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Facilitation Skills  

View or download entire "Facilitation Skills" section in PDF format. [Coming Soon]

Logistics[1]

Managing Materials at Your Meeting: Tricks of the Trade!

Tips for packaging sets of materials for individual tables

  • Plastic food storage bags: great because they are low cost and you are able to see contents. Put an inventory label on the bag to indicate what items are in the bag.
  • Basket: use a variety or choose all the same style of basket. This gives a nice presentation and is easy for everyone at the table to pick out what they need during the meeting.
  • Small gift bags with handle: use a variety of colors or all the same; they are low cost and easy to transport.
  • Shoe boxes: use ones you have or ask a shoe store to donate them; decorate them with a theme; or buy see-through shoeboxes.
  • Any creative idea you have on maintaining your materials when dealing with groups.

Easy ways to take supplies and equipment from one place to another

  • Plastic garbage cans with wheels: are easily used to transport all of your
  • materials and supplies.
  • Luggage cart or dolly: works well for boxes and heavy items. Easy to fold up and travel with.
  • Cartons used to ship 8 ½ x 11-inch paper: are sturdy with a lift-off lid and are easy to stack and pack because of uniform size.
  • Plastic trunks or large bins: hold materials, stack easily and keep thing dry if having an outdoor meeting or program.
  • Cafeteria or kitchen trays: have a nice deep edge that makes it easy to carry supplies around or show items to pass along.
  • Fish tackle box, lightweight toolbox or plastic tote: are great to organize facilitation supplies that you need at your fingertips!
  • Clothespins help hold things together.
  • Pre-count and pre-sort all materials prior to the meeting to determine if you need to replenish supplies or do an inventory after a meeting so you are ready to go the next time.
  • LABEL EVERYTHING!

Suggested items for a ready-to-go supply kit

  • Post-it notes (all different sizes and colors)
  • Pens and pencils
  • Markers of different sizes and colors
  • Vis-à-vis markers and blank transparencies
  • Masking tape, duct tape, cellophane tape
  • Scissors
  • Paper clips and clamps
  • Rubber bands
  • Thumb tacks
  • Colored dots
  • Extension cord and three prong adapter
  • Calculator
  • Any items that are needed specifically for your meeting

 

Tools for Teaching

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2. Teaching and Presentation Skills

3. Tips for Programs

 

[1] Adapted with permission from Soil and Water Conservation District Outreach: A Handbook for Program Development, Implementation and Evaluation . Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Soil and Water Conservation, 2003.