“I went on a Group Facilitation Methods course run by Martin and found it really helpful. Martin established a really good group learning process and displayed mastery of his subject. I am very glad I went on it and very glad he ran it!” – Mike Pounsford, Employee engagement, communication and change specialist

This course is scheduled in partnership with ICA: the UK, the participation & development charity. It is scheduled back-to-back with ToP Action Planning (June 7) to allow 1, 2 or 3 days of training at once.

Who This ToP Group Facilitation Methods Training Course For?

The course is for all those who want to be able to engage people more effectively to build shared understanding and consensus, including team leaders and managers within organisations, those working with Boards, management teams, partnerships and external stakeholders, youth and community workers and independent facilitators. This course has no pre-requisite but is the pre-requisite for Participatory Strategic Planning. It is recommended both for newcomers to facilitation, and to experienced facilitators who are new to our approach.

Preparing for CPF certification? This course and Meetings That Work are two of three modules of the ICA Associates Professional Facilitator Program endorsed by the International Association of Facilitators for those preparing to become an IAF Certified Professional Facilitator (CPF). Together with Facilitating Client Collaboration, they comprise the new ToP Facilitation Essentials Program that has been submitted for IAF endorsement.

Questions this course answers

“How can I have more purposeful & productive conversations, bring out the wisdom of a group, encourage feedback between people, and reach shared awareness in meetings? How can I generate and weave together a diverse range of ideas, develop creative solutions and build a group consensus?”

This course provides a structured introduction to the ToP Focused Conversation and Consensus Workshop methods, which form the foundations of the ToP Action Planning method, Participatory Strategic Planning and other applications.

What you will gain

• By the end of the course, you will
• be able to identify when and how to use the Focused Conversation and Consensus Workshop methods
• have gained confidence in the use of these methods have recognised and explored elements of participation, creativity, teamwork and action
• have built links with others to promote future collaboration and support in the use of the methods

Learning style

The course presents the two methods in a practical and participatory way. Each method is first demonstrated, then analysed and discussed, and then practised in supportive small groups with guided reflection & feedback. Finally, participants plan how they will apply each method in their own situations.

What do participants say about this course?

• 93% of GFM participants rated the course 8/10 or higher. Comments from participants’ end-of-course evaluations included:
• brilliant – a must-do if you want better, more effective meetings
• provides two practical, easy-to-use methods to discover deep insights from diverse groups – useful tools for any group, organisation or community
• benefits for experienced facilitator and novice alike
• worth every penny – excellent content & great presentation