Large Group Facilitation

Tapping into the wisdom of many people, often experts in their field, requires a special skill. If you really want excellent engagement and meaningful contributions to the creation of an important policy or resolving a long-standing complex problem, please hire us.

North Star Facilitators has extensive experience in creating such events. Here are just a few examples of events we have designed and led for multi-sectoral or international groups ranging from 50-350 people:

  • Crafting consensus on a global strategy development for United Way International
  • Developing joint environmental policies in Canada with federal and provincial Departments of the Environment
  • Exploration of the diminishing Beluga Whale population involved indigenous harvesters, biology experts and government officials charged with conservation
  • Developing regional policies for early childhood education in Manitoba, Canada
  • Proposing best practices for diabetes prevention in Indigenous populations
  • Exploring enhanced agency collaboration for great energy efficiency achievement in the Pacific Northwest USA
  • Reaching for ways to protect the Amazon Basin in a four-language event between Amazon indigenous leaders and conversation agency leaders

One of the things we often ask you – is how are you using the experts in the room who are the NOT the up-front speakers as the -official expert or resource people?

The prevalence of using “expert” speakers to “kick-off” planning or other large group strategizing sessions often perplexes us (because it does not use the wisdom in the room) but combined with facilitation, can be amazingly powerful. We can facilitate processing of the content from the presentations during and immediately after the presentations!

Participants are continually amazed and delighted at being asked for their opinions in such an honoring way. This is just one small way we can make a difference in your events.

We also help make your conferences and large group events creative, fun and amazingly productive. We have facilitated events in several languages simultaneously. We have a team of over 10 people to call upon to ensure every detail goes well and allow for the possibility of multiple simultaneous discussions which are then woven into a coherent whole at the end of the event. Please ask us for references or call to learn more about how to ensure your event is the most positively cited event in your field for years to come.

If you have an event that has any of the following characteristics, please consider us:

  •  Multiple languages; multiple cultures.
  •  Competition or conflict between stakeholders.
  •  High stakes policy or program development.
  •  Resolution of a complex, multi-jurisdictional or multi-disciplinary problem.