The initial training as well as any ongoing continuing professional development efforts should attend to facilitators’ cultural competency. The ongoing work that goes into developing cultural competence is difficult. There are aspects of this work in which participants are looking at their own personal biases and things can become tense. It is important to take care in developing the objectives of the training and criterion for the trainer. It is great when a trainer can integrate cultural competent practices into their basic facilitator training, but for most facilitators this area requires greater intentionality than what transpires in an integrated model.
Critical Considerations
- What cultural competencies do you want your facilitators to have?
- Are there specific topic areas or challenges that the facilitators are encountering in meetings that they need professional development on?
- What criterion will you use when identifying a trainer?
Lessons Learned
- Maintain an open space for dialogue on this topic, as oppose to specific training for facilitators and mediators.
- Poll or gauge the participants’ comfort level with discussing hot button issues around diversity and inclusion before mandating the training.
- Consider planning multiple trainings or sessions in advance, allowing topic flexibility based on the needs of the participants.