Testimonials: Peace and Power: Working with Male Youth

"David Hatfield brings a fresh and new experience to professional development and methods of working with boys.  Without the traditional powerpoint presentation methods, he is able to engage and motivate his participants.  At our school, David connected with our needs and thoughts with his excellent facilitation skills.  At the end, we not only had grown professionally, but personally, with new lenses to understand what makes boys tick.  David also brought our staff closer together which was not only evident that day, but also in the days that have followed.  The way in which staff have subtly changed interactions in their role modeling for our boys was, and is evident."  ~ Jovo Bikic - Vice Principal, Maple Ridge Secondary School, BC, 2009

"Incredible presenter. Incredible information. Intense growth and ideas for male youth and adults both."
"Lots to think about, lots of great ideas for being a teacher and a lesbian mom of 2 young boys. Thank you!"

"This gave me ideas to use with my testosterone-filled, homophobic class of alternative kids."
"Very moving. Profoundly useful and thought provoking."
"What a great session! I work with boys groups and he gave me many ideas."
"Great ideas to take back. Opportunity to interact at different levels of participation. Presenter respectful, skillful, and interesting. Thank you."
"An excellent and important workshop in the best tradition of this conference. Thanks."
~ BC Alternate Education Conference 2008

"I learned more about high 5's, sharing feelings, and modelling 'cool' ways to interact between men. Over time I can integrate the ideas about rites of passage and caring ways to build community among males."
"I am a little ADHD so anytime I can go 2 hours without leaving a session says this was great!"
"I learned to be more compassionate for boys, and to be more physical with them."
"Keep doing this work David. It's very much needed."

"Usually I tend to be bored at many Pro-D events. Thank you for a great presentation."
~ Greater Okanagan Teacher's Association Conference 2007

"Excellent! I always have 'Ah-ha' moments when David speaks. He has lots of incredible insight and great passion for his work."
"Practical, useful workshop. Excellent presentation. A great role model advocate for young men. Love his sense of humor balanced with his sensitivity."
"Opened my eyes to the whole target group we are missing – young men."
"Good format, engaging, encouraging – interactive! Yah! Made me think."
"The session inspired some creative and innovative ideas."
~ Vancouver Coastal Health - 2007

"Excellent! The first session in 4 yrs. I that I stayed to the end."
"David was authentic, wise, refreshingly balanced, and intentional in his teaching with an end in mind."
"I've read and listened to men and boys for 55 years. This is the first time I've felt such truth in a man's articulation of male reality. As a Grandmother, youth and family worker, a wife, and sister and daughter, thank you for doing this work David."
"Thank you, it was inspiring. I will send all of my colleagues to you next year and I will come with them."
~ BC Alternate Education Conference 2006

"Best workshop we've had in years!"
"The day inspired me. Much of being an educator has become 'policy' and 'process' - I liked the human touch of David's presentation."
"I liked the thoughtfulness with which David respected our ideas and feelings. He gave us time to think - often missing in our sequential lives! Thanks."
"Great! Loved the use of role playing and props to show a visual idea rather than just talking."
"David - I really appreciated your passion, your style and quality of who you are, what you are, and why you do what you do."

"I loved the low-tech, bare bones approach to strategies offered that can be accessed anywhere and everywhere."
~ School District #22 - Vernon 2007

"It was truly inspirational."
"Awesome content!! Great tools!! You are a great facilitator, great stuff."
"I especially enjoyed David’s straightforward talk and most interesting content. I will definitely be able to use this in our program."
"Very well set up, great activities! Great support."
"Absolutely awesome! Lot of great thought provoking conversation. Could have spent days with you."
"Awesome stuff – stuff that isn’t as mainstream as it should be."
"Good stuff, interesting research tidbits."
"Very informative. Highly recommend it to others. I am taking lots home with me. Thanks."
~ B.C. Alternate Education Conference 2005

"Great! Concrete strategies."
"Very practical info to take into my practice."
"We need to work on our clinics to make them more inviting to young men."
~ Vancouver Coastal Health 2006

"David came and worked with me on beginning a conversation in our community about the place of males and masculinity and how best to serve their needs."  ~ Kaye Smith, Child Advocate, Hauraki Family Violence Intervention Network - New Zealand 2008

"There are several activities I learned that I can use immediately with both kids and adults I work with. I appreciated your abiltiy to articulate and point out aspects of masculinity and male power that some more 'feminized' group would choose not to look at."
"I learned to help create a creative culture that is concerned with the specific issues of men in society that can lead to criminal behaviours."
"You gave me some wonderful ideas for working with the kids in the Phoenix Treatment Program - Thank you!!"
"David has a terrific, masterful, gentle presentation style."
"Good presentation - he keeps it moving and engaged, sharing the most applicable research and factual information on interacting with boys."
"David, I appreciate your willingness to answer all questions and to be open minded."
~ City of Eugene Recreation,
Lane County Department of Youth Services - Detention,
Eugene, Oregon 2007

"Thank you for your clarity, sense of fun, energy and inspiration plus feet on the ground practicality." ~Anne Zeeland – Psychotherapist – New Zealand 2008