Facilitation Skills for Coaches

Gather the group, hold the space, manage conflict.

Learn to lead the room confidently as a group coach, using the tools of creative facilitation

With Freyja Winterson, Facilitation Specialist and Theatre Director at National Theatre, Old Vic Theatre and Donmar Warehouse

A course for coaches, therapists and trainers who want to start leading groups. In this small cohort, interactive course you will:

  • Transform your facilitation with a skill that’s valued by clients and organisations and enables you to start leading groups with confidence

  • Engage a diverse range of people by leading inclusively

  • Explore how you can use facilitation tools to transform your work with others

  • Build your own group facilitation toolkit

  • Develop your own style as a facilitator

  • Bring your sessions to life using techniques from theatre and creative education

  • Receive a CPD Scheme Certificate for 8 hours of training validated by the Association for Coaching

You will receive a certificate on completion of the course to evidence 8 hours of CPD

The course is validated through the Association for Coaching’s CPD Provider Scheme

What other coaches thought

  • This course is exactly what I needed! I will be running a course for a group and I realised I needed to upskill. Freyja provided an amazing framework and working example of how to structure, manage and conduct group work. The content was really clearly laid out and concise. Each session I walked away with a great example of how to construct and facilitate successfully. There was lots of space to test the learnings which meant so much to me as someone who learns by doing.

    Kerry Marriott, ADHD Coach

  • This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about facilitation skills from Freyja who is an expert facilitator. I learned so much and I now have a range of skills I can go and put into practice with the confidence that I know what I'm doing and why.

    Anna Schlapp, AAC, ACC, ADHD Coach.

  • The experience and skill Freyja brings to the table are truly impressive. She's an amazingly talented facilitator, and it shows in every session. This course is not just theory - it's properly interactive with loads of participation. I found myself actively engaged in a way that meant I couldn't help but get value from it. Freyja creates such a lovely safe space for learning and practising. ...If you're after a course that'll give you practical facilitation skills and boost your confidence in leading groups, I highly recommend Freyja's course. It's been absolutely brilliant, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

    Tina Squire, Neurodiversity consultant, speaker & coach

Freyja Winterson - Course Leader

I'm Freyja, and I’m a Facilitation Specialist working in theatre and community sectors. I am currently an Associate Director for the National Theatre’s nationwide festival of youth theatre and work with Old Vic, Almeida Theatre, and the Donmar Warehouse. I also work as a facilitator with multiple charitable organisations including Tender, Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation, Artis, Fumble and Winston’s Wish.

I have been facilitating groups of people of all ages, and from all walks of life for over ten years; from young people in Pupil Referral Units, groups for over 60s, groups of up to one hundred people, and learning disabled footballers at Arsenal. I love enabling a group to work together, managing difference and friction, and connecting people through the work I deliver.

I teach facilitation for the Old Vic and at multiple conferences and CPD sessions for professionals including the YPF Foundation, and Young Culture Bucks.

I recently worked with The ADHD Workshop to pioneer a neuroeducation programme for adults with ADHD, which made me see how powerful these skills can be for coaches.

Course structure

  • What is facilitation, and how the first 3-5 minutes of any workshop define how successful it will be

    The Facilitation Spectrum, a model for understanding your role (or roles) in a workshop - how does coaching and facilitation intersect?

    Unpacking the basics - what do effective ‘welcomes’ look like, how to set up a room agreement or code of conduct to create the culture you need in your workshop

    Beginnings and endings

  • What does effective planning look like? What are you doing in your workshops and why

    Aims and Learning Objectives- understanding what these are and why we use them

    Tasks - what are people going to do in your sessions? How can you keep it dynamic, relevant to the aims, and inclusive for everyone

    Explaining tasks and leading group discussions - tips and tricks to get everyone clear on what they need to do, steer conversations, and make sure everyone gets their say

    Structuring your sessions

  • Difficult conversations, conflict and leading when it’s all gone a bit wrong

    Useful models for challenging behaviour and difficult conversations

    Using a technique from community theatre, practice these techniques and explore what their response would be

  • Putting it all together

    Applying everything we’ve learned to your own coaching practice/discipline

    Making your sessions accessible to you (the leader)

    Using your new skills, test a short activity or facilitating a coaching discussion in a supportive group environment.

    Receive top tips for delivery and feed back on your facilitation.

The details

Hours | 8 hours of live training

Venue | All sessions take place over Zoom - link will be sent after booking

Recordings | Sessions will be recorded and will be accessible to you for at least 6 months after the course

Cost | £195

Certification | Receive an Association for Coaching accredited CPD Scheme certificate for 8 hours of training

Dates

May Two Day Course

Thursdays 8th & 15th May, 10 - 3pm

July Two Day Course - dates announced soon

Previous Dates

Wednesdays 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th March 2025

OR

book a quick chat below to secure your place

Let’s chat…

Book a 15 minute video call where you can

  • Get a sense of what the course is all about

  • Explore how facilitation skills could make a difference to your work

  • Ask any questions

Completely free and with no obligation

FAQ

Who is the course for?

I designed this course for practicing coaches, who are looking to develop as facilitators and leaders of workshops/trainings. I have had therapists, nutritionists, and coaches of many disciplines take part. If you’re not sure if it’s for you, book a quick chat with me and we can work it out together.

How many people will be in each course?

There is a maximum of 8-10 people in each course.

Do I need to attend every session?

All sessions are recorded and accessible to you for at least 6 months after the course. If you want the CPD Scheme Certificate then you need to attend at least 3 of the 4 live sessions (or 1.5 day out of 2). If you know availability is a challenge do get in touch, I might be able to help!

What is the Association for Coaching CPD Scheme?

You can find out more about it here

Other questions? Contact me through this form