The Wall Walk

Timing works as follows:

0815
  • Wall Walker arrives at venue and gets set up. If there are no venue staff, then a helper or two from your organisation would be much appreciated
0845
  • Participants start gathering at venue. You may want to arrange for tea, coffee, and water to be available on arrival
0900
  • Ideally, a senior staff member welcomes everyone (including the Wall Walker), covers health and safety, and explains the purpose of The Wall Walk®
0910
  • The Wall Walk® begins
1045
  • Break for morning tea… your organisation arranges this and someone to give thanks for the food beforehand
1100
  • Workshop continues
1300
  • Workshop closed by a senior staff member who may wish to invite participants to debrief in 1–2 weeks and begin translating ideas into action, followed by karakia.
OPTIONAL (on the day)

We assume staff from the same organisation already know each other, unless they’re new. If you’d like to include whakawhanaungatanga (relationship building) before your Wall Walk, we can adjust the timing—just let us know in advance.

Reactions to a Wall Walk can vary, and you know your staff best. If it may be emotionally demanding, consider planning post‑workshop activities to help people process their feelings or begin next steps. This is usually led internally or by an independent facilitator, as it’s not a service we offer. Here are some approaches we’ve seen other agencies use:

  • Lunch for 30 minutes
  • Talk about the workshop’s impact on them
  • Visit a historical site nearby
  • Staff begin planning how to drive personal and professional change
  • Relax and unwind using rongoā (traditional Māori healing) and raranga (weaving)
OPTIONAL (weeks later)

Audience Size & Participation

Audience participation is central to every Wall Walk. Participants receive pre-work  in advance, are split into groups, and prepare a 5-6 minute presentation on an assigned topic.

The Wall Walk® works best with around 60 people, though we can do it with groups as small as 14 and as large as 80.

Costs are fixed regardless of numbers. You may invite people from elsewhere in your organisation or external guests, including family members—please advise us in advance. External participants should be invited in multiples of 3-6, as each group is assigned a topic.

We recommend over‑subscribing (e.g. invite 66 to achieve 60 attendees). Venue capacity may also determine final numbers.

Venue

The Wall Walk can be delivered on-site or off-site. If unsure about suitability, please send a photo or schematic of the venue for approval, or arrange a site visit.

Venue requirements:

  • A blank 6 m wall to display five 2A0 wall charts (attached with 3M strips).
  • Theatre-style seating facing the wall (either 3 rows of 20 or 4 rows of 15).
  • PPT projection onto a different wall and suitable audio (projector speakers are often insufficient).
  • One or two long, narrow tables at the side or back for refreshments.

Please allow at least 5 hours total:

  • 45 minutes for setup (posters, banners, seating, and tech checks).
  • 4 hours for the workshop, including welcome remarks, and a 20-minute break.
  • 15 minutes for pack-down.
  1. The Alexandra Room at TSB Showplace at 92-100 Devon Street West, New Plymouth
  2. The Hobson Room at The Devon Hotel, 390 Devon St East, New Plymouth;
  1. The Small Exhibition Hall on Marine Parade in Napier can comfortably accommodate a Wall Walk audience of 60 people or more and help with catering.
  2. Gwen Malden Concert Chambers at the Waipawa Municipal Theatre, 18 Kenilworth St, Waipawa
  3. Totara Conference Room at Kennedy Park Resort, Storkey St, Napier.
  4. Clubs Hastings, 308 Victoria St, Hastings 4122. They can comfortably accommodate a Wall Walk audience of up to 80 people seated at round tables in their “Dining Room”. They also provide in-house catering. Get hold of them on info@clubshastings.co.nz or (06) 878 8808.
  1. Corporate Suites at Manfield off 59 South St, Fielding
  1. Conference Rooms 1 & 2 at 1 Harrop Street, Dunedin