Meet the trainer: Annabel Rattigan
What’s your role at ICDA?
I’m a Leadership and Governance Trainer
What’s your involvement in the community sector?
I have been involved in the sector for over 20 years as an employee, an active volunteer, and a board member. I am very passionate about contributing to community on a local and global scale. I have been involved in initiatives such as campaigning to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety in my local suburb, committee to promote healthy eating at our local primary school, and fundraising and awareness for child and maternal health services in East Timor. Currently, my energy is on a social venture and podcast called The Village Lantern, which provides support for families facing hidden challenges associated with neurodiverse conditions.
What’s your teaching style?
I enjoy connecting with people and creating an inclusive friendly environment. Therefore, I always aim for an interactive session, even in the case of webinars, as its enjoyable to learn from one another.
How do you like to be taught?
I’m an experiential learner which means I learn by doing, so prefer a less structured approach with lots of discussion to keep me curious, and include some case studies and problems to solve.
What’s the most memorable thing anyone has ever said in one of your training sessions?
While working with secondary school students in a previous job, I facilitated a workshop on identity and racism with a year 9 class. During the session, one of the students made a flippant and derogatory remark about a particular religion. In a break, I took the student aside to chat about their comment and mentioned that a new student in the group was a follower of that religion. The student's face dropped with embarrassment and shock, and they said, 'I never realised until now just how hurtful a comment like that could be”. Subsequently, the student felt comfortable enough to mention this to the entire group, sparking a new conversation about intent and impact.
If you weren’t a trainer, what would you like to be?
If I have a job that has a high level of connection with people and aligns to my values, I’m happy.
In a different life, I might have been a social worker.