What others say – testimonials from happy clients

My book on successful environmental training

In How to Change the World: A Practical Guide to Successful Environmental Training, Clare makes environmental training accessible and impactful for you, the reader, and your audience. She successfully provides a framework for transitioning abstract ideas into practical realities. This book sets the standard as optical lens for environmental training programs. Dwane Jones, Ph.D., Acting Dean of the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) + International Trainer for NGICP, University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC

At a time when evidence is coming thick and fast as to the environmental damage humans are inflicting on the planet to be able to sustain life, we need practical ways to respond. Adult learning and education, of which environmental education and training is a crucial part, are vital in our individual and collective responses. This manual supports trainers and educators to know what to do, while deepening their understandings of the root causes of the problem. I welcome warmly this very helpful resource and trust many will put it to urgent use! Professor Emerita Shirley Walters, Adult and Continuing Education, University of the Western Cape, South Africa

I love the layout, principles, and your conversational style. This book is a gem and I’ll spread the word. Professor Mark Hostetler, Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, IFAS, University of Florida

More and more organisations are realising that now is the time to take sustainability seriously. But how do you shift from business as usual to business that contributes to a positive collective future? In this fully updated version of her guide to environmental training, Clare Feeney shows organisations a way in. The guide is packed with inspiring case-studies, lively writing and, best of all, a series of steps, tools and web-based resources to enable any organisation to improve its environmental performance. Clare’s depth of experience and wisdom on good environmental practice and how to encourage people to commit to it shines through on every page. Niki Harré, Professor, School of Psychology, University of Auckland, author of Psychology for a better world: Working with people to save the planet.

Your book arrived on Thursday so I grabbed it and a wine and started reading after dinner. Big mistake. I only read a chapter or so and my brain was buzzing all night and over the weekend with ideas. I have downloaded the Action Planner. I am excited to read the rest of it and develop a program in my locality. Janine Koppel, Lake Macquarie City Council, New South Wales, Australia

E-newsletter

Wow, this is fabulous! I love your writing style – it’s so easy to read and full of relevant references and intelligent insight! It’s compelling and engaging – you a really are in a great place! Jane James, Sustainability Manager, KiwiRail

Thank you Clare for your newsletter. I find it is a refreshing to read your emails, when so much in the Inbox is just more work and there seems little time for reflection. I particularly appreciated your comments on growth, since that gives me a more positive perspective on it. Claire Jewell, Environment Teamleader, Bluescope Pacific Steel

Lecturing and speaking as a volunteer activity

Thank you very much for the presentation last night on Smart Steps to Business Sustainability for SMEs. The students could not stop thinking about sustainability, and they put no-waste concepts into their business ideas in the discussion that followed! Rosa Chow, Business Tutor, Te Wananga o Aotearoa

You bring a fresh perspective to the most critical issues of our time and students commented on much they appreciated these insightful and inspiring presentations on concerns often portrayed as intractable and depressing. You turn complex ideas into subject matter they can relate to and provide them with concrete suggestions on the roles and actions they might take as professionals and individuals to make their communities more sustainable, flourishing places. All this you achieve with such wit and vitality – you are one of the few people who could make being ‘splattered with sewage’ sound like an attractive employment opportunity! Elizabeth Aitken-Rose, Senior Lecturer at the School of Architecture and Planning, Auckland University

Since your talk on Revitalising Auckland: Six Infrastructures for a Smart City and what it means for firms in Epsom, I’ve had two of the members come in to the shop to tell me it was the best talk they’ve heard!!!! Mainly because you’d brought the concept of carbon footprint right down to the local level, and it made sense to them!! Well done Clare! Joy Stirling, Speakers Programme Assistant for Rotary Club of Epsom

Professional speaking

Thank you so much for delivering such a great presentation. We have already had really good feedback about the session, and people have been asking for copies of the presentation slides which is great. There are obviously a lot of people interested in exploring these concepts further. Institutional investment group
Clare’s presentation on environmental training was edgy, informative and refreshingly un-PC. Anonymous
I thoroughly enjoyed your session and learnt information that I hope to apply in my own workplace. Dr Coral Pepper, Edith Cowan University in Australia

