IGR Courses
Training Processes of Intergroup Dialogue Facilitation (UC/SOC 320, PSYCH 310)
Designed to provide the foundational skills and knowledge necessary to facilitate multicultural group interactions, The Program on Intergroup Relations’ facilitator training course develops basic group facilitation skills through theoretical and experiential learning on topics such as group dynamics, conflict intervention, intergroup communication, and community building. Students will engage in discussions, activities, and readings focused on prejudice, stereotyping, privilege, oppression, social identity, group development.
Intergroup dialogue facilitators are trained undergraduate students who lead a group of peers through a semester of intergroup dialogue. Facilitators are trained in dialogic communication, group building, conflict surfacing and de-escalation, and social justice education. They work in pairs to facilitate dialogue, not simply as teachers, but also as learners with dialogue participants.
The semester following completion of the course, students enroll in Psych 311/Soc 321/UC 321: Practicum in Intergroup Dialogue Facilitation, in which they serve as peer facilitators for IGR’s Intergroup Dialogue Course Sociology 122/Psychology 122/UC 122. Recent trainees have facilitated intergroup dialogues with topics such as Race and Ethnicity, Gender, Socio-economic Class, International and U.S., Religion, Sexual Orientation, Arab/Jewish, Ableism, and White Racial Identity.
Course Credit
Students receive 3 credits for the training course and 4 credits the following semester for the practicum course in which they lead a dialogue. Students can earn additional credit by facilitating a dialogue for a second term. Students can choose whether they would like to receive Psychology, Sociology, or University Courses credit. This course can count toward the LSA Race and Ethnicity distribution requirement.
Course Prerequisites
There are no required perquisites to the course, but IGR strongly recommends students to take an intergroup dialogue course prior to applying to the training class, or to have some experience with social justice education theory and practice.
Is becoming a facilitator right for me?
The facilitator position requires an individual who exhibits responsibility, commitment to the pursuit of social justice, and the desire to teach, learn, and grow with others. You will have the opportunity to expand your own self-awareness, and potentially influence the identity development and multicultural understanding of other students. Through the training course and facilitator position, you will develop valuable life skills not only in facilitation, but in intergroup communication, group dynamics, and teamwork. If you are looking for ways to make a positive difference at the University of Michigan, then this may be the very opportunity for you.
The position is a great leadership opportunity for future professionals, educators, and activists. Facilitation and dialogue skills can be applied in any meeting or group setting, one-on-one conversations, and even structural and institutional analysis. The experience is eye opening at the very least and often transformative.
Course Commitments
Students admitted to the training course are expected to attend all training sessions, including two weekend retreats. Students unable to attend the two weekend retreats will not be able to take the course. Here are the commitments for the Fall 2012 semester:
- Training Class, Mondays, 2-5pm
- First Class Meeting, Friday, September 7th, 3:30-7pm
- Off-campus Retreat, 7:30am September 8th to 4pm September 9th
- On-campus Retreat, Saturday, October 20th, 8:30am-5pm [tentative]
- Spring ‘12 / Winter ’13 (or a future semester): Enroll in Practicum Course and facilitate an intergroup dialogue.
The application process
Applications are still being accepted and interviews are currently underway. Please submit your application as soon as possible.
Download the application here.
After submitting your application, you will be scheduled for a group interview with other training applicants facilitated by IGR staff. Note: More group interview times will be scheduled as additional applications are received.
Questions?
Please direct any questions about the course or the application process to IGR's Program Assistant, Nitesh Singh, e-mail: niteshs@umich.edu, phone: 734.936.1875.
**NOTE: Practicum applications, for students who have completed UC 320/SOC 320/PSYCH 310, can be obtained by e-mailing Nitesh Singh, niteshs@umich.edu
