Facilitator Training 

Facilitator Certification Training

In-Class Training

Our in-class training provides the foundation to facilitate productive conversations on our society's most challenging issues. 

Practice

Facilitators-in-training have opportunities to practice their skills  with senior facilitators in real community dialogues.

Coaching

As a final step, we offer facilitators-in-training one-on-one coaching and evaluation of their skills based on our facilitator competencies.

Opportunity

All certified facilitators who pass our evaluation are invited to serve in our private and public dialogues. Facilitators receive stipends!

In our neighborhoods, our organizations, our congregations, as people, we are in desperate need of tools that will help us negotiate our differences. 

 

Zeidler Group facilitators learn to incorporate insights and tools from mediation, appreciative inquiry, organization development, and interpersonal neurobiology to help people have conversations about some of our most difficult topics.

 

Our method is a relationship-centered approach that includes:

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  • Preparing people for new conversations

  • Reflecting on one’s own and others’ perspectives,

  • Using shared agreements that guide the conversation

  • Encouraging curiosity, listening, and honest questions

  • Structured conversation that prevents old, unproductive patterns

 

3-Part Process

Our training is a rigorous 3-step process that provides both a holistic understanding of Zeidler dialogue theory and the skills that are needed for the practice of being a facilitator.  The three steps include a 1.5-day in-class theory and method training followed by co-facilitation with senior facilitators in community dialogues. The training concludes with coaching and a formal evaluation of the facilitator-in-training.

 

This training enables practitioners to use facilitation tools in a variety of settings that the Zeidler Group works: after plays, films, and performances, within organizations, educational institutions, and businesses, supporting communities of faith, and engaging neighborhoods working on civic issues. 

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Additional training opportunities will be opening soon. 

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As a facilitator-in-training, you'll learn...

 

  1. How to assist groups to convene with a high amount of intentionality to process and structure.

  2. Nonviolent group processes and how to hold the space through trauma-informed facilitation.

  3. How to assist participants to make agreements with one another to honor each other’s perspective.

  4. How to document testimonies through careful note-taking so that voices and ideas are captured accurately. Zeidler Group reports on our convenings record qualitative and quantitative data essential for next steps