FOUNDATIONS IN FACILITATION SKILLS
Engage and Lead… Level 1 Accreditation
Foundations in Facilitation is a suite of short courses totalling just 5 days, and leading to accreditation at Level 1. It is designed for those who want to consolidate, broaden, and enliven their style of facilitation.
The accreditation aspect is particularly suited to those who wish to chart their professional development, and who are committed to maintaining good practice.
Whilst you will be provided with facilitation models, tools, and tips, we recognise that the greatest resource you bring to groups is yourself and the impact that you have in engaging, leading, and developing others.
Methods
We are committed to experiential learning and reflective practice. You will be working in small groups of up to 12 participants, with smaller sub groups for skills practice and peer review. Activities will include theory input, practical activities, group discussion, practice sessions, feedback and self & peer assessment.
Click the image for a large version
A suite of short courses… Level 1 Accreditation
Foundations in Facilitation is a suite of short courses totalling just 5 days, and leading to accreditation at Level 1. It is designed for those who want to consolidate, broaden, and enliven their style of facilitation.
The accreditation aspect is particularly suited to those who wish to chart their professional development, and who are committed to maintaining good practice.
Whilst you will be provided with facilitation models, tools, and tips, we recognise that the greatest resource you bring to groups is yourself and the impact that you have in engaging, leading, and developing others.
Methods
We are committed to experiential learning and reflective practice. You will be working in small groups of up to 12 participants, with smaller sub groups for skills practice and peer review. Activities will include theory input, practical activities, group discussion, practice sessions, feedback and self & peer assessment.
Click the image for a large version
About the Foundations in Facilitation Skills programme (5 days)
Facilitation Skills & Strategies (2 days)
In this two-day module, you will explore your role as a group facilitator with particular attention to skills practice and awareness building in the live group setting. We will introduce you to Modes of Authority and Dimensions of Facilitator Style, a practical toolkit designed to equip you with the confidence and skill to effectively handle group processes and group tasks, paying attention to structure and interventions before, during, and after an event. You will learn how to direct and guide groups hierarchically, and to work in cooperative and autonomous ways too, as appropriate. You will be encouraged to become aware of your own skills, experience, personality, and preferences, and use and flex your facilitator style with self-awareness, authority, and personal presence.
Group Dynamics (2 days)
In this two-day module, you will explore your personal process as a group member and the direct impact that this has on your facilitator style. You will become aware of the effect that prevailing group dynamics have on you, including your attitudes, assumptions, personal triggers, and defences. Time is given to explore the nature of projection and transference, and developing personal strategies for handling them. You will become more comfortable in handling situations as they emerge, and more aware of the subtle influence that you have on a group, and vice versa.
Group Dynamics (2 days)
In this two-day workshop, you will explore your personal process as a group member and the direct impact that this has on your facilitator style. You will become aware of the effect that prevailing group dynamics has on you, including; your attitudes, assumptions, personal triggers, and defences. Time is given to explore the nature of projection and transference, and developing personal strategies for handling them. You will become more comfortable in handling situations as they emerge, and more aware of the subtle influence that you have on a group, and vice versa.
Self and Peer Assessment and Accreditation (1 Day + 6-8 hours self/peer study in preparation)
Self and peer assessment is at the heart of our accreditation process and is a particular strength of AoF. Working towards accreditation relationally, as part of a peer group, creates a rigorous and challenging environment for evolving your facilitator practice. Participants report that this process builds deep confidence, knowledge, and awareness, as well as emotional competence and skills for self-regulation. Based on feedback and a growing sense of their personal impact, participants become more familiar with their own blind spots and are better able to identify and flex their style. Peer groups are formed during the Group Dynamics module. For this reason, you need to do your accreditation in the month following your Group Dynamics module. In this assessment process:
- you review your own learning against the FACETS® competency model, adding any criteria that support your own development agenda
- you present an assessment of your own learning to your peers
- your peers offer you their feedback, perspective, insights, and critique
- you summarise your learning for yourself, identifying strengths, and areas for development and articulating future learning aims
By this point, you will be familiar with this way of working from our training programme where you will have been engaged in skills practice and reviews with your peers in the group setting. The process of accreditation is similar in essence, but involves written summaries of learning and feedback, with peers allocated to specific roles: ‘support’ and ‘rattle and shake’.
Full guidance on how to prepare and submit your application and to consolidate your learning into a clear statement of accreditation is provided. Extensive support is provided throughout the training programme to ensure a high success rate for those who are committed to their learning and aligned with our ways of working.
Attendance at a final Accreditation Day is your final gateway to Accredited Membership. The process is administered and overseen by the Association of Facilitators who confirm any award for accreditation.
On completion, and subject to evidence of continuing professional development in years 2 and 3, you will be able to describe yourself as an Accredited Facilitator for three years and to use our logo on your profiles and promotional material. Thereafter, you will be invited to reapply for reaccreditation. This is a straightforward process if you have kept yourself and your skills up to date.
Who is this for?
Typically those who attend Foundations in Facilitation Skills are:
- Working within an organisation as a change agent, group/team leader, manager, director or project manager.
- In chairing roles at meetings with developmental, strategic or operational purpose (be that business, charity or education).
- Occasionally called upon to facilitate groups, meetings and teams.
- Working as a consultant, change agent, trainer to a client organisation.
- Embarking upon a career in facilitation or leadership
Participants are usually facilitating already (or about to be) and may:
- wish to learn about themselves in a group from high-quality input and feedback
- be feeling unequipped or deskilled by previous training/ experiences
- have become aware of the absence of theories and models related to group facilitation in their toolkit
Course Information – How to Apply
The cost of this five-day open course in the UK is £3,588. This price includes VAT, lunch, and all course materials but does not include an overnight stay (approximately £80-100pn). Discounts are available for not-for-profit and public sector organisations and for self-funded individuals.
If you are interested in attending please also read the information for participants and complete the application form. UK courses are held at Highfield Park, Heckfield, Hook, Hampshire (please see map).