Welcome to Skagit County

June 4th, 2009

Master Facilitation Training: WSU Extension and Mediation & Facilitation Services Graduate Sixteen Local Facilitators

SKAGIT COUNTY - Sixteen participants from Skagit and Whatcom counties completed their 40-hour Master Facilitation Training on Thursday, May 21. The 10-week course was a partnership between Washington State University Extension and Mediation & Facilitation Services, the Dispute Resolution Center of Skagit County.

Taught by Kay Haaland, senior faculty of WSU Skagit County Extension, the course emphasized “best practice” techniques for facilitation including meeting management, building consensus, problem solving, and decision-making. Effective facilitation increases the quality of a group’s decisions, increases commitment to those decisions, and improves working relationships. It also improves communication among participants and can save time and money for organizations by the efficiency and effectiveness of their group processes.

Six of the course participants are mediators or mediation practicum participants with Mediation & Facilitation Services. Dispute Resolution Centers provide mediation services, trainings, and programs to assist people in the peaceful resolution of disputes.

Anyone looking for facilitators for any group process may call Mediation & Facilitation Services, (360) 419-3417 for further information.

Pictured

Back row left to right: Amy Wilcox, Larry Hedgpeth, Ted Wang, Gary Chrysler, Dean Forsythe, Steve Abel, Michael See

Front row: Nicole Scott, Suzy Martinez, Laurie Newall, Penny Sundblad, Kay Haaland (instructor), Dee Raudebaugh, Jean MacGregor, Adria Bank