Beyond the Hero
An essential challenge for many men is to risk shifting from an individual heroic focus to collaborating in the service of a shared common purpose. Guided by the belief that we can only teach what we ourselves have lived through, Beyond the Hero is an adult adaptation of the Quest. It is a 2 day programme providing the opportunity for each man to discover and clarify what he has to offer in the way of teaching, guiding and providing elder wisdom for youth.
The programme leads participants through an intense personal journey and offers a clear orientation and grounding in the core ideas and purposes of mature mentoring. Based on myth, rites of passage, and cross-cultural models of mentorship, it is a challenging and engaging curriculum.
Themes include:- The Father – Son wound; Hearing the Call: Leaving Mother; Emotional Rescue; Love, Sex and Romance; Breaking the Spell; Knowing the Enemy; Acknowledging the Gift.
The role of the elder was once regarded as a bridge which invited youth to step more fully into life and so while Beyond the Hero naturally involves the mentoring of youth, it also encourages and awakens 'olders' to become "elders" and extends to re-imagining meaningful roles for adult men.
The programme challenges motivation in youth professionals, social activists, teachers, mentors and other volunteers and prepares them to be emotionally present and authentic in their work with youth. Beyond the Hero is both practical and inspirational leadership training for youth professionals and may be used to initiate creative and meaningful ways to engaging future leaders and leadership teams.
Besides a personal experience of a rite of passage, typical outcomes of Beyond the Hero are:
- a heightened sense of identity, personal vision and motivation as a mentor or elder;
- a greater awareness of the inner resources and potential within individuals and groups;
- an increased insight into the adolescent perspective and the emotional underpinnings of violence
- an appreciation of the importance of boundaries and a confidence in boundary setting
- a new context for generating safety, trust, acceptance and collaboration