Engage, Enlighten, Educate and Entertain. Those are my goals when I facilitate a workshop. To that end, every day, I am thinking about the workshops I facilitate and what might add to them to meet those goals. Whether I’m listening to the radio, reading a book, talking to an employer or looking at the job bank, I am considering the information I am getting. Because I am gaining new information or insights every day, no two workshops on the same topic that I present are ever exactly the same which ensures they are always interesting and relevant.
Bringing a positive energy to the content and facilitation is so important to me, so sometimes I read a positive quote or listen to a positive energy filled song before I facilitate a workshop. When I begin a workshop, it is important for me to determine each participant’s expectations and concerns about the topic at hand so that participants feel comfortable and heard and that their experience is a positive one. Usually, participants come with a wide range of experiences and questions and it can be a challenge to ensure that everyone gets what they need from the workshop. For me, that’s what makes it so much fun: everyone is different, every group is different, everyday there is new information or new insight to share. The reward comes from the comments from participants when they affirm they’ve learned something and had fun doing it!
by Sarah-Jane VandenBerg, Facilitator at Northern Lights Canada
