The quality and rigor of Connect Program sessions rely on Soliya’s highly-skilled facilitators, all of whom undergo at least 20 hours of facilitation  training.  Guided by an experienced trainer, participants meet in small group sessions to develop and practice the necessary communication, technology and conflict resolution skills to guide and deepen these cross-cultural discussions.

Participants will receive helpful feedback and a chance to practice facilitation with coaching. If training is completed successfully, participants will be invited to become facilitators in Soliya’s Connect Program. Successful engagement as a facilitator for one semester of the program will ensure the receipt of a United Nations Advanced Facilitation Training Certification.  Participants also gain practical experience as leaders in conflict resolution and develop key 21st Century Skills, including cross-cultural communication and collaboration, vital in an increasingly interconnected world.

Facilitation Training includes the following components:

• Skill-building activities in active listening, summarizing, asking good questions, observing and addressing group dynamics, and working with online tools.
• Opportunities for hands-on facilitation practice with other trainees and extensive, individualized feedback to participants from trainers after each session. These practice sessions build skills and give facilitators opportunities to openly discuss issues that will be addressed in the Connect Program. This builds self-awareness among facilitators about their own perspectives and prepares them to address challenging group dynamics.
• Discussion of relevant academic materials on facilitation and conflict resolution theory.
• Presentation of the various activities and tools recommended for facilitator use in the Connect Program, and the opportunity to practice these activities and tools.

Soliya facilitators are a talented and diverse community, representing over 25 countries and drawn from a range of professional backgrounds. Many are Connect Program alumni, graduate students or young professionals engaged in international work. Each semester 70 to 100 newly-trained facilitators are integrated into this network.

To learn more about becoming a facilitator click here.