Stickydot training: Facilitation skills

This one-day workshop explores the skills necessary to facilitate discussions in workshops and meetings, with a particular focus on dialogue around research. As facilitators, we play a crucial role in structuring this dialogue: exploring perspectives of individuals of different profiles, identifying common ground and building consensus. Specific techniques can be employed to ensure participants are comfortable to engage and work towards having equal voices in the discussion.

Who is it for?

Researchers, project managers, communicators, anyone who is involved in facilitating workshops that bring people together to discuss key questions in research. We will look at facilitation skills in the context of science dialogue but they are also relevant to broader contexts, from leading meetings to running workshops.

Course objectives

After attending this training, participants will be able to:

• Explain the role of a facilitator
• Understand and use principles of active listening in their role as facilitators
• Formulate questions that meet the needs of the context in their role as facilitator
• Open group workshop sessions in a way that ensures common understanding and maximises participation
• Build consensus among participants in a workshop session
• Address challenging situations in a workshop context
• Reflect on their role as facilitators and integrate feedback
• Use a variety of tools such as ice-breakers, energisers, brainstorming and co-design techniques

Insight from a broad range of experiences

This workshop is led by Michael Creek from Stickydot who has a wealth of expertise in facilitating dialogue and participatory processes around research and innovation, on and offline. The workshop will be held in English. It draws on existing good practices and theory both within our sector and further afield. The sessions are dynamic and interactive, ensuring plenty of time for discussion and sharing of experiences.

About Stickydot

Stickydot is a Brussels-based SME that shapes research and innovation through multi-stakeholder engagement and co-creation. We love to facilitate in a way that ensures real participation, where everyone's needs are addressed. Read more about us here and follow us on LinkedIn.

A lthough this is a paid workshop, we value inclusion and do not want price to be a barrier to participation. Please don't hesitate to contact us about it.

Info: As facilitators in the field of research, what does our role entail? We will explore the responsibilities we take on regarding our participants and the topics we address, and the challenges we take on. We will look at what sets us apart from facilitators on other issues: how does the need for evidence-based discussion affect our objectivity? How can we embed this reflexivity into our practice? What challenges is our group currently facing, and how can we address them? When we bring a group together for the first time for dialogue, we need to affirm not only our role as facilitators, but the role of the participants. How do we set the scene for an inclusive discussion from the outset? What role can co-creation play in establishing norms for interaction among our participants?

Info: This session will be a chance to test out a key technique for making sure our participants are heard and understood: active listening. From mirroring to paraphrase, linking and summarising, what techniques are effective to create an atmosphere of dialogue and help us keep control of the discussion?

Info: As facilitators, we often bring together people from a range of professional profiles. What do we need to bear in mind when the conversation includes scientists, policymakers, activists or industry professionals alongside the general public? How can techniques like framing help us use our influence to keep the dialogue on track?

Info: This final session will be a chance to put into practice the skills we have been developing across the day. How can we deal with common issues: dominant voices that don't make space for others, lack of participation, cynicism, sidetracking, or conflict? We will explore what works, what doesn't, and how to anticipate these challenges.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Gemeenschapscentrum De Markten, 5 Rue du Vieux Marché aux Grains, Bruxelles, Belgium