Facilitator’s Role and Tasks

1. Make sure that you read and understand the topic of the session that you are facilitating and well-prepared and ready for any clarifications on the subject matter.  Look up the topic well beforehand if possible.
2. Create a welcoming atmosphere by making sure the environment is comfortable and conducive.  Welcome each person as he/she enters
3. Make relevant materials and aids available for each person participating in the sessions
4. Be punctual in starting and make sure you do not overstretch the session longer than necessary
5. As facilitator, it is important that you are not seen as the one dominating the session but as the one who makes sure that the session progresses according to the steps necessary to ensure its full execution
6. Introduce yourself at the beginning of the session if the participants are new to you.  Ask them also to introduce themselves
7. Always remember to be polite and courteous in requesting full cooperation from the participants and ready to invite and encourage anyone who is shy to speak but do not force anyone who is not prepared to speak in front of others
8. Do not be too quick to provide all the answers if they are not forthcoming from the participants.  Try to lead them to the topic but do not pre-empt questions just to beat the clock.
9. Try to steer the group onto the topic of discussion if they stray in much away from the questions
10. If someone speaks out of point, do not embarrass that person by shutting him up on the spot but try to lead him away by suggesting that maybe the question is being asked about this etc instead of that
11. Do not put anyone in the spot or embarrass a person by requesting him/her to read or say something at the spur of the moment
12. Do not lose control of the situation.  If anyone dominates the discussion, discourage it by steering it to the other people in the group by making statements like “….and what you think about it”.  Do not let one person do all the talking.  Make sure everyone gets a chance to speak or say something
13. Keep your eyes on the time for each step and make sure that enough time is spent on the discussion and coming to the main point of the session
14. Always sum up the points being made by restating in your own words what has being said. There are no right or wrong answers.
15. Try to encourage participation by showing interest and making appreciative statements like ‘that was good, interesting,’ and prompt more discussions but directing questions at the speaker. 
16. Always thank a person after a task has been carried out
17. Close the session by thanking everyone for participating and invite them to come again for the next session
18. Make sure that everything is put back in place after the session
19. Show interest in the participants by stopping to talk to any of them if they are still hanging around after the session
20. Try to learn and remember the names of each participant in your group