Facilitator Training Process
Colorado FTW 2008
Facilitator Training Workshops (FTW) provide the training needed to become a Facilitator for the Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills (SYIS) Workshop. They are normally six to eight days in length, and focus on the learning process and content of the SYIS workshop. Intense, hands-on experiential training prepares participants in adult learning principles as well as providing the tools needed for facilitating SYIS workshops.
ITP Certified Facilitators may co-facilitate SYIS Workshops sponsored by their own or other organizations. Potential facilitators are carefully screened and selected. If you are interested in becoming an SYIS workshop facilitator, prior participation in an SYIS workshop is required.
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A summary of the prerequisites for becoming a certified SYIS Facilitator is outlined below. Please contact ITP for the complete details.
1. SYIS Participation:
- Participate in a complete Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills Workshop. SYIS participation should be at least three months before the Facilitator Training Workshop.
- Be recommended for this ministry by the Facilitators of the SYIS workshop attended.
- If the period between your SYIS and the FTW you hope to attend is greater than three years, you will be asked to repeat the SYIS before participating in an FTW.
2. Support of Your Organization:
Your supervisor or other appropriate leader in your organization must provide ITP with a statement indicating
- their desire for you to become an SYIS facilitator,
- their plans to use you to provide this training within your organization,
- and permission for you to be released to facilitate two workshops per year that are in some way of benefit to other organizations. (This can be fulfilled by hosting a workshop and inviting participants from other organizations to attend or by being a facilitator in workshops hosted by other organizations.)
Facilitators are trained by ITP to provide ITP approved Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills Workshops. SYIS Facilitator categories are as follows:
A. Facilitator Intern
- Successfully completes a Facilitator Training Workshop (FTW)
- Facilitator training continues in first SYIS workshops under the supervision of Workshop Coordinators
B. Certified Facilitator
- Frequent participation in SYIS workshops for gaining experience and ongoing learning as a Facilitator. (The expectation is availability for serving in two workshops each year.)
- Certification as a Facilitator will expire if two years pass without facilitating an SYIS workshop.
- A process of re-certification may be followed in consultation with ITP. In cases where significant time has elapsed, participation in another FTW may be required for re-qualification.
- Take part in a process of ongoing learning as a Facilitator by participating in an ITP sponsored or approved updating event once every three years.
C. Workshop Coordinator
- Responsible for the overall leadership and direction of the workshop.
- Experienced as a Facilitator and leads the facilitator team.
- Skilled and willing to coach Facilitator Interns.
- Takes part in mentoring relationships with other Facilitators, Coordinators and Trainers.
D. ITP Trainer
- Trains Facilitators and Coordinators.
- Takes part in mentoring relationships with other Facilitators, Coordinators and Trainers.
- ITP is to be notified as soon as initial plans for an SYIS workshop begin, even if the workshop is still tentative. ITP reserves the right to suspend workshop plans if minimum conditions for an effective workshop are not being met.
- Each SYIS Workshop is to be lead by a designated Workshop Coordinator. The Coordinator will serve as the lead facilitator and is responsible for the overall direction of the workshop. ITP will assign a Coordinator in consultation with the workshop host or sponsor organization.
- Facilitators are to do workshops only with other trained and certified ITP Facilitators. A minimum of three Facilitators is required. In each case, one must be a Workshop Coordinator. In some workshops, a team of four Facilitators may serve together as a means of providing a coaching opportunity for Facilitator Interns. In such cases, Facilitator Interns may be asked to cover all or part of their expenses.
- Facilitator Interns will work with (be coached by) designated Workshop Coordinators in two or more complete workshops. This is part of the normal facilitator training process and is done to assure the effective transfer of new facilitating skills and personal integration of the SYIS skills and content.
- SYIS Workshops are to be provided as complete five-day workshops, unless previous authorization from ITP is obtained. In some special cases, Workshop Coordinators may receive permission and assistance from ITP for providing the SYIS workshop under a modified schedule or in a shortened version.
- Copies of the SYIS notebook may be made only with prior written permission from ITP, and they may be distributed only to SYIS participants. The Facilitator Notes and other Facilitator materials may only be copied for use by ITP Facilitators in ITP approved workshops.
