The two pillars of the trainer’s posture
In France, Frères des Hommes organises numerous training courses for volunteer teams. In order to encourage the transmission of experience between activists, the association offers volunteers and activists who wish to co-animate these trainings. The two pillars of the trainer posture at Frères des Hommes have been imagined to facilitate these co-facilitations.
First pillar : the co-facilitators start from the representations and experiences of the participants to lead them towards new information and new knowledge
Why ?
This is a principle found in adult education and in popular education. It is easier to build learning by referring to one’s own experience, rather than by simply transmitting information. This favours a posture of actor in the training, and not of simple consumer of contents.
More generally, it leads people more towards a posture of actor of their commitment.
How can this be done ?
In the educational process proposed by Frères des Hommes, the transmission of information or knowledge is very often preceded by activities (games, readings, viewing of videos, role-playing...) allowing the participants to make active discoveries. Even though these steps may seem time-consuming, they are central to the learning process. New information and knowledge can be brought into the debriefing that follows these activities.
Second pillar : the co-facilitators guarantee a clear and benevolent framework allowing the circulation of the word of all the participants, in the respect of the objectives of the training
Why ?
A training course (face-to-face but also distance learning) is based on a group dynamic. The co-facilitators∙rices always have in mind that it is their role to foster a positive dynamic. A clear framework (in terms of temporality, objectives, working methods and circulation of the word) encourages positive dynamics. Conversely, an unclear framework risks encouraging situations of withdrawal or even opposition.
How can this be done ?
From the start of the training, the co-facilitators announce the objectives and timeline, and then make every effort to stick to them (adjusting some of the sequences if necessary, but without running over the end time).
During the training, the co-facilitators make sure that everyone can participate, by encouraging those who are less likely to speak, and by channelling those who tend to monopolise the floor. Not everyone has the same legitimacy to speak : the co-facilitators pay attention to differences according to gender, age, seniority in the association...
The co-facilitators try not to digress and remain focused on their pedagogical objectives.
The tool-sheet to be downloaded takes up these two pillars. It is used to introduce these principles to new people who are brought into the facilitation of training courses.
