15-17 Jun 2010
Universal Improvement Skills (public course)
11-12 May 2010
Improve Your Projects (public course)
9-11 Mar 2010
Universal Improvement Skills
(public course)
5-6 Jan 2010
Facilitator Development Programme
(public course)
20-22 Oct 2009
Universal Leadership Skills
(public course)
13-15 Oct 2009
Universal Improvement Skills
(public course)
8-10 Sep 2009
Facilitator Development Programme
(public course)
9-11 Jun 2009
Universal Improvement Skills
(public course)
12-13 May 2009
Improve Your Projects
(public course)

 

 

Facilitator Development Programme

Autumn 2010, Alsager, CheshireBOOK NOW
Module 1      21-23 September 2010
Module 2      27-28 October 2010
Module 3      1-2 December 2010
 
Spring 2011, Alsager, CheshireBOOK NOW
Module 1      15-17 March 2011
Module 2      10-11 May 2011
Module 3      14-15 June 2011
 
Autumn 2011, Alsager, CheshireBOOK NOW
Module 1      6-8 September 2011
Module 2      18-19 October 2011
Module 3      6-7 December 2011

We have been training Facilitators since 1994 and have had some spectacular results. Julie Fadden, Chief Executive of SLH Group, officially Britain's most improved Housing Association, says that training a pool of Facilitators to help with improvement projects was a vital component of her organisation's success. Julie herself was trained by us as a Facilitator back in 1995.

Which organisations should send people on this programme?
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Any organisation that is serious about improvement can send people on this programme. The approach is tried-and-tested across a wide range of organisations and industries.
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If your organisation is considering running an in-house programme, this is an ideal way to test it out.
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This is an ideal way to train a smaller number of people if, for example, your organisation already has a pool of Facilitators and you want to top it up.

What are the benefits of having a pool of Facilitators?
 
Strategy
 
•The resource can be aligned with organisational strategy and focused where the greatest need/return is
•Illustrates top management commitment to improvement
 
The rate of improvement
 
•Creates a 'critical mass' for improvement
•Increases organisational capacity and the rate of improvement
•Builds on and supports the work done through other UIMPROVE training courses
•An internal resource is better for continuity and follow up
 
Developing the organisation
 
•Taps into and develops the talent in the organisation
•Promotes organisational learning
•The skills are developed and retained within the organisation
•Ensures a more structured approach to projects
•Improves meetings
•The skills are transferable to the 'day job'
•Use of the skills is 'contagious' - they will spread through the organisation
 
Developing individuals
 
•Gives individuals a broader view of the organisation through involvement in projects
•Increases job satisfaction
•Today's Facilitators are tomorrow's senior managers and directors
 
Costs
 
•Costs less than external provision
•The cost of training is soon recouped in the benefits the resource brings to the organisation

What your Facilitators will be able to do
 
Facilitate Annual Planning
 
•Convert organisational strategy into departmental or team objectives
•Identify and prioritise things to be done in the next 12 months
•Produce a departmental or team plan
•Scope and produce a remit for each resulting project
 
Facilitate project teams
 
•Identify and follow a project methodology
•Break the project down into component tasks and produce a project plan
•Use tools and techniques
•Ensure balanced participation
 
Facilitate a Project Kick-Start
 
•Get a project off to the best possible start
•Obtain a wide range of involvement
•Use a structured approach and tools and techniques to ensure balanced participation
•Carry out scoping and initial planning
•Get alignment from all involved
 
Facilitate a Project Refocus
 
•For projects that have stalled, had a change of leader or reached an important junction
•Obtain a wide range of involvement
•Use a structured approach and tools and techniques to ensure balanced participation
 
Facilitate a Project Review
 
•Use a structured approach and tools and techniques to review and learn lessons from a completed project
 
Facilitate a Process Analysis Event
 
•Use a structured approach and analytical tools (specifically an Ishikawa Diagram and Deployment Flowchart) to understand and analyse an existing process.
 
Facilitate a Customer Involvement Event
 
•This is very similar in format to a Project Kick-Start, the difference being that the participants are customers.
 
Facilitate meetings (regular or one-off)
 
•Critique and improve an existing meeting
•Help plan the agenda
•Use tools and techniques
•Ensure balanced contribution
•Review

Venue and times
The venue is the Manor House Hotel, Alsager, in rural Cheshire, between Stoke-on-Trent and Crewe. We have been using this venue since we were founded in 1992 because of good access by train or motorway, excellent conference rooms, high standards of accommodation, food and service.

Nearest mainline station: Crewe, taxi 10-15 minutes, or by local train to Alsager
Nearest local station: Alsager, 5 minutes walk
Nearest airport: Manchester, good train service direct to Crewe
Nearest motorway: M6 - Junction 16, 10 minutes drive

We will start each module at 09.00 on the first day and finish at 15.00 on the final day.

The cost
£2650 + VAT per person for 7 days in 3 modules including 7 nights accommodation, all refreshments, breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.

For organisations with limited budgets - you may be very small, a charity or in the voluntary sector - we offer a discount rate of £2250 + VAT per person. To apply for this discount, all you need to do is tick the box on the booking form.