My Soliya Experience: From Facilitated to Facilitator
May 20, 2022
Chanelle McKenzie
SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals
The Soliya Connect program is an international virtual exchange experience where participants can discuss global issues within the presence of trained facilitators. Within the experience, the participants are typically placed in small, diverse groups for the duration of the program, while also incorporating facilitated discussions on a wide range of topics. This includes potentially divisive topics such as religion, gender inequality, current events, politics, media, and the environment. The program’s main focus is to encourage the participants to develop greater global awareness while building various skills and attitudes towards items such as leadership, empathy, cross–cultural communication, collaborative problem-solving, and critical thinking.
To gain full context, when I was a freshman at Purchase College in the Fall of 2020, I became a participant of Soliya’s Connect Global Program– the 8-week Connect Global module of the Connect Program is a virtual exchange program enabling dialogue amongst young people. During the first week, the other participants and I started the program by identifying what we each believed to be the most pressing global issues to build a list of topics to explore together. Each session following, we began with a learning component to help participants strengthen their skills, leading into a facilitated discussion on one or more group-selected topics. In discussion, we share perspectives and life experiences, explore others’ views, and engage with differences constructively. The live dialogue sessions are supported by a curriculum of required readings, assignments and asynchronous activities designed to support participants’ learning process, enabling them to practice the skills and attitudes developed during their live exchanges.
After becoming an alumna to that program, I was offered a great opportunity to participate in the Soliya Advanced Facilitation Training program in the Summer of 2021. The program was fulfilling but rigorous. The program length was 5 weeks but provided a lot of work and resources within that time frame. Though both programs’ main concept was to provide dialogue training, the facilitation training provided more techniques on how to hone in team-building skills through project based learning activities. The program also emphasized practical applications of the lessons. The other participants and I were guided through a group exercise and were assigned to work on materials. For example, another participant and I practiced and acted out a hypothetical conflict dialogue skit in front of the facilitators and other participants, pertaining to our assigned materials to work out. The goal of this was to experience and learn what facilitators should do and act if there is a conflict within a dialogue group.
Through this program, I learned that a facilitator is a neutral person who listens within a dialogue, who uses skills like active listening, encouragement, preparedness, and an open-mind. After my completion of the advanced facilitation training, I have had many experiences with putting that education to use. For example, when working as an assistant teacher at an after school program, I was able to use my skills multiple times. On one occasion, I hosted an activity that demanded cooperative work with the children at the center, and I used my skills to inspire the children to solve their problems and succeed in the activity´s goals. My job as a facilitator was to encourage them to engage with one another to finish the activity together without any assistance.
Furthermore, when I worked in a preschool, I was tasked with hosting a different activity with the students. My activity involved helping the students use teamwork and communication to create an object for themselves. As a facilitator of my group, I was prepared as a contributing factor to making sure children would be able to work in the group efficiently. I provided the resources that the children needed to move the conversation towards their common goal, and I used my skills to ensure each child received the full attention they deserved. I learned that the children contributed more when they feel like they are being heard. This is why I believe, and hope, that when my activity was finished, every child was able to meet their end goal within the group.
Overall, I feel as if I have benefitted from the Soliya Advanced Facilitator Training greatly because I developed proficient dialogue and facilitation skills that I am continuing to grow and utilize. Additionally, I feel I have become somewhat of a more social person through this experience, allowing me to more readily participate in dialogues and discussions in my academic and social circles. This program is exceptional if you want to connect with people from around the world, learn how to navigate a dialogue, and really engage in topics that are interesting to you. I would recommend this experience to many!
Chanelle McKenzie
2020 Cohort
“Facilitation Training - Soliya - Reliably Transformational Virtual Exchange.” Soliya, Soliya, Inc., https://soliya.net/facilitation-training.
“Independent Learners - Engaging with Soliya.” Soliya, Soliya, Inc., https://soliya.net/independent-learners.
“Online Dialogue Facilitation.” Sharing Perspectives Foundation, Sharing Perspectives, 15 Apr. 2021, https://sharingperspectivesfoundation.com/programme/facilitation-training/.
