COURSE

Authentic facilitation

Welcome to Co.school's Authentic Facilitation course, where you will uncover your unique voice as a facilitator and learn how to build meaningful relationships that drive change. Led by experienced facilitator and Co.school founder, Kevan Gilbert, this video-based learning experience is designed to deepen your practice and take your facilitation skills to the next level.

Duration: 25 video segments totalling 2.5 hours; study at your own pace.
Mode: Virtual, self-guided. Video-based with reflection question and toolkits.
Cost: $150

Course overview

Authentic facilitation isn't about putting on a performance. It's about bringing your authentic self to the table and drawing out the contributions of others. Through our four-module course, you will gain the tools and knowledge to build your own authentic facilitation style and help groups work together better, solve problems, and create lasting change. Whether you work in a non-profit, a government agency, or any other situation where people come together to dialogue and make decisions, this course will equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to create inclusive spaces for people to come as they are, and co-create generative, transformative solutions. 

Takeaways

Learn the art of listening to create trust, connection, and understanding, building the foundation for facilitation.
Discover the importance of thorough discovery processes and readiness assessments before facilitation, to help prepare the room (and you).

Understand the value of preparation and co-design in creating successful facilitation experiences, as a true partner.
Develop your own authentic facilitation style that brings out the best in yourself and others.
Learn how to host sessions that create warm and welcoming atmospheres for participants, leading groups through meaningful conversations in your own way.
Prioritize rest and recovery to prevent burnout and continue growing as a facilitator.
Portrait photo of Esther Tung, Senior Manager, Content Strategy, Vancouver Foundation
"I've completed the Authentic Facilitation course and it's fantastic. The content was on-point and I will be referencing the course as I continue to learn the art of facilitation. I now have a framework that I can incorporate into the things that I already do and love. I now have the tools to go to the next level." -
Anthony Fisher, Coach and Executive Leader.
YOUR instructor

Kevan Gilbert

"I put everything I've learned about facilitation into this course. I created a home-studio with a great setup for lighting, audio and filming, and talked through the art of facilitation from every conceivable angle. It's filmed in 2023, so feels fresh and relevant for today's realities."

Kevan founded Co.school with the hope of helping people work together, through conflict, towards peace. As a facilitator, he encourages deeper listening and helps cultivate environments that honour every voice. He has worked with a range of organizations, from grassroots community initiatives to global enterprises, helping people say yes to authenticity, collaboration and systems change.

At the heart of Kevan's work is a strong sense that when people can contribute their authentic self and story, we become healthier and more whole. In Kevan’s own world, he practices living this out through music, story, and family life, with his partner Kendra and their four children. Their family lives on an intergenerational, solar-powered farm on the beautiful, unceded, traditional territory of the Syilx People of the Okanagan Nation, just outside Kelowna, BC.
Patrick Jones - Course author
Write your awesome label here.

Learn at your own pace,
in a comfortable setting,
with on-demand videos and reflection questions.

Questions & Answers about Authentic Facilitation 

Can I receive a grant or funding for Authentic Facilitation? 

One way to pay for this course, if you work for a company in BC, is through the BC Jobs Training Grant, where you can receive funding for skills training. "The Employer Training Grant helps employers pay for training, which in turn helps employees experience increased job security or move into better jobs. Employers can apply as often as they need and receive 80 per cent of the cost of training up to $10,000 per employee, with a maximum annual amount per employer of $300,000." Learn more at this link: https://www.workbc.ca/find-loans-and-grants/industry-and-employers/bc-employer-training-grant

If you are not eligible, but need financial support to cover the costs of this course, please drop us a line.

Can I expense this course?

Learning facilitation skills in the workplace is an investment in your leadership skills. Depending on your workplace's policies around learning and development, you could very well be able to submit Authentic Facilitation for reimbursement. You can either purchase it up-front and submit the invoice you will receive, or, send a note in advance to the relevant folks to ask first. There's a strong case to make (including the fact that it's highly affordable, and will equip you with skills that will help your team lead more inclusively, collaboratively, and creatively). 

How does this compare to other offerings to learn facilitation online? 

Many of today's options for learning facilitation are cohort-based, feature a live instructor, last for several weeks or months, and are at price point that reflects that. All of those are great ways to learn! However, if you're looking for an accessibly priced, learn-at-your-own-pace option, Co.school's Authentic Facilitation is an ideal fit. You can see the comparison table below for an at-a-glance review:

Facilitation Certification,
Voltage Control

Price: About $6,800 CAD

Duration: 3 months
Format: Live online sessions & individual coursework

Facilitator
Masterclass, Facilitator.School

Price: Approx $1,450 CAD
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Online, cohort based

Leading Groups Course,
Mischief Makers

Price: Approx $2,700 CAD
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Online, offline, hybrid

Human-Centered Design Facilitator,
LUMA Institute 

Price: Approx $3,900 CAD
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Live online

Authentic
Facilitation,
Co.school

Price: $150 CAD
Duration: 2-4 weeks
Format: Online, at your own pace, asychronous

Our values

Authenticity

When we contribute as our authentic selves, our collaborations flourish. But this needs our first home, the self, to be greeted with love and self-acceptance. Making space for our own thoughts, feelings and needs is a core step in healthy partnership.

Hospitality

The experience of coming together to share perspectives isn’t always easy. To welcome differences, explore new ground, foster creativity, and engage in healthy conflict, we need hospitable spaces where honest work can be done. 

Peace

Nonviolence is an option, even when we disagree, towards a healed world. We are hopeful that even through trauma, pain and conflict, that peace is possible — that we can bring humanity, dignity and empathy to the stories we hear. 

Life

We want to see flourishing in the communities where we work and live. Inspired by living systems in nature, we see ourselves as partners in life’s interconnectedness. We plant seeds, cultivate conditions, and wait patiently, knowing that life springs forth not linearly, but in seasons and cycles.

Love

We want to lend our energy and creativity to causes that pursue inclusion, love and liberation. We hope our work helps co-create worlds and organizations that are more compassionate and inclusive, and want to do our best to co-create a work and life that models this as well. 
Take your facilitation to the next level

Sign-up now to start learning

Created with