Courses: Creative Facilitation

In recent years, Partners has been running one or two Creative Facilitation courses each year responding to requests from facilitators who want to learn about the Partners Training for Transformation approach to facilitation. The course is intended for those who are experienced facilitators and want to work in more creative ways or for anyone in a management or facilitative roles who wish to enhance their work.
Since autumn 2020 this course has been available online, still fully interactive and participative in approach.

In autumn 2023 the course develops again, this time it will be a blend of both online and in-person.

Content

The content of the workshop can be organised under four headings:

Each of these elements and the interplay between them is essential to good facilitation.

The content of what we do on the course is negotiated with the participants so that it is relevant and pertinent to their needs and context. It is also informed by the experience of the course facilitators. Among the themes and issues chosen by previous groups are: designing learning events and resource material for use in adult guidance, understanding key elements in group dynamics and development, decision-making (individual and group), facilitator styles, understanding and managing change and transition, creative processes, power issues, managing conflict, promoting participation and inclusion, supporting and nourishing the self.

Process

In terms of process we are mindful of three things. We like to facilitate a high level of participation, we recognise that participants will have a variety of different experiences and we are also aware that there will be a diversity of personal learning styles within the group. We draw from a wide range of methods and resources. These include case studies, personal reflection, structured exercises, role play, reading, group discussion, design work, questionnaires, drama, art, movement etc. There is an emphasis on participants drawing on and sharing their own experience and working on real-life cases and scenarios.

Who is the Course for?

Creative Facilitation is intended for people who are working as facilitators or are involved in roles where facilitation and facilitative skills are important.

How is the Course organised?

The organisation of this course has gone through some development over recent years. It was originally organised as two two-day blocks a month apart and was often held in Kimmage Manor. During the challenging pandemic years we redeveloped the course for online. In 2023 it continues to develop: this autumn's course will be both online (4 x half day sessions) and in-person (2 days).  As always, Partners can hold the course in a local area in a venue to suit the group, and now we can offer tailored courses to groups online, in-person, or using a blend of the two.