ToP Facilitation Methods

2023 Schedule

Seattle, WA In-Person:
March 29-30, 2023 | Tukwila Community Center | 12424 42nd Avenue South
September 20-21, 2023
December 6-7, 2023
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (1-hour lunch)

Portland, OR In-Person
October 4-5, 2023
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (1-hour lunch)

Online Courses:
October 10, 17, 24, 31, 2023
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. PDT (30-min lunch)

Course Objectives:

ToP facilitation methods help groups to think, talk and work together. Learn to facilitate a conversation that leads from ideas to understanding, resulting in action. Learn and practice the core methods in this 2-day in-person or 4-part online series.

Prerequisites:

None.

Who is this training for?

ToP provides facilitators with structured methods to guide groups, recognize and honor individual contributions, sort through mounds of data and find consensus – while minimizing conflict. ToP training is for anyone who works with groups that need high-level participation to be effective, including:

  • Managers and supervisors
  • Executive directors and board members
  • Facilitators, trainers and consultants
  • Educators and health practitioners
  • Active citizens and community workers

Download our flyer here!

Watch this video for a highlight of this amazing course!

What You’ll Learn:

Learn three proven ways to activate group participation. Hands-on practice helps you discover practical uses in your life and work. Participants work individually and in small groups to see the ToP Methods in action, and then have the opportunity to practice facilitating in class.

FOCUSED CONVERSATION METHOD

Learn the foundational approach that leads naturally to a meaningful exchange of ideas.

  • Conduct purposeful discussions
  • Capture a group’s best thinking easily
  • Surface new ideas and solutions
  • Stimulate candid feedback

CONSENSUS WORKSHOP METHOD

Practice the engaging, structured process that energizes people to reach consensus.

  • Tap rational and intuitive thought processes
  • Integrate diverse ideas
  • Generate practical and creative solutions
  • Develop group consensus

ACTION PLANNING PROCESS

Walk through practical steps that help groups plan, organize resources, and build commitment.

  • Visualize a successful result
  • Analyze the current reality
  • Create a practical plan
  • Maximize group involvement

What are the benefits learning facilitation methods?

  • Unproductive conflict disappears
  • Groups create their own motivation
  • Personal commitment becomes the norm
  • Visible results appear more quickly
  • Increased productivity saves time and money

Continuing Education Credits

Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) and Masters Certified Education Specialists (MCHES) earn 13,5 Continuing Education Contact Hours (CECH) for ToP Facilitation Methods recognized by the National Commission on Health Education Certification (NCHEC).

American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) members earn Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for ToP Facilitation Methods (14.5 CM).

Pricing

SLIDING-SCALE FEES

  • Corporate/for-profit, $1250
  • Public/government, $1050
  • Individual Professional $950
  • Nonprofit
    • large institutions (budget > $5 million), $1250
    • mid-sized (budget $1-5 million), $950
    • small/community-based (budget <$1 million), $650
  • Student, $650

March 29-30, 2023 | Seattle
Sept 20-21, 2023 | Seattle
Oct 4-5, 2023 | Portland, OR
Oct 10, 17, 24, 31, 2023 | Online

Note: You will be redirected to the Institute of Cultural Affairs for your registration.
Or Click Here to Find Dates & Locations Near You

Looking for In-House Training for Your Group?

You provide the space (long walls or a whiteboard to place sticky walls with painter’s tape; movable tables and chairs), the participants and the refreshments. We supply everything else! Please contact us if you wish to schedule a ToP course inside your organization.