By Ana Maria Solis
The innovative "Fertilizer for Facilitators" program held in the scenic town of Portorož, Slovenia, not only offered an opportunity for advancing creative facilitation skills but also presented a model for transformative educational experiences. This five-day intensive course, crafted by the seasoned facilitators from Mind@work VOF, Drs. Jan Lelie and Yuen Yen Tsai, under the Erasmus+ program, took place from May 13 to 17, 2024, at the TPC Center of Santa Lucia, housed within the Istria Creative Incubator.
The course aimed to equip facilitators with modern tools and methodologies essential for fostering adult social inclusion and navigating the ever-evolving educational landscape. Its focus was on advanced facilitation approaches, incorporating tools to enhance participant engagement while fostering emotional and intellectual connections among the facilitators.
Program Highlights
The training week was structured with a blend of activities designed to maximize learning through engagement and practice. It started with ice-breaking activities to build rapport among participants, which was followed by introductions to basic facilitation techniques and the CPF Framework outlining the core competencies of facilitation. Subsequently, the focus shifted towards perceptual frameworks and tools, exploring the Four Realities Model and integrating tools into facilitation practices. The subsequent sessions centered on design thinking and practical applications, focusing on dealing with interruptions and managing resistance within groups. Participants then developed action planning techniques methodologies and collaborated on simulated project work to apply the skills learned. The program concluded with participants practicing evaluation techniques, receiving feedback on project work, and participating in a certification ceremony that recognized their growth and readiness to implement their new skills.
The training environment, supported by the collaborative spirit of the Istria Creative Incubator, provided an ideal backdrop for this educational endeavor. The venue itself, known for promoting creativity and innovation, complemented the course's objectives perfectly, facilitating a blend of traditional learning with modern, digital approaches.
Participant Experience and Professional Development
Participants provided positive feedback on the course, particularly noting the practicality of the skills acquired. They emphasized how these skills are crucial for managing the continuous change inherent in both individual and organizational development. This perspective reinforces the idea of facilitation as an essential tool in professional settings, where the demands and dynamics are constantly evolving.
Exploring Facilitation Resources
The course demonstrated the importance of continuous professional development, urging facilitators to remain adaptable and proactive in their learning journey. This approach ensures that facilitators can effectively navigate and lead through the complexities of their environments, fostering a culture of ongoing growth and adaptation.
Further enriching the facilitation dialogue, the accompanying "Facilitation Resources" proposed by Mind@work VOF delved into the nuanced strategies of facilitating change and understanding dynamics within varied group settings. The training underscored the paradoxes of change, introducing facilitation as a dynamic interplay between guiding and adapting to the ever-changing needs of groups and organizations.
The training provided various facilitation techniques, including sensory, social, united, and mythical approaches to understanding and interacting with reality. Each technique is associated with different aspects of reality and facilitates different types of change, applicable in scenarios ranging from personal development to organizational change, managing group dynamics, enhancing communication, and fostering innovation and creativity through structured facilitation practices.
Educational Principles and Practical Applications
The course was based on several key educational principles that shape its framework and objectives. These include a focus on learning rather than merely teaching, emphasizing the development and application of facilitation skills in a practical context. Additionally, the course promotes focusing on individual and group strengths instead of weaknesses, fostering a more positive and effective learning environment. Another fundamental principle is the cultivation of a community-oriented approach, where shared responsibility for learning outcomes encourages collaboration and mutual support among participants. These principles ensure that the skills imparted are not only absorbed but also utilized in ways that support ongoing professional growth and adaptability.
The "Fertilizer for Facilitators" course, funded by the Erasmus+ program under project number 2023-1-IT02-KA122-ADU-000143524, specifically aimed at enhancing creative and digital skills for artistic facilitators. It is part of the KA122-ADU - Short-term projects for the mobility of learners and staff in adult education. This course is designed to build solid foundations for future facilitators, enhancing their ability to navigate and lead in continually evolving educational settings.
SOLIS SRL, the coordinating organization, along with supporting partners such as FUTOUR DI PAOLO MARIO REMO MARTINEZ, played pivotal roles in realizing this program. Their commitment to enhancing educational methodologies shone through their meticulous planning and execution of the course.
For further details on this transformative program and future sessions, interested individuals are encouraged to visit the SOLIS SRL website or contact the project coordinator directly at solissrls@gmail.com. This course not only represented a significant advancement in educational facilitation but also marked a meaningful step towards creating inclusive and adaptive learning environments across Europe.
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