Facilitation Training The ICEO’s facilitation training program increases the MIT community’s capacity to convene open and respectful dialogues within local units and across the Institute. The program is designed to empower staff with a variety of facilitation frameworks and strategies that can be applied to groups with diverse viewpoints. The program builds a facilitator’s practice by: Reflecting on the purpose of facilitation and its impact on interpersonal dynamics Understanding the roles and responsibilities of an inclusive facilitator Providing an environment to experiment with facilitation techniques Connecting staff with other facilitators across the MIT community As a result of the program, facilitators can guide conversations towards new meaning or decision points that often require the exploration of impasses and differences. This exploration often creates discomfort, which leads to avoidance of conversations that could benefit the community. Therefore, a facilitator with multiple tools in their toolbox, has the ability to support dialogues where participants engage in ways that challenge their thinking and behaviors, while upholding the agreed upon norms of the group. For more information about the ICEO facilitation training program, please contact the ICEO or the Assistant Director for Community Learning, Molly McInerney.