Facilitation 101: A Self-paced Online Course
Learn powerful skills, tools and techniques to confidently facilitate groups
Led by expert facilitator Julia Slay, this self-paced online course will help you design and deliver high impact meetings, workshops and events.
Content includes:
📚 13 high impact modules
📺 5+ hours of video tutorials
💡 20+ learning activities
✅ 4 methods cheatsheets
📋 6 sample session plans
🎥 Filmed facilitated sessions
💬 Interview with an expert
❓ Q&A on common queries
✨ Exclusive resource pack
🎓 Certificate of completion
This course is for anyone who wants to build their skills and confidence when working with groups – without the struggle.
Learn online and become a better facilitator in just a few hours. You’ll get professional tips, proven strategies and practical resources you can put into action straight away.
Get the full course for £349 or buy single modules and learning bundles to focus on specific topics.
Curious but not quite sure? Try the course risk-free. If it’s not the right fit, you can request a full refund within 30 days – no questions asked.
Who needs facilitation skills?
Learning facilitation skills can help people in all kinds of roles. This course is for you if:
✅ you run meetings, workshops or events, in-house or with clients or partners
✅ you want to learn new methods and approaches to make sessions more engaging, inspiring and effective
✅ you’d like templates, checklists, demos and resources to help you plan and facilitate brilliant workshops every time
✅ you need to know how to tackle tricky situations, like dominant speakers or disengaged groups
✅ you want to create inclusive, accessible spaces where everyone can participate.
What do the 13 modules cover?
The modules will take you through the core skills every facilitator needs (1 to 6), and then to go deeper into some of the main challenges and activities that facilitators are most likely to be doing (7 to 13).
The course is designed so you can learn at your own pace. Each module includes:
videos that share the same insights and models we use in our live courses
one or more learning activities to help you apply the learning to your context
self-reflection questions to help you think about your role as a facilitator
course slides you can download, outlining the key info, questions and activities.
extra resources, such as session plans, workshop templates, checklists, cheatsheets and links to useful reading, videos and podcasts.
An outline of each module is below, just click for more info and to buy individual modules.
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How you can create the conditions for great group work, both in the run-up to a meeting or event, and in the opening moments. We’ll cover:
your role as a facilitator
the essential ingredients for a successful session
how to create inclusive, welcoming environments
opening and leading the first part of a workshop.
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The key factors to consider when designing group events. You’ll get a winning framework for workshop design, a checklist of crucial components and tips on timings. We’ll cover:
questions to think about when designing a session
the main choices you’ll need to make
a structure for developing strong workshop plans.
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How to listen deeply to a group, and frame clear and incisive questions. You’ll learn how to ask open questions and avoid moments of silence and confusion. We’ll cover:
the difference between open and closed questions
how to frame powerful open questions
how to use silence well when facilitating groups.
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How to reflect back what a group is saying so that they can hear the thread of their own dialogue. You’ll learn two simple methods to help groups stay on track. We’ll cover:
why reflecting and summarising is a key facilitation skill
what not to do and what the common pitfalls are
two methods to reflect well and summarise simply
being aware of ‘the power of the pen’.
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How to overcome distractions, understand barriers to participation and bake engagement into the design of your events and workshops. We’ll cover:
how to design for engagement
how to engage people in a range of different ways
tools to engage quieter people in a group
how to deal with dominant or louder voices.
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How to identify barriers to access, proactively prevent exclusion, ask the right questions and make thoughtful design choices that foster inclusivity. We’ll cover:
a facilitator’s role in creating inclusive events
the impact of gathering information in advance
small changes to enhance accessibility in every session
what questions you can ask to improve accessiblity
being aware of biases, stereotypes, and microaggressions
an accessibility checklist you can implement immediately.
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How to help groups think creatively together to develop ideas and options. You’ll learn how to respond to common challenges and design workshops that deliver impact. We’ll cover:
what groups need to engage in divergent thinking
how facilitators can support creative exploration
3 activities you can use to help a group generate ideas.
how to confidently overcome challenges.
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How to support group or peer learning, both online and in person. You’ll learn methods and activities to help groups tap into their collective wisdom. We’ll cover:
methods to support communities of practice
facilitating groups focused on peer learning and exchange
extra skills to help enhance a group’s learning experience.
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How to address challenges that come up when facilitating decision-making within groups, and build your confidence to help groups navigate different types of decisions. We’ll cover:
the process of decision-making, and the role of a facilitator
difficulties and challenges that can emerge
what you can do when these challenges arise
3 approaches to help groups make decisions.
