Facilitating for Diversity: How to use facilitation to change mindsets

Who attends this course?

People who are active in equality inclusion and non-discrimination on the basis of gender, age, disability, ethnicity and other grounds: staff from public and private institutions, .representatives from UN agencies, Ministries of Labour, workers and employers organisations, gender and other equality bodies, disabled people's organizations, NGOs. The programme can accommodate a maximum of 18 participants.

What is Facilitation for Equality?

In this workshop, participants will learn and practice the skills to become facilitators and change agents in their own organizations.

You will learn dynamic, focused, highly participatory groupwork approaches to changing the discriminatory attitudes and practices that currently exclude many marginalized groups from mainstream employment, services and activities. Facilitation for Equality takes a rights-based approach to promoting practical equality of participation – and does it in a lively, person-centred, dynamic way. Your view of attitudinal change will be transformed, giving you the skills to transform the mindsets of others.

What topics does this course cover?

This week-long course includes an introductory workshop, individual practice, and detailed feedback.

What will I learn?

Participants participate in a simulation exercise, analyze methodologies and techniques, and learn how to apply them in practice.

Workshop content

In the first 1.5 days you will participate in a sample workshop aimed at changing mind-sets concerning a particular group which experiences discrimination – i.e. people with disabilities. You will then have a chance to analyse the methodologies and techniques used, and understand when and how to use them. The last part of the workshop includes individual practice, detailed feedback and exploration of how to adapt methodologies and materials to suit varied circumstances and topics.

* As well as the group feedback after each practice facilitation session, participants can avail of the opportunity to receive more detailed one-to-one feedback from the programme leader.

What will I be able to do?

The goal of this course is to help participants understand all the elements of facilitation for equality, so they can become change agents at work.

• Analyze facilitation for equality techniques
• Understand when and how to use the techniques
• Adapt the techniques to unique circumstances

Why should I join?

The Turin Centre is known for its unconventional and highly effective learning methodologies.

• Participants and trainers exchange knowledge and experiences in practical discussions.
• The course is designed to stimulate competence, confidence, and commitment among
• participants.
• Participants receive detailed, one-on-one feedback from trainers after each session.

Format and methodology

In practice, the methodology you will learn is:

• dynamic (challenging, and tailored to the needs and interests of each group of participants)
• participative (experiential exercises, games, dramas and discussions form the main learning activities)
• work-related (relevant to participants’ actual work and interests)
• reflective (participants have the opportunity to think broadly about their work and its impact on marginalised people)
• encouraging and supportive (facilitators create a working atmosphere which enables participants to speak openly, without fear of criticism)
• creative and constructive engagement (focused on finding solutions which work)
• contemporary (based on the latest ideas about creating equality of participation for marginalised people)
• adaptable (can be re-arranged to suit different cultural environments, and different levels of education or kinds of background).

Facilitating for Equality respects participants as experts in their own fields, and so aims to build on their existing knowledge and skills. It works to stimulate competence, confidence and commitment in participants, facilitating them to bring their own expertise to their learning about equality and inclusion. While introductory, it delivers practical advice which participants can implement immediately in their work and personal lives.

Who are the facilitators?

• Maureen Gilbert - Disability, intercultural, diversity and equality consultant with broad experience of working in Africa, Asia, Europe and US for ILO, UN, statutory bodies and NGOs. She has been particularly working on topics related to equality mainstreaming in the design and delivery of programmes and systems. This includes diversity proofing, devising and delivering disability equality training (DET), diversity workshops, intercultural communication, and conducting related training of facilitators. Previous to engaging in independent work she held management roles in statutory organisations National Disability Authority (and National Rehabilitation Board) in Ireland.
• Benedetta Magri - Facilitator, trainer and expert with long-standing experience on equality mainstreaming and non-discrimination in the world of work and in development programming at global level. Currently the Manager of the International Labour Standards, Rights at Work and Gender Equality programme of ITC-ILO.