For more on this occasional series of free facilitation webinars, including recordings and other outputs of previous sessions, please visit free facilitation webinars.

In this session we will go behind the scenes of the usually hidden planning and diagnostic process that leads to the “magic” of guiding a group process that allows the group’s deepest wisdom to be shared in a feasible action plan that everyone is motivated to accomplish.

I shall be joined for this session by Jim Campbell, former ICA Belguim and IAF Europe Director and author of Facilitating Authentic Participation: Transformative Steps to Empower Groups; and again by Sunny Walker of the Virtual Facilitation Collaborative.

What may look simple, effortless, and easy to accomplish is the culmination of an intensive series of consultative stages of preparation requiring the listening, analytical, and collaborative skills of a master facilitator. This new book shares the process that Jim taught in university-level courses in Ireland, after a lifetime of innovative process work with groups on four continents.

Jim has written elsewhere:

"…people know that participating in creating their destiny is an essential part of their humanity… The process whereby people are enabled to experience this combination of the freeing of their humanity and the ownership which generates commitment and motivation is truly transformative. By the force of their own experience people realise that they can participate in creating their future and the future of their organisation or community.

Thus people experience themselves as responsible for their destiny, and so resignation and despair are transformed into hope and belief-in-self. People’s anger and frustration at their disenfranchisement is transformed into energy invested in creating their destiny."

This conviction—that authentic participation is transformative—has been the foundation of Jim’s work as a facilitator.

Jim will share insights and stories from the book, and from his own wealth of experience of the facilitation cycle and the transformative power of facilitation. We will invite you to share your own reflections, insights and stories as well.

The book is available from Amazon (at the special review price of just $5 until 31 May) and from reputable booksellers - we do encourage you to read it before the session if you can! Read more about the book at ICA International, and join the conversation with Jim on Facebook.

Each session in this series of free facilitation webinars is hosted in Adobe Connect for a highly interactive learning experience.

Each topic is addressed by a short case study or other presentation, with links to further online material for later reference. In the sessions we apply tools and techniques of virtual facilitation to help participants to engage with the material and the presenter, and with their own and each other's experience on the topic. A short technical orientation directly before the session introduces the features of the virtual meeting room, and the tools to be used. A brief closing reflection at the end of the session invites reflection and learning on the facilitation process and virtual tools, as well as on the content of the session.

For full voice participation in the session for a more conversational experience, microphone rights are available to up to 15 participants who are first to login and set up their audio. Others are able to listen and interact via their keyboard alone.

Login details will be circulated to registered participants within 7 days of the session. The session room will open 45 minutes in advance of the session start time. In order to enjoy microphone rights please login at least 30 minutes in advance. Participants arriving less than 15 minutes in advance will be able to participate by keyboard only. Once logged in early, participants may 'step away' until it is time to begin.

The session will be recorded, the recording will be made publicly available online and the chat transcript will be shared with registered participants. We recommend that you do not reveal private information during the session. You will be invited to share contact details if you wish after the recording is stopped.

Adobe Connect will use your computer audio for the session. You will need a computer with internet connection and speakers, or (for voice participation) a microphone and headphones so that others don't get feedback from your speakers to your mic. Adobe Connect apps are available for participation via tablets and smartphones, however use of a computer is recommended. A wired ethernet connection is recommended in preference to wifi.

Please test your connection to Adobe well in advance of the meeting, in case you need to install any software or adjust any settings in order to participate fully - complete the test in a few moments by following the instructions here. Your computer needs to have the latest version of Adobe Flash - please check and if necessary download and install that here.

We reserve the right to cancel any session without notice and without liability for any consequential or indirect loss, however in this case we will give us much advance notice as possible by email to those registered.