Facilitating a Colloquy
While Colloquy Downeast vets and organizes colloquy topics (together with venues, advertising, etc.), the key to every colloquy’s success is the colloquy “facilitator.”
In addition to the more detailed document linked above, the following will give you some of the highlights of leading a colloquy:
Colloquy Topics
We seek to offer colloquies that will be of interest to participants and which can be led by a suitable facilitator. As you will note from the lists elsewhere on this site, the range of past topics is quite broad and we continue to look for topics in new areas to expand the colloquies’ appeal.
What is the Facilitator’s Role?
The colloquy facilitator is responsible for:
- Organizing and describing the colloquy topic (for example, for the summer “flyer” advertising the colloquy season and for website pages describing the colloquy)
- Selecting, if appropriate, suitable reading or other materials for participants to review as they prepare for the colloquy meetings
- Facilitating the discussion during the colloquy meetings (see below for more)
What Makes a Good Facilitator?
While some colloquy topics naturally lend themselves to some lecture-type presentations, the most important element of a successful colloquy is the quality of discussion during the meetings.
As such, facilitators are strongly encouraged to foster a robust dialogue by preparing a series of discussion points, issues, questions or observations to elicit thoughtful contributions from all participants.
Successful facilitators may be subject matter experts on their colloquy topic, but they may also be good moderators/discussion leaders who have a strong interest (but not necessarily expertise) in the topic at hand.
Next Steps?
If you think you would be interested in facilitating a colloquy please contact us at info@colloquydowneast.org. Almost everyone on the Steering Committee has facilitated a colloquy before, and Committee members are always available for advice and counsel.