Facilitation, Training and Communication

Learning from my elders and betters

I love to teach and learn and always try to integrate some form of training/mentoring into everything I do. I had done a lot of teaching during and immediately after finishing my PhD - lab demonstrations, teaching on field courses, student supervision and the odd lecture. I had the chance to build on this base with contract work teaching at Bournemouth University and Birkbeck College (University of London). Many of those I taught were mature students who, for a variety of reasons, had not gone to university straight after school. This group came from diverse backgrounds, had a great deal of life experience and had sacrificed a lot to return to education. Not surprisingly, they were extremely motivated to learn and wanted to actively participate in their education. With this in mind, it was clear to me that my erstwhile chalk-and-talk style had to evolve into something more interactive. I began to learn about the power of participatory facilitation approaches!!

Discovering discovery-based learning

I had the opportunity to develop these skills further in 1995 during my four months in the Philippines working as a volunteer farmer trainer in farmer field schools (FFS). FFS were pioneered in South-East Asia to help farmers farm in an environmentally sensitive manner, notably by reducing pesticide use through integrated pest management (IPM). FAO defines IPM as "the careful consideration of all available pest control techniques and subsequent integration of appropriate measures that discourage the development of pest populations and keep pesticides and other interventions to levels that are economically justified and reduce or minimize risks to human health and the environment. IPM emphasizes the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms."

The FFS approach was quite radical when it was first implemented in the 1980s and remained fairly novel in the 1990s, when many experts still emphasised top-down, recipe-book-style approaches to farmer training. In contrast, the FFS approach emphasises participatory learning underpinned by the simple premise that people learn better by doing (experiential or discovery-based learning) than being told what to do! The approach also emphasises the fact that we all bring something to the table – “nobody knows everything, and everybody knows something.” The FFS approach perfectly illustrates the potential of bespoke combinations of top-down and bottom-up approaches for effective learning and sustainable development. The bottom line is that it works! After their FFS experience, farmers made informed decisions about pesticide use, leading to healthier crops, healthier farmers, and healthier bank balances.

Getting through The Groan Zone

Following my experience in the Philippines, I have always tried to include a strong participatory and discovery-based learning component in all the training, facilitation, planning, management, monitoring and evaluation, and communication work I have undertaken … and in my home life. In other words, I have tried to include a strong participatory and discovery-based learning component in all of my non-routine interactions! This approach has not always gone down well initially, as it can take people out of their comfort zones. I have learned a few facilitation concepts and tools over the years to help ease this discomfort, but the facilitation/group dynamics concept that has had the most powerful impact on me to date is the idea of “the Groan Zone”, so clearly explained in Sam Kaner et al.’s (2007) Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making, aka “The Facilitator's Bible”.

Kaner et al. describe the Diamond of Participatory Decision Making (illustrated below) as a model for how consensus decision-making is built.

Sam Kaner et al.'s Diamond of Participatory Decision Making

The divergent zone represents an early stage when ideas are generated, and diverse points of view are sought. Misunderstanding and miscommunication are likely when the subject is complex and the group is diverse, and divergence inevitably shifts into the Groan Zone, where participants struggle to understand others' perspectives and fear their own point of view isn't being heard. Introducing Kaner et al.’s model from the outset and acknowledging and honouring the creative tension of the Groan Zone has helped me, and the groups I have worked for, to keep with the process and tolerate the stress in order to discover common ground that is the basis for participatory decision-making. I only wish I had discovered and learned to embrace the Groan Zone before 2009!!

Some of the training, facilitation and communication activities I have been involved in are listed below.

2020

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014–2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

Facilitation of training and mentoring for the South West [UK] International Development Network on the use of Outcome Harvesting in their M&E and Learning framework.

Facilitation of training and mentoring for Wellcome Trust M&E staff on the use of Outcome Harvesting in their M&E and Learning framework.

Trainer: Introduction to Reference Management Software, Mauritius.

Trainer: Adobe Lightroom, Mauritius.

