Footnotes Training

We at Footnotes have often witnessed the wonderful transformation of individuals who start to possess a sense of their worth as they witness their own ability to change their lives.

“Hey. I was in one of your lectures today, being totally sceptical and expecting to be bored outta my mind. All I can say is it was the most interesting and incredible lecture I’ve ever been to and the only time I’ve ever listened to what’s going on without having to try really really hard. Also (and you’ve probably guessed this) everything you said applied to me, and even though I don’t think I’m especially dyslexic it was so great to hear that I’m not a total freak. All thru school I had people thinking I wasn’t trying hard enough and having a go at me for drawing in lectures and classes. Now I know why I was doing it and that it’s a good thing too. So thanks, didn’t wanna mob you at the end of the lecture, especially cos I didn’t have my head straight at all, but I wanted to tell you how much what you said means to me, and how much I admire what you are doing. Thanks again.”

“It was a joy meeting Oliver online and learning from him. He tailored the session to my particular area of interest in his work and was really friendly and encouraging. The session left me with much to think about as I consider how Footnotes may help the children with whom I work. I recommend Oliver’s book on the subject, but meeting him in person (albeit online) was even better! Thank you, Oliver.”

“Thanks 4 visiting! Since I learned of the grid, I’ve done more on my PhD in a week than in 3 years previously!”

“It was great to meet you today and as I mentioned I was really blown away but the session. It touched me in a very profound way.”

“I am the CFO for a London based management consultancy and have been actively using the grid for over four years. The grid helps me sort my thoughts quickly. Examples of where I apply the grid include, solving a complex business problem, preparing a speech and taking notes. The benefit of the grid is not only the freedom of using a visual approach but also a neat way of coping with multi-layered thinking. My life has not been the same since being exposed to Footnotes and Oliver.”

“I don’t think I thanked you properly for all your work with Richard. I was really thrilled by what was achieved on Thursday, and we are so positive about the future…If I was religious I would say you are the answer to my prayers but as I’m not, I just consider myself so lucky to have found you!”

“I gave my essay to M to have a read of – this essay being the first I’ve done where I planned it in pictures entirely – no words, and the first thing he said after reading it was “wow”. He said that “it’s refreshing to read something interesting and engaging on a Friday afternoon. Thought u would like to hear that since, well I couldn’t have done it without u.”

“Just wanted to say thanks again so much for the seminar last week. It was really inspiring and gave me hope. It seemed that you really understood my situation and what you said made a lot of sense.”

“I am particularly grateful for your introduction to Oliver West’s visual thinking techniques. I have read his book and am amazed at how much of it I recognise as my own experience! I am starting to use the grids and techniques. It feels like a big relief to have this tool! So a big thank you for that.”

“Your book was like a ray of light, focusing as it does as on our linear approach to teaching being an obstacle rather than an aid to many children’s learning.”

“I use your A4 system on a daily basis for everything that needs planning and recording of information. It has been a god-send. Previously I was extremely anxious when dealing with complex investigations and recording accounts in suspect and victim interviews. But your system is simple and means because it is segmented I can concentrate on the content and not the structure. When I have to monitor a victim interview I can now record pretty much word for word what is being detailed. This can be achieved on a number of A4 sheets of paper where my colleagues are using several investigators note books. I use the system in class because I find that being dyslexic I need to record the information in writing it in order to take in what is being said…Your system has completely changed my ability to record and disseminate information.”                            Police Detective Constable

“At GHNI we meet with policy makers from all over the world. It’s my experience that Footnotes has what it takes to deliver fast acting, powerful strategies to enable those in positions of authority to assess, agree and deploy what is needed. …It’s a scalable and capable program that defines and delivers whether it be in a refuge camp or in a boardroom.”
Hal Jones – CEO and Founder of Global Hope Network International  (2000 – 2020).