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How to ‘land the learnings’ from a session, help groups to think about how to apply new insights, and how to close the learning cycle. We’ll cover:
the difference between reflecting on process and content
‘launch, explore, land’ as a framework for workshop design
Kolb’s ‘learning cycle’ and why it’s important for facilitation
6 methods to support group learning and reflection
how to adapt this process for different group sizes and time limits.
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A deep dive into what changes when you facilitate sessions online, what unique challenges present themselves, and how you can navigate these with confidence. We’ll cover:
maintaining engagement with groups online
navigating tech – what to use and when
tips and practical tools you can apply immediately.
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How to adjust things on the go if your session plan needs to change, so you can work with agility and flexibility to meet the objectives of the workshop. We’ll cover:
how to feel confidence facilitating groups when your plan isn’t working out
two methods to use when you need to change plans part-way through a session.
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How to close a meeting, workshop or event well, spaciously and with real intent. You’ll learn to design endings that create real moments of impact for a group. We’ll cover:
what’s important when closing a meeting, event or workshop
how to run engaging activities that close events with a bang
3 different techniques, depending on how much time you have left.
Curious but not quite sure? Try the course risk-free. If it’s not the right fit, you can request a full refund within 30 days – no questions asked.
What learning bundles do you offer?
If you’re keen to focus on a specific aspect of facilitation, take a look at our themed learning bundles of three modules.
These combine complementary areas that you might want to learn about together. Click each title for details and to buy a bundle.
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Whether you’re leading a meeting, running a workshop, or bringing people together for learning and collaboration, this bundle covers the foundations.
You’ll learn how to design purposeful sessions, keep people engaged, and guide a group conversation with confidence.
By the end of this bundle, you’ll know how to:
Start strong and create connection from the outset.
Design workshops that flow and stay focused on achieving the outcomes you want.
Ask open questions that spark insight and discussion.
Reflect and summarise group thinking clearly.
End sessions in a way that leaves people energised and clear on next steps.
This bundle includes the following modules:
Laying the foundations
Workshop design
Active listening and asking great questions
Reflecting and summarising
Ending well
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If you’ve ever felt unsure how to keep a group engaged, or how to draw out quieter voices, this bundle gives you the tools to design inclusive, participatory sessions where people feel involved and energised.
You’ll learn to plan with accessibility in mind, manage group dynamics, and lead sessions that work for everyone - whether online or in person.
By the end of this bundle, you’ll know how to:
Design sessions that invite participation from the start.
Manage group dynamics with confidence, skill and care.
Tackle common challenges like dominant voices and disengagement.
Plan with inclusion and accessibility in mind.
Run engaging sessions online as well as in person.
This bundle includes the following modules:
Laying the foundations
Maximising participation and engagement
Inclusion and accessibility
Virtual facilitation skills
Ending well
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This bundle is for facilitators who want to stretch their skills and work more confidently with complexity.
Whether you're guiding a group through big decisions, supporting ongoing learning, or holding space for emergent outcomes these modules will help you sharpen your thinking and expand your toolkit.
By the end of this bundle, you’ll know how to:
Guide groups through idea generation and decision-making processes.
Support deeper reflection with groups, using a range of different methods.
Facilitate communities of practice and peer learning programmes.
Work skilfully with uncertainty and emergence.
This bundle includes the following modules:
Generating ideas and options
Facilitating communities of practice
Facilitating decision-making
Reflecting and integrating learning
Facilitating emergence.
What do people say about our courses?
This online course is brand new, so we haven’t gathered any reviews yet. Here’s what people say about our other courses and taster sessions…
Who created the course?
I’m Julia Slay, a freelance consultant and facilitator, and founder of Facilitation 101.
Since setting up Facilitation 101, I’ve trained hundreds of people around the world in facilitation skills - online and in person - across every sector.
We know what works, and how to create engaging and enjoyable learning experiences. We’ve figured out the secret to how to quickly build your skills and confidence, and we share the most useful tools for you to take away and apply in your work.
During 15 years as a facilitator, trainer and coach, I’ve led over a thousand workshops, ranging from away days and team development sessions, to multi-day strategy retreats and international convenings.
I love what I do. I’ve learnt from some of the best facilitators around, and I maintain my own skills by regularly taking part in training to deepen my practice. I can’t wait to share this course with you.
See my LinkedIn profile for more info and follow me for facilitation tips, updates and reflections.
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