Facilitating Good Small Group Discussions

Here are 6 tips for facilitating a good small group discussion in youth ministry:

1.  Environment

-Limit the group size

-Sit in a way where everyone can hear and participate fully (ie. All sitting on chairs, on floor, standing)

2.  Tone

-You set the tone as the leader

-Start with a  prayer where appropriate and have everyone introduce themselves

-Pledge confidentiality

3.  Navigate

-Your job is to keep the conversation on track

-Don’t focus on one person and don’t let one person monopolize the conversation

-Give people the option to pass

4.  Facilitate

-Your job is to wrap and connect points, and keep everyone involved

-Share from your own experiences when appropriate, but don’t preach and don’t feel you have to comment on every single answer given by a group member

-Be prepared to summarize the group discussion if necessary

5.  Silence

-Silence is not always a bad thing

-Let the members think about what they are going to say

-Don’t always jump in to save the discussion

6.  Encourage

-Affirm the members for sharing

Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie.  He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years, helping parishes develop their own youth and young adult ministries.  When not doing ministry, Clay enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, playing sports, playing naptime, and writing blogs on topics such as family, faith, and the Vancouver Canucks.  Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo