Training Course on Facilitation Skills
Public participation is a critical component of any development activity. People are the resources of Knowledge, capacities, ideas and action. It cab be difficult to tap individual creativity in an effective way, because we are often caught up in our usual patterns of behaving. However, if we can clearly understand group process and master the skill of effective and facilitative leadership, we can utilise the individual’s resources fully for better group results.
Technology of Participant (TOP) or Facilitation Skills, are tools that enable individual’s ideas and capacities to come forth, leading to enhanced group results. They consist of different methods for creating shared awareness, shared decisions and shared action in groups. These methods have proved effective for organizations and community groups large and small.
Five day long facilitation course will train you to be competent in using the facilitation tools that are taught and practised in all over the world. The core of the course consists of four tools: Focused Conversation Method, Workshop, Workshop Method, Action Planning Method and Participatory Strategic Planing Method.
Focused Conservation Method (ORID)
The Focused Conservation Method enables group member to reflect on an event or commonly shared experience and derive common meaning. It provides a structure for effective dialogue in groups, gently leading the conservation from individual observations, to feelings and ideas, and eventually to a shared understanding and group response.
The method is based on the natural process of human mind, which takes group members through four levels of awareness, from a superficial observation of an event to an in-depth understanding of what has happened and how to respond. These four levels are called: objective level, Reflective level, Interpretive level and Decisional level.
Have you noticed how often a group discussion can go around in circle and never come to clear conclusion ? The Focused Conservation Method provides a highly structured and productive approach, which gives all individuals a chance to express their feelings and ideas and always ends in some kind of decision and conclusion.
Workshop Method
The workshop method helps a group to be creative and to reach consensus quickly about issues which are important for the group. It taps each individual’s ideas and brings together them all together into a shared group result, which will form the basic for action.
Through this process, individual’s capacities and ideas are tapped fully and are integrated into the group’ end result. It is a very active process, in which people feel empowered and appreciated and will be motivated to participate actively in group’s activities.
Action Planning Method
Through this method, a group can design a very detailed implementation plan for a their common activity or project. The group is guided through a process of creative thinking, realistic analysis of the situation and finally making a well-thought out plan of action, including a timeline and division of tasks. The process involves identifying the types of activities needed, a vision of the ‘victory’ key actions, calendar and assignments and concludes with reflection.
Participatory Strategic Planning Method
Planning is like the steering-wheel of an organisation, and this method enables long term planning to be done successfully. It takes the group through a process of building a shared vision for the future, looking at problematic issues that are challenging the group and identifying strategic directions for tackling these issues. As an end result, the group divides into task forces each with a shorter-term goals.
This tool provides groups with a clear framework of where they are heading, ensuring everyone is aligned on the vision, and motivated to participate in making it happen. It helps them to make strategic decisions and to translate these into a practical implementation plan.
Course Overview
Day 1
- Introduction to the Course
- Role of Teacher/Trainer/Facilitator/Animator/Coordinator etc.
- PRA/ZOPP/Animation/Appreciative Inquiry/ TOP Method
- Focused Conservation Method
- ORID
Day 2
- Workshop Method
- Action Plan Method
- Victory
- Key Actions
- Calender and Assignments
Day 3
- Participatory Strategic Planning
- Course intro, Overview and Focus Question
- Vision Workshop
- Contradictions
- Demonstration
Day 4
- Strategic Actions and Directions
- Implementation
Day 5
- Practice
- Applying Facilitation Skill
- Course Evaluation and Reflection etc.
Training Program will be organized in association with ICA Nepal.
Fees ; Training fee depends on number of participants and duration of training program. Please contact us info@volunteeraidnepal.org for more details.