Trips and tips

Issues to consider to avoid trips

In planning groups and programs it is important to consider:

The safety of group facilitators and group members
Accessibility of the program geographically, economically and culturally
The need for administrative support to handle telephone inquiries, undertake follow-up, registration, prepare handouts, reminder letters, name tags, course materials
The value of networking with relevant community organisations in planning and promoting the program
Ways of contacting organisations which may be able to refer participants to your program
Choosing a time that maximises attendance of the target group
Session and program length. Families have many demands made on their time. Choose between one-off sessions or a series of four sessions. A session of one and a half hours duration seems to work well.
Choice of venue and how convenient, acceptable and comfortable it will be for the target group
Whether or not to provide child care
The size of the group (fewer than five may be too small, more than 20 is probably too large for one facilitator)
The cost of the program for participants
The gender of participants
The mix of people in the group (if participants find others in the group who are dealing with similar issues, they are more likely to feel positive)
Implementing intake process to ensure a more homogenous mix in the program
The language used in the promotional material (it needs to be inclusive and appropriate to different socio-economic and culturally diverse groups)
Attitude barriers to enrolment and continued attendance.

It is helpful if marketing messages address issues that participants might feel anxious about, such as:

Tips for facilitating effective groups

It's important that facilitators:

Clearly identify the objectives of the group
Ask the group for help to set group rules
Adhere to the session times
Have a variety of activities to suit different learning styles of individuals
Choose the content to advance the objectives
Think carefully about the order of sessions (build trust before tackling the more difficult issues)
Have some fun or relaxation activities, through warm-ups and energising tasks which also advance the content
Provide coffee or supper at a convenient break or at the end of the session, when one-on-one discussion can be achieved if required
Provide certificates to acknowledge involvement, contribution or participation
Address pressing issues early
Provide a resource kit for participants including booklists
Allow scope for individuals to move at their own pace
Allow couples time to connect and reflect about the issues raised. Repartnering groups are groups of couples not groups of individuals
Provide a variety of individual, couple, small group, gender group and whole group opportunities.

It is important that facilitators:

Raise consciousness and extend participant's understanding while not imposing their views on the group
Respect participants' thoughts, abilities and strategies
Are aware of their own personal boundaries (for example, they are acting as facilitators not counsellors)
Equip participants so that they can undertake work outside the group
Are aware of the group's boundaries
Allow each group member to have their own experience, yet draw out the similarities and differences in participants' experiences
Use the language of participants where possible and appropriate
Do not use jargon, abbreviations or language which is not inclusive
Monitor the progress of the group
Have access to appropriate professional support
Are knowledgeable about referral options should participants need or request referral to other organisations for specific services.