For Facilitators

Thank you for your willingness to serve as a facilitator. In this role, you will be part of something wonderful. Your efforts will help lead a small group of individuals to become more emotionally resilient as they live gospel principles and learn practical skills. You don’t need to be an expert, and you are not responsible for what others bring up; just follow the materials and rely on inspiration from the Spirit and the group.

Facilitating this group is different than other self-reliance courses. While this course can work with groups of various sizes, experience has shown that the ideal group size for this course is 8 to 10 participants. The topics in this manual are sensitive, so some participants may become very emotional. If this happens, please be as understanding as possible. Most group participants will also be quick to lend support to others.

If these materials are used with youth groups, it is recommended that participants be at least 16 years old and that two adults be present. If you have concerns about a youth’s safety because of something he or she shares in a meeting, please let the parent or guardian know.

Below are some situations you may encounter and some possible responses.

Situation	Possible Response
Situation Sharing goes over the designated time.	Possible Response Choose a member of the group to be a timekeeper. “I appreciate how important this is to you, but we need to move on to stay within time.”
Situation A participant shares too much or dominates group discussion.	Possible Response “Thank you for sharing. We need to provide opportunities for others to share.”
Situation A participant uses graphic detail to describe a situation or challenge.	Possible Response “That sounds like a tough situation. I’d like to remind you, and all of us, that we don’t really have the time or training to handle that issue.”

Responding to Challenging Situations

If emotions continue to escalate during a meeting, consider suggesting a short break. Pull the participant aside. You may ask that participant, “Are you OK? You seem really upset. Is there anything I can do to help?” The facilitator should check that all participants are OK before they leave the meeting. If the participant becomes threatening or harms anyone, ask the person to leave, call law enforcement, and notify priesthood leaders immediately. Become familiar with Meetinghouse Security Guidelines, which are available through your bishop.

Read:

This group is for educational purposes only. It is not group therapy or professional treatment for mental health issues. If you are worried about the safety of someone in the group, try to reach out to him or her to ensure that person’s safety. If you are unable to do so, you may need to contact your local authorities to make sure your group member is safe.

DO

DO BEFORE EACH MEETING Download videos. (See “Manuals and Videos” at srs.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) Check that video equipment works. Review the chapter briefly. Prepare yourself spiritually. DURING EACH MEETING Start and end on time. Open and close each meeting with a prayer. Encourage everyone to share if they want to. Choose a timekeeper. Encourage everyone to participate. Be a group member. Make, keep, and report your commitments. Have fun and celebrate success. Trust and follow the workbook. AFTER EACH MEETING Evaluate yourself using the “Facilitator Self-Assessment” (after this section). Contact and encourage members during the week. Update the stake self-reliance specialist on the group’s progress.

DO NOT
DO NOT BEFORE EACH MEETING Prepare a lesson. DURING EACH MEETING Teach or act as the expert. Speak more than others. Answer every question. Be the center of attention. Sit at the head of the table. Stand up to facilitate. Skip the “Ponder” section. Give your opinion after each comment. Change or enhance the activities.

Facilitator Self-Assessment

After each group meeting, review the statements below. How well are you doing?

How Am I Doing as a Facilitator?	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always
How Am I Doing as a Facilitator? 1. Everyone participates equally.	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always
How Am I Doing as a Facilitator? 2. I let group members answer questions instead of answering them myself. I talk less than other group members.	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always
How Am I Doing as a Facilitator? 3. I follow the workbook as written and complete all sections and activities.	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always
How Am I Doing as a Facilitator? 4. I contact group members during the week.	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always
How Am I Doing as a Facilitator? 5. I share my excitement and love for each group member.	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always
How Am I Doing as a Facilitator? 6. I stay within the recommended time for each section and activity.	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always
How Am I Doing as a Facilitator? 7. I make time for the “Ponder” section so the Holy Ghost can guide group members.	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always
How Am I Doing as a Facilitator? 8. I help ensure that every group member who wants to can report on his or her commitments.	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always

How Is My Group Doing?	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always
How Is My Group Doing? 1. Group members encourage and demonstrate support for each other.	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always
How Is My Group Doing? 2. Group members keep their commitments.	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always
How Is My Group Doing? 3. Group members are achieving both temporal and spiritual results.	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always
How Is My Group Doing? 4. Action partners regularly contact and encourage each other during the week.	Never	Sometimes	Often	Always