In ECAC's two-day training, facilitators learn about the philosophy of Circles of Friends and community building. They learn how to go about starting a Circle, deciding whom to invite and how to invite them. The also learn strategies to ensure that the meeting focus remains on the person with the disability, and that all present have a chance to work as a team to contribute to Circle meetings. In addition, facilitators learn how to scribe, that is, how to write main meeting ideas on a flip chart in order to have a record of the Circle's time together and the progress of its efforts. Once trained, facilitators can, as needed, access on-going assistance from ECAC and from other Circle facilitators to troubleshoot challenges and to share Circles experiences and progress.
Experience indicates that parents are usually too emotionally invested to be effective facilitators.
To apply for Circle Facilitator training, click here to fill out an application.