Mindfulness Wales in partnership with the University of Derby

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

CULTIVATING COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITIES IN WALES

We all have compassion as an innate human capacity but sometimes it feels hard to access as much as we’d like amidst the complexities of family, friendship, work, community and the wider world.  We’re inviting you to join us in cultivating our innate compassion to help Wales become a more compassionate, kinder and fairer society.

Our Cultivating Compassionate Communities project builds on work developed by Professor Frankie Maratos at the University of Derby to help support wellbeing, connection and flourishing through mindfulness and compassion.  Recognising the potential for Wales, we have been involved in these developments since 2021 and we can now offer various programmes to suit individuals, communities, workplaces and education staff and pupils/students.

Our courses help us understand more about compassion and how our tricky brains can help or hinder, and give us some simple but effective tools and techniques to help cultivate our innate compassion.  Cultivating compassion has a powerful positive impact on stress, anxiety, burnout and relationships, making a real contribution to our own wellbeing and that of those around us.

Contact us if you would like to be part of Cultivating Compassionate Communities at info@mindfulness-wales.org

WHAT WE CAN OFFER IN WALES:

FOR ADULTS

Cultivating Compassion:Understanding Ourselves Full Course 6 x 90 min modules – this course is a comprehensive introduction to compassion and is the essential foundation for anyone who might want to go on to train to teach one of the other courses in their own workplace or community

NEXT COURSE STARTS TUESDAY 6TH OCTOBER 2026 6 sessions 4-5.30pm. 

DOWNLOAD DETAILS HERE AND APPLICATION FORM HERE

Cultivating Compassion:Understanding Ourselves Phase 1 3 x 90 min modules – the first 3 modules of Cultivating a Compassionate Mind Full Course for those who want to develop their own experience, with the possibility of going on to do the other 3 sessions as Phase 2  in the future

Emotion and Compassion 4 x 60 mins – originally designed for FE and HE staff and students but also suitable for use with community groups and other young people (14-16)

Compassionate Communication  4 x 60 mins – exploring how we develop more compassionate approaches when working together in groups

Wellbeing in the Workplace (WiW) 1 x 3 hour session – This half-day CPD course covers emotions, behaviours and communication and is designed to support staff wellbeing in any workplace through: 

  • understanding how emotions and behaviours impact brain and body physiological responses and relate these to the workplace
  • considering how we can be more compassionate when communicating with others and the benefits this can bring to organisations
  • practising, reflecting upon and embedding techniques to support your wellbeing and effective communication

FOR PUPILS IN SCHOOLS

Wellbeing Our Brains Our Bodies WOBOB

6 x 45 minute sessions for 9-12 year olds introducing the main principles and practices of CMT to pupils See https://youtu.be/42UYsGenkAY for what pupils say.

What our participants say:

Already more than 70 people from a range of sectors have completed the Cultivating our Compassionate Minds Full Course (also called Compassionate Mind Training or CMT).  Here are some of their comments:

“We really need more accessible courses like this which can be delivered in ways that meet the community where they are rather than where they are told they should be. If this is offered in health care settings, mental health support centres etc. we are taking it to where it needs to be rather than hoping that they will find and come to us – which is very daunting for many people.”

“We would like to train a staff member to carry out the training with our parents.  Many of our parents struggle managing pupils at home who display very challenging behaviours.  If we could help them develop the skills to read and manage their own feelings and emotions, we would be doing them an invaluable service. ”

“I have implemented the strategies to make me a calmer, more present leader… As a profession where we communicate and support families of vulnerable learners, it is important that we present compassionately.   This approach is essential for our staff and I hope to get as many trained up as possible and benefit from the techniques that will help them personally and professionally. ….Our learners and families are facing unprecedented stresses and challenges.  We owe it to them as well as ourselves to show up as our best, most compassionate self.  We also owe it to our own families and friends to look after ourselves and let the compassionate wave ripple far and wide”

“The CMT course changed my perspective of compassion and how to be self-compassionate subtly but significantly.  I am able to use my new understanding and the practices I learnt to soothe myself.  I work as a community development coordinator with individuals and community groups.  I am able to share my new understanding of compassion and the importance of soothing with people I work with.  I am able to respond to difficult situations coming from a calmer perspective…The CMT course changed my perspective of compassion and how to be self-compassionate subtly but significantly.  I am able to use my new understanding and the practices I learnt to soothe myself.  I work as a community development coordinator with individuals and community groups.  I am able to share my new understanding of compassion and the importance of soothing with people I work with.  I am able to respond to difficult situations coming from a calmer perspective.”

“The Compassionate Mind Training has been one of those few training programmes that doesn’t just change something you do or give you a new strategy, it modifies how you interpret, respond and subsequently approach basically anything that involves interacting with others… In my role as an Educational Psychologist, it impacts and is needed for a range of functions and areas: staff wellbeing and self-compassion; cultivating compassionate leadership to enable staff to deliver what their community needs in the public sector; sharing the core concepts and ideas to help those working with vulnerable children (e.g. schools and related professionals and services); to change systemic and organisational approaches to maximise wellbeing in schools for staff and children; to aid professional like EPs to assess and help develop effective plans to bring about change for individual children; to aid training and CPD for EP services and beyond.”

“The course had a profound impact on me and I would love to see if I could take it further.”  

Cultivating Compassionate Communities In Wales

Supporting Wellbeing, Connection and Flourishing through Mindfulness and Compassion