Mar 9, 2021
In today's episode, Helene Jewell talks to Lindsay Sumner and
Simon Wilson about the IAF's Certified Professional Facilitator
(CPF) assessment process and how it has moved online.
Lindsay
Sumner (CPF M) is the IAF Director of Certification
Operations. She shares with Helene her own certification process,
which was a testing one! The process continues to test facilitators
skills and processes. There is writing, interviewing and
observation involved.
CPF is an in-depth peer review of their facilitation knowledge,
experience, skills and practice. It's a multi-staged process which
takes about three months. The IAF's philosophy is "test to pass",
that is, that everyone is given a fair opportunity to show their
skills.
Stage 1 involves reviewing the documentation. If there is not
enough evidence yet, they won't be invited to Stage 2.
What about becoming a CPF Master?
Once you are a CPF, you can re-certify by writing about your
practice over the last four years, to show that you are still
facilitating, and learning and growing within the profession. You
need to demonstrate that you are sharing, teaching and mentoring
around the profession. What are you giving back etc.
The challenge with moving the certification process online was how
to keep it in line with the in-person version, while changing the
format. For example, splitting the process up so that it didn't run
over a day.
Another challenge was whether the IAF competencies would also be as
visible. The certification team workshopped the competencies by
running workshops online and noticing whether different
competencies were required. Throughout the process they found that
the same set of competencies are visible (and required) as online.
(More on this later when Helene talks to Simon.)
Another thing to take into account when facilitating online is the
technology, but the technical competence is not assessed. However,
you need to be competent at a technical level, or else it's
difficult be confident, and focus on the facilitation practice.
Lindsay talks about the set of protocols they have designed
around the technical side, to free up candidates to focus on the
facilitation.
Are there benefits to doing the certification process online? It
means the process can be more accessible, but there are still
people struggling with technology. For now, online assessments will
will be running once a month.
Lindsay talks about the endorsed facilitator programme - an online
exam and a written paper. Keep your eyes open for that
one!
They're also looking to widen the pool of assessors, especially to
be able to offer the programme in other languages (could
that be you, listener?). The assessment is currently
offered in English and Mandarin and has been taken through
simultaneous translation. The online space is offering a lot of
possibilities!
You can email Lindsay: dir.cert.operations@iaf-world.org
Connect
with her on LinkedIn.
26.10 mins
Our second guest (and returning guest to the show!)
is Simon
Wilson, a CPF and current CPF assessor (since 2013), who talks
about the assessment process in more depth.
Simon explains the assessment process: 4 assessors + a technical
process manager. 1 assessor plays the role of the client, one as a
participant and two observers.
When Simon was the guinea pig in the first online assessment,
playing the part of the faciliator, the others were able to
identify the IAF competencies.
The barriers of doing the session online are similar to those we
might come across if we have to travel to an unfamiliar room. In
the online environment it's more difficult to assess how someone
interacts directly with a group by for example, reading their body
language. On the other hand, it's easier to pay attention to how
they set up a task.
The groups' activity also becomes more clear. From the assessor's
point of view, there is also a recording you could refer back
to!
As an assessor , you have to reset your parameters when assessing
online - spatial information and body language for example, is
missing. However, those involved in moving the assessment online
were able to adapt to the online space. A CPF is a CPF, regardless
of whether the assessment takes place online or in
person.
Helene asked Simon for advice to those thinking of taking the
assessment. Simon says: give it a go online! It might be more
convenient - unless the online space really puts you off. All you
need to use is Zoom and GoogleDocs (think of it as your "blank
canvas"), but this is a test of your facilitation competences, not
your ability to use the tech.
At the same time, as you would bring post-it notes (peel them left
to right!), pipe cleaners, Lego etc to your assessment in person,
you can bring other tools to your assessment - at your own
risk!
As an assessor, it's great to travel to an assessment site, but the
online space does save you the travel time!
You can connect with Simon on Twitter: @WilsonSherriff
And let Helene know you're listening: -@HeleneJewell
@IAFEnglandWales; use #iafpodcast
Get in touch via email podcast@iaf-englandwales.org
https://www.iaf-world.org/site/chapters/england-wales