Lesson 1 Overview

Group facilitation is a vital skill for creating engaging, inclusive, and productive discussions. This lesson introduces the fundamentals of facilitation, including the facilitator’s role, key responsibilities, and the importance of creating a supportive group environment. Participants will gain an understanding of how facilitation differs from instruction, the principles of effective facilitation, and the core skills needed to guide meaningful discussions.

By the end of this lesson, participants will have a strong foundation in facilitation principles and be ready to explore more advanced strategies in later lessons.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1. Define the role of a facilitator and differentiate it from other leadership roles.
2. Recognize the key responsibilities of an effective facilitator.
3. Understand the importance of neutrality and how it impacts group discussions.
4. Identify key facilitation skills such as active listening, questioning techniques, and managing group dynamics.
5. Explain the importance of psychological safety in fostering open and meaningful dialogue.
6. Describe best practices for setting up a successful facilitation session