Classic Program: Starter Facilitator Handbook for Healing Groups

Facilitating Groups Facilitating groups well requires three things: participatory learning, using visual aids well, and managing group dynamics.

PARTICIPATORY LEARNING Participatory learning is an essential part of the trauma healing process. It is more effective than traditional teaching methods, because people remember:

• 20 percent of what they hear • 30 percent of what they see • 70 percent of what they discuss with others

• 80 percent of what they experience • 95 percent of what they teach others Participatory learning is also a critical part of the healing process because it gives people the opportunity to interact and tell their stories. If you say less, the participants will learn more. Participatory learning respects the knowledge and experience the group brings and allows people to interact personally with the ideas. Engaging the mind, emotions, and body all together

makes for the best learning experience. Laughter also helps people learn. The more creative, the better—and people can be surprisingly creative.

None of us is as smart as all of us.

Take the temperature of the group and adjust to keep energy flowing. Participatory learning means you give up some control as the leader and take risks, because you can’t predict what people will say. The risks are well worth it! Look for the teachable moment: People may ask questions about something you plan to cover later. This is a teachable moment. Flex and deal with the question. You can throw it back to the group first and then add your own thoughts as necessary. People can also ask questions that are not related to the topic of the lesson. If they are topics that should be discussed, designate a flip chart paper or part of the board as a “refrigerator” where questions can be stored for a later time. Be sure to find a time to respond to these! Create a safe space: Don’t force people to share, or shame them by disagreeing with them publicly. Discuss confidentiality (page 13). Use name tags. Planning a lesson: Think first of how you will have the group participate, not what you will present. Say just enough to introduce the topic and ask discussion questions (or give instructions for an exercise). These questions (or instructions) need to be very clear and contribute to the direction of the lesson. The questions

Facilitating Groups

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