Why
Kindly written by Sophia Bové, Head of Organisational Development & Inclusion, Amnesty International UK
We invited Emily and Sara from Conversation Space to deliver a series of “Collaborating for Impact” training sessions at a time when many colleagues and departments were working quite independently, and there were limited opportunities to step back and reflect together on how we collaborate across teams.
We had also recently launched new organisational behaviours and wanted to create a meaningful space to actively explore and embed these in practice, rather than simply communicate them.
What
The training sessions consisted of a one-day face-to-face workshop and a 2.5-hour virtual follow-up to embed the learning.
Impact
“The workshop facilitated by Emily and Sara was a game-changer for our team. It created an open, safe environment where we learned how to be more curious in our meeting spaces.
The practical tools and techniques we gained helped us foster more inclusive, candid discussions, and we saw improvements happening in real time during the session.
The workshop wasn’t just about better meetings – it was about building trust and encouraging meaningful dialogue at all levels.”
Laura Jacobs – Amnesty International UK
Emily, Sara, and the team were exceptional partners throughout. They went above and beyond to understand our organisational context, showing genuine curiosity about the realities of our day-to-day work. They were highly flexible, thoughtfully adapting the training to meet our needs and the challenges of the moment, particularly as we were navigating a period of organisational change.
Their ability to sit alongside colleagues, listen deeply, and create a supportive but purposeful environment meant people felt able to speak honestly and explore new ways of working. Colleagues repeatedly fed back how valuable it was to be together in the room and to have the space to think collectively.
Their support extended far beyond the delivery of the session. From the earliest planning conversations through to follow-up discussions, they worked closely with us to ensure the learning translated into practical next steps. The session itself skilfully integrated coaching and mentoring approaches, encouraging reflection, ownership, and shared problem-solving.
The impact has been significant. The session strengthened our shared understanding of collaboration and helped establish clearer, more intentional ways of working across teams. From a People and Culture perspective, the training was so impactful that we are using the learning and insights gained from the sessions to shape and inform future development offerings across the organisation. On a personal level, the experience has increased my understanding of the barriers and nuance in collaborating effectively across departments and provided me with better insights in approaching cross-functional teamwork with greater clarity, curiosity, and purpose.
As the lead of the programme, I was personally struck by the openness and energy of our managers to try something different and to really step into ‘brave space’ and be vulnerable.
