Facilitation
"Rahula brought the skill set and intuition we needed to address the complex power dynamics and emotions involved in disbanding our collective. Her ability to gracefully navigate between facilitation and mediation techniques allowed us to deal with many practical issues while simultaneously attending to our conflicts." -L.S.
Background and Training
In the summer of 1995, I underwent a consensus and facilitation training with CT Butler, co founder of Food Not Bombs and co-author of the book On Conflict and Consensus, A Handbook on Formal Consensus Decision Making. At that time, I was involved in activist organizing and was excited to use my newfound skills. I've been facilitating ever since, in groups I am part of, and as an outside facilitator for groups I am not a part of.
In 2009, I underwent "Basic Skills In Meeting Facilitation" presented by the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center. This training offered skills useful for all types of facilitation, but was especially geared toward community and municipal meetings.
In 2009, I underwent "Basic Skills In Meeting Facilitation" presented by the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center. This training offered skills useful for all types of facilitation, but was especially geared toward community and municipal meetings.
Why An Outside Facilitator?
For meetings that pull together people with a varied set of interests and objectives, a neutral, impartial facilitator allows all participants to fully engage with the material at hand.
For groups, collectives, and organizations, an outside facilitator can be very useful when there are internal conflicts or controversies, or when the work at hand requires the full attention of all participants. A trained facilitator can also provide a higher level of structure and organization.
In all cases, a trained facilitator is able to guide the process, intervene in challenging dynamics, and ensure that all voices have access to the process.
For groups, collectives, and organizations, an outside facilitator can be very useful when there are internal conflicts or controversies, or when the work at hand requires the full attention of all participants. A trained facilitator can also provide a higher level of structure and organization.
In all cases, a trained facilitator is able to guide the process, intervene in challenging dynamics, and ensure that all voices have access to the process.
Facilitation Services
As a facilitator, I work with groups ahead of time to identify goals and to build the agenda for their meeting(s). I offer many different meeting tools and exercises, and bring a strong understanding of and feel for group dynamics, power structures, and group process. I am available for one time meetings, for retreats, and for series of meetings.
Facilitation Philosophy
As a facilitator, I believe that my commitment is to the group will, and to the process of the meeting. In any group using collaborative process, I believe that the best possible outcomes come from all participants being fully engaged, and part of my work as a facilitator is to ensure that everyone in the meeting can access the process and can participate to the extent that they wish.
The institutional power structures of our society often manifest in our collaborative groups, and as a facilitator, I am committed to helping groups grapple with the ways power plays out in our interpersonal interactions and our group dynamics.
I believe it is possible to live in a world where everyone who is affected by a decision has access to the process of making the decision; I believe that it is possible to live in a world where people are able to make their daily decisions free from coercion or the threat of violence. How to get to that world is a huge and ongoing question, but collective decision making and using collaborative processes can move us toward that world and develop the skills we need to live in it. On a more immediate level, I believe that decisions made through collaborative process when all participants have access to participation are decisions that have more commitment and more successful follow through, and the process of making such decisions strengthens groups.
Finally, I love the moments when I have facilitated a group through what seemed like an impossible process or decision. At those moments I feel deeply that I am being of use, to our world and our communities, and that is a wonderful feeling.
The institutional power structures of our society often manifest in our collaborative groups, and as a facilitator, I am committed to helping groups grapple with the ways power plays out in our interpersonal interactions and our group dynamics.
I believe it is possible to live in a world where everyone who is affected by a decision has access to the process of making the decision; I believe that it is possible to live in a world where people are able to make their daily decisions free from coercion or the threat of violence. How to get to that world is a huge and ongoing question, but collective decision making and using collaborative processes can move us toward that world and develop the skills we need to live in it. On a more immediate level, I believe that decisions made through collaborative process when all participants have access to participation are decisions that have more commitment and more successful follow through, and the process of making such decisions strengthens groups.
Finally, I love the moments when I have facilitated a group through what seemed like an impossible process or decision. At those moments I feel deeply that I am being of use, to our world and our communities, and that is a wonderful feeling.
Meetings I Have Facilitated
-A collective house developing a conflict resolution process, while in the midst of much conflict
-Small worker owned co-op with much internal strife
-Final pre-war meeting of Direct Action to Stop the War (with my comrade Clare Bayard of the Catalyst Project), a meeting with over 300 participants
-Organizational retreats involving evaluations of past work, and strategizing and planning of work to come
-Meetings of the Board of Directors of my child's school (when I was a member of that board)
-Small worker owned co-op with much internal strife
-Final pre-war meeting of Direct Action to Stop the War (with my comrade Clare Bayard of the Catalyst Project), a meeting with over 300 participants
-Organizational retreats involving evaluations of past work, and strategizing and planning of work to come
-Meetings of the Board of Directors of my child's school (when I was a member of that board)