“I recently read the book “In search of words – footnotes visual thinking techniques” by Oliver West. I found it a deeply moving book. As a dyslexic and visual thinker, so much of his book resonated with me. This is my journey, as I took notes, and then in words so it makes sense to others than me…”
Youth and Community Worker

Always we saw fighting, war, explosion, especially in Middle East. Country fighting with other country, attacking, you know, bombing. Killing. We always thinking about the quiet life… From when I was child I was thinking about quiet place…I used [Footnotes], I translated in my mind and in my heart and in my feeling to drawing. I not draw normally but I try to do something… This is a very new thing for me. It’s the first time I’ve translated sentences to pictures… I translated what’s in my mind and in my heart and in my feelings to drawing… I think it’s a good, amazing thing, that makes you understand yourself better                                                                                                                                   Ari, Aid Worker in Kurdistan

“I’ve learnt a lot from what I heard and I even feel that my dream has come true today and so I have to speak about it! I have had a dream, but I’ve not known how to approach it before today. The Footnotes workshop showed me that it was easy to do and now I know that my dream can be real! I would love to make a business, to have a shop selling food…so I want people to hear…pull up your feet…opportunity is out there and it’s in our hands, you just need to use it.”   Moota. Living at the ‘Place of Hope’ shelter for abused woman and children, Cape Town

“As an OT I have experienced through taking Footnotes to South Africa how multifaceted Footnotes is. There are multiple uses for many different people for different reasons. I have seen a boy who stutters use Footnotes to present in a clear articulate manner for film. I have seen young people come to realise and articulate their dreams and provide their own objectives to their own goal, I have seen facilitators of after school projects and managers come to realise the positive impact Footnotes can have on their youth programmes and teaching programmes. From spending time with Oliver I have heard amazing, truly inspiring stories of how negative behaviour, whether crime related or not can change, when the offenders remedy the error of their ways. Footnotes can be used to help with research by collecting, organising and presenting in a written format at University levels. Footnotes is a programme that can be used by any person, and I want to encourage everyone to try using it.”            Occupational Therapist

“Hi Oliver, You really have opened our minds. In our school we are having children who we are calling slow learners because they cannot read and write. Thank you for explaining everything to us, and showing us the program. Even the children who were regarded as having disabilities were able to translate words into pictures! I think all the things you have explained and showed to us will be useful in school. Especially to assist all the learners that are unable to read or write.”   Teacher at a Western Cape Education Department training day

The distraction grid is here to stay for as long as Mosh needs it. He needs prompting to use it but it really does help. It also means that I don’t get distracted by his distractions so we both benefit! We have tried the spelling grid with his word building lessons and although he grumbled about the extra time it all took, I can see that this will be an effective strategy to include within that subject.”

“I am a primary school teacher and have continually searched for ways to help those children who struggle with basic reading and writing skills, particularly when it is clear to me that so many have so much more potential than they are able to realize in a standard classroom setting.

“Quite an eye-opener! I really enjoyed the workshop. Will definitely implement it in my school.”

“I think this method will help us a lot. The creative aspects that are attached to it seriously gives hope to complement the writing and teaching ability of the learners.”

“Shed some tears of empathy and connection, when reading your book.  You have really inspired me to believe that by acknowledging and tapping into my different learning style, I can achieve at University level, although some of my prof’s are doubtful…….which just makes me even more determined.”

“Thanks again for your tireless pursuit of helping those who think in a different way and were hindered by the traditional education system!”

“Today I telephoned P to share my enthusiasm when I observed our focus pupil’s immense progress: He was really able to read unaided a typed page of 15 lines from an Oxford Reading Tree Book with confidence. The page had been typed to take away the pictures.”

“the help from Oliver West and the development of my own visual language has led me to live commissioned work for the University. It has also expanded my knowledge of my own visual language and dyslexia. This way of working has helped a lot with the commissioned work and is something that doesn’t just benefit dyslexics, but can help the more academic individuals.”

“Just to let you know that one of my pupils has taken to your Footnotes like a duck to water!! He was worried as he’d heard that his history group were going to have to write up what they knew about ‘1066 and all that’. In his case he knew a tremendous amount, down to who had bows and arrows and who had swords and who had the advantage of being higher up and so on. So all this information poured out of him, verbally of course, then I folded the paper and he just drew it all, filling every square and laughing as he did it. He is now writing it up, one or two squares at a time. So, a very big thank you for the excellent idea and the inspiring Saturday morning you spent with us in Exeter, it’s making such a difference already.”

“Over the course of my life, I have predominantly used linear, ‘left-brained’, analytical thinking. However, since the Footnotes VMT Tracker Grid came into my life, I’ve discovered new ways of studying and learning. It’s been a complete game-changer. I’ve been tracking podcasts and lectures, and instead of listening as per usual, I’ve been using the grid to draw symbols and images that emerge in my ‘mind’s eye’/my imagination. I am very excited about actively pursuing a journey in visual thinking, and pursuing the image-based, and non-linear thinking that has always been possible. It was always there as another way of seeing, I just needed somebody to open the door.”  Sophie (PhD)