Facilitator Tips and Tools Fa/cil/i/ta/tor or process easy or easier to take place. Without getting wolved in the action, process, or discussion (Oxford Dictionary) Word Origin The Latin word for “easy” is “facilis”. You can see this origin in the word fac means ‘the act of making something e —————— ion, which ‘The meeting went very smoothly because we had a very competent facilitator who really understood the needs of all of the persons who attended. The company hired a facilitator for our work teams because they thought a fresh set of eyes and ears would help us communicate better. Sometimes when there is a big issue between a group, a facilitator can help forge a middle ground. Equity This is about fairness and equal access to opportunity. It takes social differences and the s structures of inequality into account rather than assuming that we all begin on a level playing field, and through hard work, anyone could succeed. Race ~ Sou censtuckar Arace is a grouping oCGumariased on shared physical or social qualities into categories generally viewed as disifieTBy societyA Neutral Facilitator Explains his/her role Sets a relaxed and welcoming tone Introduces her/himself, but does not share personal opinions or push an agenda Does not take sides Makes everyone feel that their opinions are valid and welcome Does not use his/her personal experiences to make a point or to get people talking Uses probing questions to deepen the discussion — Brings up issues that participants have not mentioned Rer is participants of comments they shared in earlier sessions litator should be well prepared for the discussion. This means the facilitator. understands the goals of the dialogue program Ytod the nacter L is familiar with the subject thinks ahead of time about how the discussion might go wWhermigkt be vite on? has questions in mind to help the group consider the subject Wht has boppak. He the, 4 Help the group do its work * Keep track of who has spoken, and who: hasn't. © Consider splitting up into smaller groups occasionally. This will help people feel more at ease. * Enter the discussion only when necessary. When the conversation is going well, the facilitator isn’t saying much. Don’t allow the group to turn to you for the answers. Resist the urge to speak after each comment or answer every question. Let participants respond directly to each other. ‘Once in a while, ask participants to sum up important points. People sometimes need time to think before they respond. Don’t be afraid of silence! ‘Try counting silently to ten before you rephrase the question. This will give people time to collect their thoughts. ‘© Tryto involve everyone; don’t let anyone take over the conversation. «Remember that a dialogue is not a debate, with winners and losers. If participants forget this, don’t hesitate to ask the group to help re-establish the discussion ground rules. —> Don't allow the group to get stuck on a personal experience aranecdote. © Keep careful track of time. z { z eee & eee eevee ° zs Gok: Now ook aes Connathas that seek inh f- ansanesHelp participants look at different points of view ‘+ Look at the pros and cons of each viewpoint. Or, ask participants to consider a point of view that hasn't come up in the discussion, Ask participants to think about how their own values affect their opinions. Help participants see the things they have in common, Spend time doing activities that develop trust and relationships. When pushed for time, facilitators might be tempted to skip the activities that help participants to get to know (72, each other at deeper levels. This can be fatalto meaningful dialogue. Forthe participants, “Po, © these activities may make it harder to completely discount someone's opinion after they“ ry have spent several hours hearing about very personal stories and experiences Sy Address feelings, not just facts. When there is conflict in a group, participants often hunker down into their own views of the facts, no longer able or willing to hear another person's perspective. In this situation, the facilitator can probe participants to address their feelings about the issue. read through a list of feelings such as “frustrated”, “hopeless”, “embarrassed”, “guilty”, “empowered”, “victimized”, “validated”, and “angry”, asking participants to raise their hands for each that they are feeling at that moment. Through this focus on feelings, the facilitator changes the dynamic of the dialogue. Bring other participants into the conversation. It is not the facilitator’s role to resolve conflicts that arise in a dialogue. Rather, the facilitator should engage other participants to address the conflict through questions such as “Does anyone else feel as these two participants feel?”, “What are some other perspectives?”, or “What is blocking the conversation?” Be transparent about the process. Facilitators should not think that all conflicts need to be resolved the session; it is acceptable, sometimes desirable, for some parti ints to leave a session feeling frustrated or angry. This is one example of the program structure and process working together, with specific outcomes for each session. To keep the focus on the participant, and mitigate beliefs that the program shouldn't make them feel uncomfortable, the facilitator should inform participants that conflicts may arise, reminding them how the six-week structure will give them opportunity to resolve their discomfort. Remind participants of experiences discussed earlier. The activities in the early sessions help the facilitators as much as the participants, helping facilitators to understand participants’ background and providing experiences that can be brought up later in the dialogue. For example, an activity in session one has participants talking about the communities in which they were raised. During a conflict, the facilitator could remind the participants about that early discussion and ask how the different experiences influence the current conflict. The Fist Converscbim is pat cect Ye. WSsue. Creches Mostar Sele space _