Facilitation

Audience.
Anyone that works people with will benefit from this course on facilitation skills.

Overview
The Facilitation Skills training course is designed to equip participants with the knowledge, techniques, and confidence needed to facilitate productive and engaging group discussions, meetings, workshops, and training sessions. This course covers a range of facilitation skills, including effective communication, active listening, group dynamics, conflict resolution, and decision-making processes. Participants learn how to create a positive and inclusive atmosphere, establish clear objectives and agendas, and guide participants through structured activities and discussions. Additionally, the course may cover techniques for managing difficult behaviors, fostering creativity and innovation, and ensuring participation and buy-in from all group members. Through interactive exercises, role-playing scenarios, and real-world case studies, participants have the opportunity to practice facilitation skills in a supportive learning environment. Ultimately, the course aims to empower participants to become skilled facilitators capable of leading successful and impactful group sessions that achieve desired outcomes and drive positive change.

Topics Covered.

1. Introduction
   • What is facilitation.
2. How to become a more effective facilitator
   • How to set agendas and capture data
   • How to use time management and information seeking techniques.
   • The role of clarifying, coordinating, and summarizing.
   • How to relive tension.
   • How to protect the process.
3. What are the functions of facilitation skills?
   • The primary function of a facilitation.
   • The range of values that are needed by effective facilitators.
   • Facilitator styles available (e.g., directive, exploratory, delegating, participative, interpretive, and evaluative).
4. Introduce the three stages of a facilitation process
   • Stage 1: Define the purpose, outcomes, and products required from the process
   • Stage 2: Design and define the actual process
   • Stage 3: Implement the process and ensure the outcomes and products
5. How to design a facilitation process?
   • How facilitation design impacts the facilitation process.
6. Explore seven facilitation techniques
   • Key tips, rules, and how to gain consensus within a facilitation setting.
   • Self-check questions and the concept of intervention.
   • Facilitation techniques (awareness technique, brainstorming, NGT technique, affinity diagram, fish bowl, multiple perspectives disk, the hanger technique).
7. Understanding the role of people in a facilitation process.
   • How to listen to and capture contributions.
   • The importance of collating knowledge.
   • Active participation in a facilitation process.
   • Group dynamics skills and personality types.
   • Dealing with conflict.
   • The role of people in the process.

Learning Outcomes:
Your participants will:
• Explore the main obstacles to effective facilitation skills.
• Understand the facilitation process.
• Understand a range of facilitation techniques.
• Examine how to build an effective facilitation process.
• Understand the benefits of effective facilitation skills.