Study Circles
Facilitator Trainings 2006
Download the Agenda for training sessions » in a Microsoft Word Document.
Study Circle Facilitator Trainings
ALL trainings are 9:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Dec. 13th - Colville
Dec. 14th - Moses Lake
Jan 3th - Castle Rock
Jan. 10th - Klickitat
Learn More
Learn more about facilitating Washington State Horizons Study Circles in this PowerPoint presentation.
You can also learn more by visiting Study Circles.org.
Learn more about Study Circles in this PowerPoint presentation developed by the Northwest Area Foundation.
Job Description for Study Circle Facilitators
Are you interested in becoming a study Circle Facilitator? Please contact us and download a Study Circle Facilitator Registration form. People from all walks of life can become excellent study circle facilitators, provided they can:
- Listen well
- Work easily with different kinds of people
- Help others have a good conversation
Training to facilitate small group dialogue and problem solving can be a very rewarding experience. You will get to know new people and learn skills to help you at work and at home. Above all, you will contribute to the well being of your community.
Key Tasks of Study Circle Facilitators
- Attend a facilitator training
- Be available to facilitate all discussion sessions of your study circle
- Work closely with your co-facilitator
- Fill out any needed paper work and return to the organizers
A study circle facilitator serves as a neutral guide. The facilitator helps people have productive conversations leading to positive community change. In particular, facilitators:
- Help everyone feel welcome
- Help people set groundrules
- Help people explore a range of viewpoints
- Make sure every voice is heard
- Build trust across differences
- Help participants make progress on the issue by connecting their dialogue to action
Position Description for Local Study Circle Steering Groups
We recommend that each community be required to put together a local steering group of about 5 or 6 people. The creation of steering groups will be crucial to the success of the study circles. During Horizons I, some of the Delivery Organizations were able to take direct responsibility for organizing study circles, but this isn't feasible for Phase II given the number of communities we hope to involve. In addition, the creation of local steering committees will be essential to the development of increased community capacity to implement future community engagement initiatives.
Key Tasks of Local Steering Group
- Clarify goals
- Set timetable
- Determine scope of project (number of participants & facilitators)
- Participant recruitment:
- Strategy
- Implementation
- Communications/community awareness
- Facilitators:
- Identify
- Recruit
- Arrange for training
- Prepare data sheet for use during circles (see pages 11 and 25 in Thriving Communities Guide)
- Circle logistics:
- Arrange for sites
- Assemble supplies: nametags, flipcharts, markers
- Configure groups for diversity
- Arrange for childcare, food, transportation
- Distribute discussion guides, evaluation forms
- Plan and carry out Action Forum
- Evaluation:
- Distribute and collect pre and post-evaluation forms supplied by NWAF