bus and tram. See a guide to Getting Around In Krakow for more details.
If you would like to stay a couple more days in Krakow, we recommend to visit:
- Wieliczka Salt Mine
- Wawel Royal Castle
- Schindler’s Factory
- Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps
ACCOMMODATION
There are a lot of hotels and apartments in Krakow. You can book your accommodation on one any hotel website, such as www.booking.com or www.trivago.com. If you are not sure how far your hotel will be from the course venue, please get in touch with us at marzena@m-powered.eu . We will be happy to help!
FOOD
Nutrition is essential for our bodies and minds to work properly. In Krakow, we will bring you to restaurants where you’ll be able to order healthy lunches and dinners. We will also provide healthy and tasty snacks to keep you energised during the workshops and coffee breaks.
Lunches will be served in a nearby restaurant. Each participant will pay for themselves (an average lunch price is €5 – €8). We’ll also organise one big group dinner on Monday to show you one of our favourite Krakow restaurants (average dinner price is €15 – €20).
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
We always combine physical activity into our courses. We adapt outdoor activities to participants’ fitness level. Proposed activities are:
- Walking tour of Krakow Old Town
- In warm months (April-September), cycling to a Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec (13km one way along the Vistula River on a cycle path)
- In cold months (October – March), walking tours of the famous salt mines in Wieliczka and Bochnia
WHAT TO BRING
- Comfortable clothes
- You can buy almost anything you need in Poland cheaply as it is a reasonably priced country, so the golden rule is to always pack less! Bigger supermarkets are open late, even 24 hours (although shops are closed on Sundays). You can also rely on the Żabka chain of convenience stores from roughly 6am – 11pm daily.
- You do not need a lot of toiletries – Toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, soap, razors and deodorant are available in every ‘drogeria’ at roughly the same price as in other European countries. Look for a branch of Rossmann, Natura or Biedronka.
MONEY IN POLAND
- Poland’s currency is the złoty, abbreviated to zł or PLN.
- Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards are widely accepted in Polish shops and ATMs (‘bankomat’).
- A couple of museums are cash only and it useful to carry coins for public toilets and snacks from street vendors. In some restaurants, you can only tip staff with cash. However,the vast majority of places will accept a debit or credit card as well as contactless payment.
- A general rule of thumb is to buy roughly 300zł (about €70) at home and bring it with you as backup. You can always get more from an ATM.
Trainers
Marzena Wieczorek
Project Management and Design Thinking Trainer
Kasia Piecuch
Design Thinking Certified Moderator
Methodology: minimum PowerPoint presentation – maximum practice
David A. Kolb
We truly believe in this statement and we design our courses based on a methodology called the Kolb’s cycle. According to Kolb, effective learning happens when a person progresses through a cycle of four stages:
- having a concrete experience followed by
- observation of and reflection on that experience which leads to
- the formation of abstract concepts (analysis) and generalisations (conclusions) which are then
- used to test hypothesis in future situations, resulting in new experiences
Benefits
- Learn practical methods to research and understand the needs of your target groups.
- Learn to plan and design projects that will have a meaningful impact on your organisation and target groups.
- Learn how to choose project partners that will become an asset, not a burden.
- Learn world famous methods such as Design Thinking and Service Design, which help you to design innovative projects.
- Develop leadership skills.
- Gain more confidence, enjoyment, and satisfaction from your work.
- Improve English language competences.
- Increase motivation and satisfaction in daily work.
Course features
- Our sessions are fun, interactive and include guaranteed effective methods and tools.
- Outdoor activities (such as hiking, cycling, and climbing) in the morning and project management workshops in the afternoon. We believe that physical activity opens the mind to learning and creativity!
- Hands-on experience with practical project management tools at our workshops that can then be brought home to share with colleagues.
- Networking with people from all over Europe who work on similar projects.
- Relaxation and reflection in some of the most beautiful places in Ireland and Poland.
What others say