Clare was the standout speaker at the Annual Stormwater and Sediment Field Day. This annual event is held outside it is a feat to address approximately 300 attendees in this environment. As the final speaker, Clare captivated and engaged the audience, finishing the presentations on a high note. Marcus Ballantyne, Education Officer, Auckland Regional Council
You presented some very well-developed thoughts on environmental performance and business success which went down extremely well with the contractors, a very tough-minded audience. Derrick Adams, CEO, HEB Construction Ltd
Clare delivered an articulate and poignant message about environmental issues, instilling inspiration to a group of public relations students. Straight away she cast a spell over the group with her friendly and engaging manner. Passion and experience could be felt in her words and her ability to shape the message to the PR industry made it all the more impressive. Clare’s presentation is brought up time and time again as one of the best speakers we had the privilege of hosting this year. Karen White, Club PR, AUT University
I always wondered why my best ideas came to me on my 100-kilometer cycling trips on the long straight road out to our beach house. They were always about my work, and I could never figure it out. After hearing Clare speak on innovation, now I know! And I’ll be making the most of learning from Clare to continually improve the way I think about business. Neil Taylor, Business Development Manager, Geofabrics, Victoria, Australia
What a great presentation! A very different take on innovation for the contractors in the audience, and it really worked – a lot of people said how much they got out of it. Fiona Mountfort,  Environmental Manager, HEB Construction Ltd, New Zealand
It was a pure inspiration to listen to your speech yesterday afternoon! Danka Urta, Permathene
Your brilliance – you’re amazing! Loved your presentation – including your amazing stats and your vibrant personality. Linda McDermott, speaker, voice actor, coach
Clare changed my viewpoint on what sustainability means and helped me think more laterally about what can be done. I will go back and see what sustainability measures I can make and make a difference! Bupa Care Services

Other comments forwarded to me after my keynote presentation to Bupa Care Services:

Inspiring to talk about sustainability from many perspectives and think how we can implement it.
I will go back and see what sustainability measures I can make and make a carbon footprint difference!
Clare changed my viewpoint on what sustainability means and helped me think more laterally about what can be done.
I think Clare expanded on sustainability issues in a great way and I will apply this by explaining it to staff I interact with day to day.

Train.Ability workshops

ROI workshop: How to measure the financial ROI on your environmental training

I attended your presentation at the IECA conference, which was fantastic! The content was really interesting and original, and makes perfect sense!! All the best! Sarah Blagrove, Sustainability Lead at Bouygues Construction, Australia

Enlightening presentation with potential real benefits to companies and staff development. Bob Hirst, National Development Manager, Southeys Group Ltd

Your presentation on ROI for environmental training was really interesting and informative. Thank you! Caitlin Golder, Environmental Advisor, NX2 Group

This is such an important and valuable offer/opportunity for businesses today. It is a critical budge in achieving meaningful awareness and thus change in our organisations, and thus society. Clare has a wonderful way of engaging her clients and bringing them on this journey. Thanks Clare! And thank you for the impressive follow up. Fonda Smyth, Management Consultant

Absolutely clear and useful. You can easily adopt what has been learnt into the businesses. Ghida Sinawi, Project Manager, DCM Process Control

Thank you for such an interesting and fun session! I really appreciated the opportunity to participate – it was a lovely group of people, and so interesting to hear others’ perspectives and learn from their experiences! Jane James, Sustainability Manager, KiwiRail

Thought provoking, entertaining and practical. Mike Hannah, Managing Director, Stormwater 360

Really enjoyed the enthusiasm. Clare brings a unique style to her training – very effective. Sustainability manager of a major transport hub

Clare is a vivacious and dynamic presenter who immediately engages you from the start. Simonne Liley, Consultant, UpTraining

STRATEGY workshop: How to develop an environment and sustainability training strategy

