DURATION: 5 Days    START DATE: TBC

TIMETABLE: Saturday and Sunday from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm

AWARD: PCI College Professional Certificate in Group Facilitation Skills

VENUE: Live-Classroom 

In compliance with COVID-19, the classes will be delivered as live online lessons via Microsoft Teams, which is a platform built on Office 365. It is a secure platform and follows the compliance capabilities.

DAY ONE: Introduction to the Group Work Practice: Exploration of the Theories and Approaches to Group Facilitation

At the first day of the programme we will look at the theoretical contributions to understanding group work. We will also discuss different types and models of group facilitation and its implications. 

• Introduction to the group theories
• Understanding why some groups flourish and others flounder
• Necessary decisions when planning the group
• Examples: different groups for different populations
• Assessment of individuals for group work
• Understanding boundaries, creating and maintaining them.

DAY TWO: Growing a Group: Preparations, Dynamic Administration and Assessment Interviews

The second course day takes a look at crucial components of the beginning stages of planning successful group.

• Skills and techniques for setting up a group
• Referrals and how to get them
• Potential difficulties at early group stages
• Keeping record of the group
• Ethical consideration
• Use of the self and co-leadership in a group
• First session

DAY THREE: The Group in Action: Conscious and Unconscious Group Dynamics 

• Stages in group development and techniques in facilitating the progress of these stages.
• Developing Trust in a group
• Introduction to unconscious processes underlying a group
• Managing conflict in support group

DAY FOUR: Working with diversity and Complexity Issues 

• Matters of racial, social and sexual diversity in a group.
• Attachment Theory and Group Work: managing endings, absences and breaks.
• Concepts of Holding and Containing and their function in group process
• How groups can affect the facilitator emotionally?

DAY FIVE: Integration/ Assessment Day

The Integration Day takes place in a group discussion setting, where participants are given the opportunity to outline and describe how they have integrated the learning from the four core workshops and applied it to their practice. The integration Day will solidify learning, and provides an opportunity for case discussion and supervision/assessment. We will revisit most important concepts discussed during the training.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

 Having completed this course, you will be able to:

• Obtain experience in facilitation of support group under supervision
• Offer support group to a small short term group, and demonstrate techniques to initiate, maintain, support and facilitate a group in its evolution
• Have basic understanding of some conscious and unconscious group dynamics.
• Understand what a group facilitator’s role is.
• Understand support group boundaries, create and maintain them
• Understand how groups affect facilitator emotionally

COURSE REQUIREMENTS 

Assessment will be via ongoing feedback and assessment through the supervision of the course leader.  

• Poster Presentation 
• Reflective statement

ELIGIBILITY 

Qualification in Counselling, Psychotherapy or other helping professionals with therapeutic experience and students currently in professional training (BSc Degree Year 2 onwards).

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

All candidates are required to satisfy the English language requirement. Candidates whose first language is not English and who are presenting qualifications other than the Leaving Certificate may satisfy the requirement through the completion of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), or equivalent, on the basis that they obtain a minimum band score of 6, which denotes a very good skill level of English. It should be noted that these are the minimum requirements in English and PCI College may set higher requirements in each case.

IT SKILLS: students require sufficient IT skills to complete the course

Students can expect to be provided with advice and support concerning any learning difficulties that they may encounter. Any diagnosed learning difficulty, e.g. dyslexia, must be noted on the application.

FEES  

Cost of Days 1 & 2 - €260

Cost of Days 3,4 and 5 - €520

Full Price: €730 (Save €50)

PCI College Graduate & Student Full Price*: €680

*PCI College Student rate applies to BSc Degree and Postgraduate students only

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants are invited to book online using the book now. Applications must be accompanied by the payment of the full course fee. Applicants are entitled to a refund if they decide to cancel within 14 days of receipt of their booking, and didn't participate on the course. Please note that the name used on your application needs to be the same name that you have on your passport.

Integration day (Day 5) is scheduled for a date that allows sufficient time for students to complete practice hours. If you are unable to attend your integration day due to not having completed your practice hours, you may be subject to a fee for setting the integration day outside of your original class schedule.

Fees are non-refundable in all personal circumstances. The College makes every effort to avoid altering course times, course commencement and conclusion dates. However, should any changes be necessary, you will be notified at the earliest opportunity. All courses run subject to demand and the formation of a viable class cohort. A full refund will be given to all applicants in the event that the class does not proceed. 

For more information, please visit our full Terms & Conditions page.