Training team member (with Richard Smith and Goele Scheers): Development of courses in Outcome Harvesting.

Facilitator: Outcome Harvesting Training for the International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Group.

Trainer: Development and facilitation of a comprehensive IAS management training course in Sri Lanka.

Trainer: Training of Trainers in detection, diagnostics, and monitoring of biological invasions, and the development of a manual on detection, diagnostics, and monitoring in Cameroon.

Trainer: Image Manipulation and Organisation Workshop, Mauritius.

Consultant: Development of a Training Needs Assessment for Protected Area Network Management in Mauritius.

Development of a Training Needs Assessment for Protected Area Network Management in Mauritius.

Facilitator: Capacity-building workshop for Small Island Developing States to achieve Aichi Biodiversity Target 9 on invasive alien species organised by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity – Montreal, Canada.

Facilitator: Cameroon Biosecurity Project species listing, database and monitoring workshop - Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Facilitator: Workshop on the use of Appreciative Inquiry to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Centre for Pollination Studies (India) - University of Calcutta.

Facilitator: Developing a project planning monitoring and evaluation system for the Cameroon Biosecurity Project - Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Facilitator: Developing a planning monitoring and evaluation system for the Centre for Pollinator Studies (India) - Exeter, UK.

Trainer: Biological invasions, prevention and control - Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Workshop Facilitator: Building BioNET's future - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Workshop Facilitator: Development of a communication strategy for BioNET-EAFRINET - Nairobi, Kenya.

Trainer: Introduction to interactive taxonomic keys for staff of the National Museums of Kenya - Nairobi, Kenya.

Lead Developer: BioNET-EAFRINET keys and fact sheets for invasive plants, bee species and maize pests in East Africa.

Trainer: Outcome Mapping training course for conservation practitioners in Kenya - Nairobi, Kenya.

Facilitator: Development of a strategic plan for BioNET-EAFRINET - Kampala, Uganda.

2010

2010

2009

2009

2008

Facilitator: Development of a strategic planning framework for BioNET-ASEANET - Kuala Lumpur.

Facilitator: Strategy meeting of BioNET-NAFRINET - Tunis, Tunisia

Facilitator: Project development workshop for the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity - Nairobi, Kenya.

Facilitator: BioNET global strategic planning meeting - London, UK.

Trainer: Training course on the economic analysis of invasive species - Dakar, Senegal.

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001–2002

1997–2001

1996–1999

1995

1994–1995

1994–1995

1993–1995

Trainer: Training course in invasive alien species management in the Southern and Eastern African Region - Maputo, Mozambique.

Trainer: Pilot training course in invasive alien species management for delivery in the Southern and Eastern African Region - Nairobi, Kenya.

Organiser and Lead Facilitator: Regional workshop on invasive alien species and terrestrial ecosystem rehabilitation for Western Indian Ocean Island States - Mahé, Seychelles.

Lead Facilitator: Consultative stakeholder workshop to produce the National Capacity Self Assessment project proposal to evaluate capacity levels in biodiversity conservation in Mauritius - Port Louis, Mauritius.

Trainer: Development of Global Environment Facility project proposals and logical frameworks for stakeholders in the Indian Ocean Region - Mauritius.

Lead Facilitator: Biodiversity assessment workshops for students and practitioners - Réduit, Mauritius: Topics taught included environmental science, vascular plant biology, pure and applied entomology, conservation biology, ecology, and mathematics for biologists.

Lecturer in Biological Sciences - University of Mauritius:

Volunteer Farmer Trainer: FAO Regional Vegetable IPM program - Luzon, Minanao and Cebu Islands, Philippines

Part-time Lecturer in Environmental Sciences - University of Bournemouth: Topics taught included landscape restoration, insect pest management and environmental monitoring and impact assessment

Part-time Lecturer in Biological Sciences - Birkbeck College, University of London: Facilitated field courses in ecology and biodiversity monitoring.

Trainer: Led three week-long environmental studies courses for sixth formers at Villiers Park Educational Trust, Cambridge