It was great to work with you all last week at the Training Strategy workshop! It was such an encouraging discussion and I loved learning from the different perspectives and experiences we all have. Thanks so much for a great training session and for being so open and collaborative …. I hope this is just the beginning! Jane James, KiwiRail

Sharing ideas and stories was a highlight of the day. I will plan time to start my strategy development – Step 1 is to develop a process map. Would like the follow up Training Program course in early 2016 (so I can have a milestone to complete our strategy!) Claire Jewell, Environmental Manager, Bluescope Pacific Steel

Many many thanks again for the great workshop! It was a wonderful and inspiring group indeed, humorous and delightful. And I did learn heaps. A big compliment to you as a presenter – you were really wonderful. Susie Wood, Sustainability@Work

A highlight of the workshop was its informal and workshop-style, collaboratively learning with everyone – learning from all their and your experiences. Thank you for a great workshop, Clare. Sue Ira, Koru Environmental Ltd

PROGRAM workshop: How to set up a successful environmental training programme – a topic- or sector-specific approach

I was really impressed with your presentation… such huge potential for making a real difference to environmental outcomes. Jenny Baker, ECO (Environment & Conservation Organisations of Aotearoa)

I really did enjoy the workshop. It was exactly what I needed to help me achieve my objectives. Constance Omawumi Kola-Lawal, UK/Nigeria

TRAINER workshop: the WOW factor – how environmental experts can become great trainers

Clare’s workshop exceeded my expectations. The material provided included a pre-workshop exercise which really got me thinking about my role as a trainer and what I wanted to get out of the workshop. This was really valuable because it meant I showed up to the workshop already in the frame of mind to participate and get the most out of the day. Clare was well organized and has a gift of encouraging her trainees. I left the workshop confident in myself as a trainer. The workshop brought together like-minded people and gave me the support I needed to set clear training objectives for my team.’ Elyse LaFace, Environmental Specialist

Clare created a stimulating learning environment and her lively personality soon had people working together on practical tasks. The feedback sessions drew out key principles so that we learned from each other’s experiences and from personal reflection. It was evident that Clare planned the workshop programme carefully, as the variety of presentations and activities sustained the group’s creative energy for the whole day. Jan Crawford, Planning Consultants Ltd

Other comments:

Great fun. Day went fast – the presenter must be good! Excellent topic specialist.
Informative, relevant, important stuff.
This had been very beneficial for the group.
Helped to understand how people learn. Most interesting and enlightening.
It should be a compulsory part of the job induction for everyone in my organisation.

Training on Erosion and sediment control, water sensitive urban design, catchment management and other topics

Clare is a relaxed and good-humoured facilitator who gets everyone fully engaged with useful and relevant practical activities. She is clear and articulate and a very entertaining presenter. Claudia Hellberg, Auckland Council

The feedback from the trainees was universally positive, and our client was very happy with the results. Your help in pulling the material into a consistent and attractive package was much appreciated, as was your experience as a long-standing and well-qualified trainer to the industry. You have a very engaging and natural approach that draws out the trainees and makes for a very enjoyable as well as informative experience for all of them. It’s been a pleasure to work with you, Clare. Graeme Ridley, RidleyDunphy Environmental

Feedback on Clare’s session was overwhelmingly positive, the audience finding it insightful, interesting and immediately applicable to their fields of work. Alison Greenaway, Landcare Research

Clare has an ability to develop strong relationships and create an environment where barriers to participation are broken down and ideas can be shared. Kate Lewis, Canterbury Regional Council

I am impressed by Clare’s clarity. She always has interesting, practical examples of the points she is making so you can understand and remember the message she is getting across. She is lively, fun and full of enthusiasm. She is approachable and friendly, drawing people into group discussions. She is interested in people, which makes them feel valued and puts them at ease. Clare is an accomplished and fun communicator who is able to capture, engage and maintain the interest of even rugged earthworks contractors. David Hewson, Canterbury Regional Council

My Quarry Manager attended your 1-day workshop – he couldn’t stop raving about the two presenters and the content. His only comment was that he wished it was longer. Philip Rhodes, Hopper Developments