For 113 years, Goodwill® has innovated social enterprises and responses to community needs. This organization is in and of the community; Goodwill deals with realities that may not be apparent to researchers or policy makers. In Goodwill member test kitchens across the United States and Canada and around the world, ideas become solutions for individuals, households, and local communities. In 2014 Goodwill envisioned its aspirations for its future in preparation for 2015 strategic planning.
During the 2015 Summer Conference in Portland, Oregon we invite you to continue conversations around our aspired future. This conference will be different from past Summer Conferences – your role as a reflective learner, critical thinker, thought leader, idea generator will be enhanced through the different formats that we have created to engage you. Your ultimate assignment during the conference is to work within your cohorts to design a five-minute presentation that you will deliver during the final general session on Wednesday, August 12th to a panel representing a Goodwill leader, GII Team Member and External Thought Leader. This presentation will feature new ideas or strategies that your cohort would like other attendees to implement back home in their Goodwill agencies based on what you learned during the conference. Throughout the conference you will encounter different resources and formats that will help you create this five-minute group presentation including the following:
Cohorts – The past two years at Summer Conference, we have featured cohorts as a learning environment where attendees can take a deeper dive into topics related to a focused content area. This year, you will have that same opportunity. Your cohort will operate as a home base – during the first cohort meeting you will brainstorm issues and topics that you would like to explore throughout the conference; during the second cohort meeting you will synthesize information learned in sessions, in the hallways, etc.; during the final cohort meeting you will prepare your 5-minute group presentation for the general session on Wednesday.
Test Kitchens – During the first part of these fast-paced concurrent learning sessions you will have the opportunity to hear three to four different presentations/perspectives on a particular issue or topic. Afterwards, you will be able to ask questions and then work with other session attendees to develop recipes for success that will contribute to your 5-minute group presentations.
Conference Living Rooms – In addition to the test kitchens, we have developed the conference living room – these are highly interactive sessions on Improv and Storytelling. These sessions will offer ideas and strategies that you can use to develop your 5-minute group presentations.
General Sessions – To kick off the conference you will hear from thought leaders offering external perspectives on the environment in which Goodwill operates. On Tuesday morning, Jim Gibbons will host a Town Hall meeting that will inform as well as engage attendees around issues that a relevant to the Goodwill network. We encourage you to take what you learn during these general sessions and continue the conversation in the cohorts and test kitchens.
Member Marketplace Tradeshow – Lunch on Monday and Tuesday will be in the Member Marketplace Tradeshow. Our marketplace is growing - we invite you to meet with vendors, partners and sponsors to find out what services and products they provide to help with your business needs.
Discount - GII is offering a $100 discount for multiple registrations (first attendee pays full registration fee, each subsequent registrant will receive a $100 discount). This discount will be applied automatically by the system, if you are registering all attendees at one time.
Scholarships - Scholarships are available for the Summer Conference. Click here to download the application.
Registration Deadline is July 17, 2015.
Hotel - The Summer Conference will be held at the Portland Downtown Waterfront Marriott in Portland, Oregon. Rooms will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend registering and booking your accommodations early in order to secure the special rate of $165 per night. Once you receive the registration confirmation email, there will be instructions for making your hotel reservations. The hotel reservations are based on availability and you will receive a confirmation email from the Marriott. The reservation deadline is July 10, 2015. Be sure to book your hotel room early.
If you are attending the Summer Conference and still need to reserve a room, the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront hotel block still has availability at the $165 group rate depending on the nights you need to check in or out.
If the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront hotel is unable to accommodate your reservation needs, there are additional hotel rooms currently available at the overflow hotels listed below also based on the nights you need to check in or out until July 15 or the block is filled.
Hotel Modera
515 SW Clay Street
Portland, OR 97201
Contact: Dawniela Foster at 503-484-1075 to make reservations
(Less than 10 min. walk/ Approximately 6 blocks from the Portland Downtown Waterfront Marriott)
To reserve a room call 503-484-1075 and ask for the $199 Goodwill group rate.
Hilton Portland and Executive Tower
921 SW Sixth Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
(Less than 15 min. walk/ Approximately 11 blocks from the Portland Downtown Waterfront Marriott)
To reserve a room call 503-226-1611 and ask for the $204 Goodwill group rate.
Questions
If you have any questions, please contact Rosemarie McBride at (240) 333-5320 or by email: [email protected].
The GII Events Team
Our Sponsors
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