IPC Facilitation Techniques
The following include a variety of IPC facilitation techniques. Understanding and mastering these skills is fundamental to successfully facilitating an IPC program.
Welcoming
People entering groups for the first time feel apprehensive and nervous. They are not sure what is going to happen and wonder what they are doing to be asked to do. The sooner the facilitator can help them to overcome their uncertainties and feel comfortable and relaxed, the better.
Reflection (Asking Reflecting Questions)
A key to good IPC facilitation lies in the facilitator’s ability to provide the space for people to contemplate what is happening to them, to stop and reflect upon past events in a new way. The role of the facilitator is not to give advice or opinions, it is about allowing members to explore their own problems and realize what is stopping them from making the necessary changes to protect themselves and those around them. The facilitator should be armed with a series of general reflecting questions that will push the participants to reflect and come to their own conclusions. This process insures that the motivation for change comes from the participant and NOT the facilitator. Participants must know that the problem is theirs and that the facilitator is not there to solve it for them.
Restating
Restating differs from reflecting in that the facilitator is repeating and or paraphrasing what the participant has said in order to understand the facts, to be clear about what the participant is saying or asking, or to emphasize a point to the group.
Validation
To create an atmosphere of inclusion for all group members, the facilitator should validate ideas and opinions of participants, whether or not he/she or other group members agree with those ideas. The facilitator can support the wishes, beliefs, ideas of the participant by restating what the person has said, proposing a reflecting question to the participant, or writing the item on the board (if part of a brainstorming session).
Self Disclosure
In some cases, self disclosure can be helpful in building the relationship between the facilitator and the members. By including a few personal anecdotes or stories the facilitator can break silence and or generate discussion about a specific topic. The disclosure also creates connection between among group members.
One of the challenges of being a facilitator is to helping members focus on their own behavior such as changes they want to make or strategies they will use to make those changes. In all those situations, members are making decisions. The more determined they are in making these decisions, the more likely the changes made will be sustained. If the facilitator and not the participant becomes the problem solver, the sustainability of these changes decreases. For this reason, the facilitator should rely upon self disclosure of group members, but should not push any one group member to disclose before he/she is ready.
Consider incorporating a training module on each of the following staff skills.
- Overcoming stigma [PDF] towards high risk groups.
Those who are working in direct contact with the selected target populations need to examine their personal attitudes and feelings toward the high risk groups and the risk behaviors they present. It is important that the IPC agents do not harbor any prejudice toward high risk groups, many of whom are accustomed and sensitive to such stigma. Incorporating a values assessment or other stigma related activities [PDF] into IPC trainings can be helpful in overcoming any preconceived opinions.
- Desensitize attitudes toward sexual issues.
Carrying out IPC activities will most certainly involve talking about sexual issues which can be embarrassing and uncomfortable for people, especially if there are cultural taboos against talking about such topics. In addition to sexual intercourse, IPC agents may also have to discuss transactional sex, youth sexuality, sexual violence, condom use, multiple partners, anal intercourse, and gender issues. It will take practice [PDF] for IPCs to become comfortable talking openly and frankly about sex and high risk behaviors, especially with sexual values that are different than their own.
- Sensitize attitudes toward gender issues
Because traditional gender roles and culturally constructed ideas of power dynamics for males and females can create barriers to the adoption of healthy and protective behaviors, it is important to sensitize attitudes toward gender issues. This can be one of the most difficult goals to accomplish because gender attitudes are often deeply, culturally ingrained. Defining gender and developing training activities that directly challenge stereotypes [PDF] through discussion are essential to the successful development of IPC agent skills. Trainers should assist the participants through reflective questioning to help them become aware of how gender impacts behavior.
- Listening Skills
In good communication, listening is every bit as important—if not more important—than speaking. Most people can hear without much effort, but active listening requires skill. Active listening [PDF] requires our full attention and involves reflection and response to the information we receive, while hearing only engages our auditory sense, not necessarily our minds. A discussion of good communication skills and active listening is important in IPC trainings.
- Flexible management structure
A responsive management structure that adjusts based on monitoring of field needs is important. This requires good two-way communication between the field and central managers. Flexibility also allows for alterations to be made in program implementation based on evidence that comes directly from the field.
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