Footsteps 60

FACILITATION SKILLS

Photo: Isabel Carter/Tearfund

This issue is slightly different from most Footsteps issues. Instead of gathering articles from people with experience on different subjects, we are sharing much of the learning Tearfund has gained about facilitation skills.

Tearfund began producing PILLARS guides about four years ago to encourage participatory learning. It soon became clear that training and support in facilitation skills helped people gain confidence to make the best use of these books.

Please find below articles from Footsteps issue 60 in html.

To download a pdf version of Footsteps issue 60 click here (652K).

Bible study Servants of the King. Read Matthew 20:20-28. Each of us needs to develop humility and servanthood in our Christian life. We need to be witnesses by what we do – not just by what we say – even if those all around us act differently. Why do y... More >>

Building capacity An interview with Mulugeta Dejenu, based in Ethiopia, who works as a Regional Advisor for Tearfund. Mulugeta – could you describe your work? My work is mainly to assess the capacity needs of our partners and help support them in becoming more eff... More >>

CRUDAN’s experience in facilitation training by Francis Ademola. CRUDAN (Christian Rural and Urban Development Association of Nigeria) is a growing organisation with a big vision! In the year 2000, CRUDAN set up new offices in five different zones of Nigeria to share their activities more wi... More >>

Editorial This issue is slightly different from most Footsteps issues. Instead of gathering articles from people with experience on different subjects, we are sharing much of the learning Tearfund has gained about facilitation skills. Tearfund began producing ... More >>

Effective facilitation by Sophie Clarke. Facilitation describes the process of taking a group through learning or change in a way that encourages all members of the group to participate. This approach assumes that each person has something unique and valuable to share. W... More >>

Letters Good advice. Our organisation, AJD, aims to encourage initiatives to improve the socio-economic situation for the vulnerable and oppressed whilst respecting environmental concerns. We have used many pieces of advice from your publications. As a r... More >>

Options for community facilitation by Solomon Dibaba Leta. I have worked for twenty years with government institutions and non-government organisations (NGOs). Some of the workshops, meetings and seminars I have attended during this time were very boring. In fact, most of the partic... More >>

PILLARS in Brazil by Rossanna Virgínia Moreira. The PILLARS (Partnership In Local LAnguage ResourceS) guides encourage learning from people’s own culture. They share information in a way that encourages awareness of local problems and possible solutions to resolve t... More >>

Resources Questioning the Basis of our Work: Christianity, Children’s Rights and Development Compiled by Judith Ennew and Paul Stephenson The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has encouraged human rights principles worldwide. Many child welfare organ... More >>

Skills checklist Ask yourself these questions each time you lead a small group discussion. It will help you to assess the development of your skills in facilitation. Write down your answers and compare them over time. Did I use icebreakers or energisers to help p... More >>

Useful energisers During meetings, workshops or training sessions there may be times when energy levels fall and people’s attention wanders. This is particularly true at the end of the morning, just after lunch or towards the end of the day. Difficult presentations, h... More >>

Using role play to learn facilitation skills by Isabel Carter. Some people are naturally good at facilitation. However, most of us have to work hard to become good facilitators. Learning facilitation skills through day-to-day work can take a long time. Meetings or workshops can help people to ... More >>

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