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GUIDELINES FOR FACILITATORS AND COHORT LEADERS
As Cohort Leaders:
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Facilitation is not about standing in front of a group and lecturing. It is about guiding
and assisting.
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Bring as much energy as you can. Your energy level will be contagious.
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Be willing to self-disclose enough to make participants comfortable.
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Be authentic.
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Prepare enough to be familiar with material. Bring personal examples where possible to
illustrate a concept.
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Be clear about the goals of any exercise or activity.
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Focus on your role of maximizing participant learning.
Your attitude towards Participants:
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Treat the participants as equals. Assume they have relevant experience and/or
knowledge.
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Create a safe learning environment where participants can explore and share their
experiences.
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There are no right or wrong answers.
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There is no taking sides in a discussion with differing viewpoints.
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Be open and accepting, and do not judge those who agree or disagree with an
expressed view.
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Respond with interest while maintaining a neutral tone.
Facilitating Participants learning:
1. Help participants see the reason for learning something. Show them explicitly how the
lesson will be useful to them given their interests.
2. Remember that participants may not be interested in knowledge for its own sake.
3. Acknowledge and leverage the wealth of experience that participants bring to the
classroom.
4. Draw people into the materials by asking questions and getting them to respond.
5. Ask questions to encourage participants to voice their opinions and share their experiences.
Helpful hint:
When posing a question, give
participants time to respond. Counting to ten (in your
head) is a good way to guage the amount of time that
passes. Remember, silence is okay.