The roles and responsibilities of a facilitator

1. Is a game ever just a game in Applied Theatre?

A game is not just a game when it comes to Applied Theatre as there is a major difference between just enjoying theatre and activities as a participant and, as a facilitator having to plan out and structure activities and workshops with different aims and objectives in mind. As well as keeping aims and objectives in mind, facilitators have to plan workshops that everyone will be able to enjoy and participate in (Kelly, 2014).  

In order for a workshop to be well planned out and the structure to be in order, the facilitator must think about what skills and qualities the participants will use in an activity and how that given activity will be a springboard to developing further work. A facilitator must also think about some of the different components when either planning or facilitating a workshop itself. These components are:

• Energy- Energy is to do with high, middle and low energy and effort required of participants in an activity. Sometimes a facilitator must demonstrate through modelling the levels of energy required in an activity to participants so then they know what is expected of them (Kelly, 2014).
• Concentration- The concentration in an activity is to do with the level of attention that is required of the participants in order for them to participate in an activity. The quality of participation can negatively be effected if participants do not have the correct level of concentration (Kelly, 2014).
• Focus- An example when focus is used in an activity is if a group is in a circle then it is low focus. However if someone speaks or does something then the attention is turned to them which is called passing focus (Kelly, 2014).
• Giving instruction- This is to do with the facilitator giving clear and crisp instructions so then the participants know what is required. At times the facilitator could fall into the trap of giving too detailed instructions which then complicates things for the participants. Giving instructions can be done through verbal communication and/or demonstration (Kelly, 2014).
• Timing- The number of participants in a workshop and how the respond to different activities can determine how long it takes to complete an activity (Kelly, 2014).
• Observation- Observation is to do with when participants feedback objective observations, not interpretations of something at the beginning. Afterwards they can make subjective observations (Kelly, 2014).  
• Observing the group- The facilitator may observe the group to see if the participants understand the instructions to an activity. The facilitator may look out for different kinds of body language and facial expressions. Also the facilitator observes the group responses to stimuli they may be given. The groups responses can be verbal or physical (Kelly, 2014).  
• Warm-ups- The warm-ups are the foundations of the workshop and it is a start to meeting the overall objectives and aims. Warm-ups can include vocal and/or physical activities to get everyone ready for the main part of the session (Kelly, 2014).
• Hidden objectives- The facilitator must consider the hidden objectives when planning an activity but the activity needs to be really fun so then the participants do not think about the hidden objectives (Kelly, 2014).
• Adaptability/responding to the group- The facilitator adapts workshops to different groups they facilitate with the hidden objectives kept to mind. Each activity within a workshop can be adapted based on what he facilitator observed in a previous workshop (Kelly, 2014).     
• The rules of a game or activity- This to do with creating rules of a game or activity which increases the concentration of the participants. Also the rules can make an activity more challenging e.g. communicating physically not verbally (Kelly, 2014).  
• Co-facilitating- This is to do with an additional facilitator that helps to facilitate a session. Both facilitators discuss prior to the session on who is taking what activity. Co-facilitating is crucial when working with children under 16 years of age (Kelly, 2014).
• The position of where the facilitator is stood- This is to do with where the facilitator plans to stand for each activity. A facilitator must stand in different places for each activity so then they are near different participants (Kelly, 2014).
• Side coaching- Side coaching is additional notes next to each activity. The facilitator may remind participants different things in an activity e.g. "keep the energy up" (Kelly, 2014)
• 1-10 scale- The 1-10 scale is the level of the effort and commitment required of participants in an activity based on the number mentioned (Kelly, 2014).
• Collective rehearsal- Collective rehearsal is to do with participants working in groups to complete an activity or to create a scene. The facilitator can observe groups more closely when they work together (Kelly, 2014).
• Going beyond the obvious- The facilitator may prompt the participants to go beyond the obvious or easiest response to an activity or instruction (Kelly, 2014).
• Repetition- This is to do with the facilitator asking the participants to do the same activity so then they can start to think more creatively. This may be when they expand on what they done in the same activity previously (Kelly, 2014).  
• Different ways of communication- This is to do with the facilitator using verbal and non-verbal communication when communicating to participants. These ways of communication change depending of the situation. For example, the facilitator can just looking at certain participants that are disrupting the session to indicate that they need to be quiet (Kelly, 2014).
• Kinaesthetic Learning- This type of learning occurs when physical activity takes place. The participants learn about themselves, their bodies and their overall surroundings through physical activity (Kelly, 2014).
• Music and more- This is to do with simple music being used in a workshop or activity to support it (Kelly, 2014).
• Feedback- Feedback is when participants take time after an activity to reflect on what went well and what could be improved on an activity based on their observations. The facilitator can give guidance in this discussion if needed (Kelly, 2014).

