Networking
    - People-Specific Resource Network

Guide to Network Function
The First Meeting: Recruitment of a Skilled Facilitator

Perhaps few things can encourage the success of the network more than a skilled and trustworthy facilitator. The roles of 1) facilitating the meeting and 2) facilitating the network function outside of the meetings may, in some cases, be held by two different people. If no one within the group is trained as a meeting facilitator, it is far better to hire or recruit a skilled facilitator from outside the prospective network than to go forward with inept meeting leadership. The role of meeting facilitator may change from meeting to meeting. See Training<> for Advocacy, Networks, Partnerships.

    Skills Needed for Facilitation:

• Inclusive
• Non-judgmental
• Works closely with the steering committee
• Ability to move the group along based on pre-determined needs, despite numerous requests to go in other directions
• Seen by all as trustworthy and neutral
• Ability to build consensus:
• If an issue is seen as a need by the majority, it must be worked out
• If an issue is raised by two or three who are sidetracking, drop it during the meeting, but go to them individually to better understand it and bring to the steering committee for action at the following meeting.
• If the majority is going contrary to the steering committee's predetermined direction, say "Let's come back to this," and talk to the committee at a break to determine the best way to handle it.
• Use the steering committee as a barometer.

These recommendations are from a trained network facilitator whose name has been withheld for security reasons.

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1/21/99