Friends are often called upon to facilitate retreats, conferences, and conversations, sometimes within the Quaker community and sometimes in the world beyond. The skill set required is not quite the same as the skills involved in either clerking or teaching, though the practices do have some things in common. At this retreat, we’ll explore many pieces of the work of facilitation, including the following:
practical and spiritual preparation; planning the arc of the event; methods and modalities; group empowerment; co-facilitation; maintaining and responding to a sense of the group; engaging with difficult situations; and the facilitator’s relationship with the elder(s). Spiritual gifts among facilitators vary widely, and we are all most effective when we build authentically upon our strengths. For that reason, Karen, Emily, and Christopher will be explicitly articulating and demonstrating their differences in approach and encouraging those present to do the same. The weekend will also provide opportunities to connect with Friends of varying levels of facilitation experience in order to encourage future possibilities for co-facilitation and mentorship.