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Training Processes for Intergroup Dialogue Facilitation:
Psych 310/Soc 320/UC 320
Practicum in Intergroup Dialogue Facilitation:
Psych 311/Soc 321/UC 321
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.
Anyone can apply
to become a facilitator. The most important requirement is a commitment
to 2 semesters, the first for the training course and the second
for facilitation. Facilitators receive 3 credits for training and
3 credits for facilitation.
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 analyses. The experience is
eye opening at the very least and often transformative.
Here's what some facilitators have said about their experience:
- "This is the best class I have taken at this university.
It makes Michigan feel more like a true university, rather than
a trade school, which it seems to be like all too often. It helps
me to understand the underlying culture at this university and
what people truly think."
- "I feel as though every day I am able to utilize some
of the skills or knowledge that I have gained by facilitating
dialogue. I'm going to be applying the skills I have developed
here all the time, especially in-group building. I will be able
to fulfill my passions for social justice by educating
and questioning people always."
- "The decision to take this class here at the University
of Michigan has by far been the best decision I have made here
at school. I have learned more from this class and the people
in it than in any other class, and in fact, probably in most of
my other classes combined. I recommend this class to everyone
I know, and I am a strong believer that it should be required
for every student here at the U of M."
- "From my experience throughout the dialogue, co-facilitation,
and practicum I have learned an immense amount of knowledge
that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I have developed
a newfound respect for oppressed groups, individuals, and
even myself. Surely, my experience with intergroup relations will
not end at the closing of the semester. I hope to continue to
explore different areas of awareness, and I am committed to a
lifelong pursuit of combating social injustice."
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