The Family Business School: Statement of Purpose
Issued by The Principal and Fellows of 'The Family Business School'

The Family Business School is a pioneering, cutting-edge establishment, delivering relevant information to support present and past students. This document outlines our purpose and plans in developing The Family Business School's programs and circles of influence.

We have a short but proud tradition of excellence and leadership when it comes to translating the complex theories of family therapy into the practical and useful habits and skills for family business consultants, and family therapists.

We are determined to act decisively with a clear sense of purpose and priorities and thus apply to The Family Business School the methods and skills that we have always counseled others to follow.

Our popular training program will be even more accessible via web 2.0 and other technologies and Internet tools. This enables us to respond more immediately as mentors helping students and graduates to conduct, author and publish their own research. It also facilitates a new partnership that encourages students to offer more input on the structure and content of the various courses we offer.

We are also developing structures so that we can affiliate our courses to appropriate world-wide training associations.

Our Foundation Course in Family Therapy, and Training Clinic, from its inception, was designed to provide students with an equivalent learning to that of the British Association For Family Therapy.

Our intention now is to turn our attention to the arena of Family Business Consulting and prepare materials with similar parity.

The Family Business School is an inclusive partnership following a liberal utilitarian philosophy. Its aim is not simply to extend knowledge and skills bases of family therapy, but also widen the multidisciplinary perspectives of staff and students alike.

It follows from this objective that where possible we will make available much of our course material under a Creative Commons license as Open Courseware, however, we will only do so for materials that have been shown to be effective.

Mission Statement:

We believe that the family is at the heart of every enterprise and, since our initial perceptions of the world occur in families, then families are the major context in which we shape our thoughts and give meaning to our lives.

We intend, therefore, to build a network of consultants, both in business and in the healing arts and sciences, who are skilled in producing change through conversations and interventions that repair and restore damaged relationships, thoughts, and emotions, and which can continue long after the consultant has ceased to be involved.

We value research as a means to assess our ability to deliver effective training, and also ensure that our students deliver effective counsel to their clients and patients, as well as to expand the knowledge base in the fields of family business consulting and family therapy.

We strive to be cohesive as a school, and to maintain an International outlook whilst delivering face-to-face learning in the Republic of Turkey.

We value diversity and we see differences, of ability, belief, culture, creed, education, gender, professions, as strengths adding to the richness of life, rather than things to be feared.

Naturally we value partnerships and business affiliations, but only where they will further the core purposes of The Family Business School.

We are results-orientated, and judge ourselves not by the numbers of students who have passed through our trainings, but rather by their abilities to enhance their lives and the lives of others whom they meet as a result of our contact with them.

Core Activities:

Our core orientation has always been and will continue to be upon rapidly enabling qualified professionals to practice safe and effective therapy, or offer appropriate counsel to families.

Our main focus is upon therapist supervision, and consultant consultation, because such professionals need and require support if they are to practice with flexibility and safety.

This focus includes the provision of practical tools, and aids that will help family therapists, and family business consultants in their working lives.

We also will continue to provide face-to-face teaching in family consultation methods.

Secondary Activities:

In support of our core activities we are cultivating links with institutions and professionals in the following fields. Such contacts are already helping us to enrich our materials and provide something extra for our students.

Global Family Business Studies

Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Family, Culture and Bioscience

Business Identity and Culture

Research and Measurement:

From the very first Foundation Course in Family Therapy, offered by the founders of ‘The Family Business School’ in 2003, we made researching the relevance and course materials an integral component. We will continue to research, assess and evaluate each of our programs in order to ensure delivery of pertinent and useful materials.

Additionally, we propose to help and collaborate with students, past and present, in the design and execution of research in the fields of family therapy, and family business consulting.

Families Are Who We Are:

In every step and process The Family Business School acknowledges that staff and students must prioritize their own families' well-being. If studies need to be suspended whilst people have babies, or if a child or marital partner needs special attention, we support this wholeheartedly. Students will always be welcome to join us again.

We are concerned when a business, or a career, becomes 'all consuming', and our staff, or students families suffer as a result.
Education is a life-long process, rather than a race for qualifications and honours, and people are best measured by their abilities and conduct, rather than the diplomas they have acquired or the company they keep.

The Family Business School looks forward to a period of consolidation followed by steady expansion that will enable it to claim its place as one of the first destinations worldwide for those aspiring to aid families, or family businesses, in distress.