An effective workshop will have some of these components embedded in it. If these components are applied then the participants should get the maximum out of a workshop, which results in them remembering it and develop in their own learning.

Overall applied theatre is not just a game, it is more of a kind of resource where the participants and the facilitator learn from each other and explore different kinds of topics, personal and social issues and political issues. The activities and games in an applied theatre session can help participants to gain the skills to deal with day to day life as well as it being a resource to gain information.

2. How would you describe the role of a facilitator?

In generic terms a facilitator must be enthusiastic, determined, inspiring, passionate, considerate, encouraging, kind, polite, open-minded, a leader but not dominate the workshops too much, a guide and someone that is not too  gullible but not someone who doesn't believe anything someone says either. A good facilitator has many of these qualities, in which some of them they have gained through many years of experience.  

On a practical and personal level it is the responsibility of the facilitator to guide a session or workshops in order to allow participants to discover themselves and progress throughout their own personal journey. The facilitator will have their own aims for a workshop or activity but they must not fully give the answers to the participants on what they can learn or discover from an activity as this will limit their own thoughts, feelings and the commitment to take part in activities.

However, it is important for a facilitator to create a safe working environment, otherwise the participants will not take part in activities if they feel unsafe physically or mentally. To make sure the working environment is safe the facilitator must encourage the participants to have respect for themselves and others and to be mindful of the overall safety in and outside the workshop setting. Also when the facilitator introduces new or existing activities or exercises, they should support the participants throughout this and encourage them to take risks and go beyond their comfort zone. The most important thing in this situation is for the facilitator to make sure that the participants do not feel embarrassed by others or the facilitator (Kelly, 2014).

On a more practical level the facilitator must always think about the space that everyone will be working in. For example, in an ideal workshop space it must be well lit and there needs to be plenty of space for a start. The room needs to be uncluttered and there needs to be enough tables and chairs. Also the room needs to have good acoustics and the floor needs to be easy to work on. The most important thing to consider in an ideal space is for no one to interrupt the session as the participants may get distracted and it may ruin the flow of the session (Kelly, 2014).

3. What is the purpose of feedback in an Applied Theatre session?

The purpose of feedback in an Applied Theatre session is to give participants the opportunity to express themselves on what they felt went well in the session or activity, what could be improved on, what they observed in themselves and other people. Also it gives them the opportunity to absorb what has happened and really think about it, to learn from other participants feedback, to discuss solutions to a problem and to respect each others views and opinions. Furthermore, if any of the participants had any concerns with the session or activity, they can express this to the facilitator and put their views across. By giving the participants opportunities to feedback on an activity or workshop, it tells them that their thoughts, feelings and opinions matter and will be taken into consideration for the next session (Kelly, 2014).

Another purpose of feedback in an applied theatre session is for the facilitator to observe the discussion so then they can create a better workshop next time based on the comments expressed. At times the facilitator can guide the discussion but they cannot give the answers on what they feel the participants should of learnt or experienced in the session or activity.  

Reference List

Kelly, D. (2014) Laying the Foundations: A guide to youth drama. Dublin: National Association for Youth Drama.