Training study circle facilitators
This training program is intended to help participants understand how a study circle works and the role of the facilitator in making it effective. From a group of people who take this training you should be able to select facilitators for your study circles.
The facilitation skills practised in this training program will be useful for people who chair meetings, lead bible study groups, host public forums or lead discussions for any kind of interest group. Churches, service clubs, art councils, agricultural and political groups may be sources of participants. Teachers in Adult Basic Education programs can use study circles effectively, as can tutors in literacy programs.
You don't have to be an expert facilitator yourself to conduct this program. You can invite people to do it in a collaborative way so you all learn together. You can invite people who have some experience to increase their skills along with novices. This makes the program a sharing experience where you take advantage of the expertise of each other - a true study circle approach to learning.
This is a suggested outline for a six hour training program that can be completed in one day or broken into two or three sessions more suitable for evenings. It is designed to accommodate eight to ten trainees most comfortably. You may want to adjust the timing or the number of people taking part. The more time you give to it, the more time each participant has to practise and the more your new facilitators will feel they benefit from the program. Once again, the program is flexible and easily adjusted to suit the needs of your group.
