Definition

1. Definition A facilitator is a person who has the role of helping participants to learn in an experiential group (Heron 1989)

2. Facilitator styles • Directive or non-directive • Interpretive or non-interpretive • Confronting or non-confronting • Cathartic or non-cathartic • Structuring or un-structuring • Disclosing or non-disclosing

3. Adult learning • Adults need to know why they need to learn something before doing it • Adults have a self-concept of being responsible for own decisions • Adults have greater volume and different quality of experience • Adults become ready to learn those things they need to know • Adults are life-centred (task or problem centred) • Most potent motivators are internal (job satisfaction, self-esteem, QOL

4. Responsibilities of facilitators • Administrative • Creating membership • Working environment • Time keeping • Listening • Making sure group know what to expect • Ground rules • Intervene if individual ‘at risk’ • Safety of members

5. Facilitator’s role • Clear objectives • Appropriate size of group • Non-judgemental approach • Teaching group skills • Taking turns • Listening • Building on ideas • Listening to each other

6. Facilitator’s role • Making sure all members contribute • Encouraging quiet members and stopping talkative ones • Allowing emotions to be expressed • Encouraging members to experiment with new ideas and behaviour • Support conditions to enable change

7. Facilitator’s role • Promoting ways to enhance • Trust • Acceptance • Mutual support • Challenge • Empower

8. Conveying respect • Find out interests and preferences of individuals • Keep promises or agreements • Active listening • Interest in whole person • Valuing all effort and contributions • Positive emphasis

9. Conveying respect • Avoid devaluing person • Warmth in words and behaviour • Not patronising or condescending • Appropriate language not jargon • Using people’s names • Accepting people’s own decision

10. Conveying understanding • Focus on feelings not just words • Asking for peoples opinion • Sharing own experiences • Not making assumptions • Asking about feelings and experiences • Extra time and attention for significant experiences

11. Facilitators should • Establish physical and psychological climate conducive to learning • Involve learners in planning • Encourage learners to formulate their own learning objectives • Encourage learners to identify resources and strategies to accomplish learning objectives • Involve learners in evaluating their learning

12. Facilitators should (cont) • Believe learners make their own decisions and think for themselves • Refrain from assuming an authoritative view and adopt a more facilitative and listening position • Accept diversity • Accept all viewpoints and not impose their own personal values

13. Skills • Encouraging participants to make self-disclosure • Giving positive feedback and showing acceptance and understanding of their thoughts and feelings • Using helping skills to reshape thoughts to encourage fresh insight

14. Skills • Making direct statements which endorse suggestions by participants • Eliciting commitment to taking action • Giving reassurance to individuals that they are learning and developing • Building up confidence of participants to enable practical application of learning

15. Questions to ask about the group • Did everyone participate? • Did members listen to each other? • Did members support, help each other? • How did members work together?

16. Participation • Who was included/excluded or involved/not involved? Why? • Who participated most/least? Why? • Does this participation vary according to methods used? • Who talks to who? Is anyone excluded?

17. Individual members Do they • Give information to group? • Ask questions? • Respond to what other members say? • Agree/disagree with others? • Praise, support or encourage others? • Criticize others? • Interrupt?

18. How would you deal with members who are • Silent • Too talkative • Bored, withdrawn • Aggressive • Less articulate • Shy • Distracting