Circles of Friends

Facilitator Training

"I encourage anyone who wants a richer life to become part of a Circle of Friends and discover this treasure for themselves."
      --Shari Bonnell, Circle Facilitator

Our Circle of Friends volunteer facilitators enable the persons Bridge serves who have disabilities to enter into relationships of respect with other individuals in their church and community. These friendships help reshape the lives of all involved- the person with the disability, as well as his/her friends. Everyone benefits.

Circle facilitators assist the focus person (the person with a disability) to think about their hopes and dreams for the Circle. They help them brainstorm activities that are in keeping with their goals, schedule gatherings and notify the other Circle members.

Bridge is strongly committed to providing the kind of support to our facilitators that will best equip them to be outstanding Circle coordinators. In addition to meeting with facilitators individually to get to know their interests, availability, geographic preferences, etc., Bridge chaplains connect them with a compatible focus person and continue to support that one-on-one relationship through personal visits until the Circle is well under way. Chaplains are also available throughout the life of the Circle to provide specific assistance as needed. This provides occasions for informal instruction about various aspects of facilitation. In addition, monthly facilitator gatherings that model the hospitality experienced in Circles are provided. They also offer opportunities for building rewarding relationships among Bridge facilitators, as well as inviting discussion of questions, exploring concerns and reflecting on the many rewards of facilitation.

As a facilitator, you receive . . . ·

• Individualized attention to your volunteer goals and the gifts you want to share
• A careful matching process that introduces you to a person with a disability
• Staff support from people who are ready to listen, encourage and guide
• Membership in our Circle of Friends Facilitator Support Group through which you can share your Circle experience and learn from others in similar circumstances
• Training from staff and consultants about issues relevant to facilitation skills and being with persons with disabilities

Facilitator Training Topics Have Included:

• What It's Like to Live With a Disability (given by a person with cerebral palsy)
• The Gift of Listening
• Caring Without Fixing
• Boundary-Setting
• Suggested Circle Activities (that are free or low cost)
• The Core Values of Bridge Ministries
• Safety (demonstrations by a physical and an occupational therapist)
• A book discussion of Adam by Henri Nouwen
• Person Centered Planning
• Trust-Building in Circles
• The Dialogue Process
• Depression During the Holidays
• Etiquette with Persons with Disabilities
• Suffering and God's Presence (given by a person with multiple sclerosis)
• The Relationship of God and Suffering
• Self Care for Facilitators
• Facilitation Skills
• Hospitality
• The Sacredness of Circles of Friends

Circle Facilitators experience a sense of fulfillment by having enabled significant relationships in a person's life. At the same time they experience the camaraderie of other facilitators and receive valuable training in facilitation skills.

For more information please visit Circles of Friends, Forming a Circle, Circle Volunteers, Volunteers, How to Apply, Dreams Coming True, and Award Winning Model.

If you are interested in finding out more about facilitator training, please contact Rev. Dr. David Emery at (425) 885-1006 ext. 112 or email him at ChaplainI@bridgemin.org..

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