ABSTRACT
These comments were made by a group of social workers in Ukraine, evaluating their first experiential social work training course. Facilitation of learning is perceived by educationists to refer to the methods by which the facilitator ‘assists’ the learner to make sense of the learning experience (Taylor 1996; Brookfield 1996). The comments above indicate that this is also, partially, the expectation of learners. The term ‘assists’, used on its own, implies that the trainer is there to deliver the training package, utilise the training materials appropriately and ensure that conditions to facilitate learning are in place. Yet the Ukrainian social workers’ remarks indicate training being more than this. What is it that distinguishes a ‘good’ trainer from the rest? Why do we get a sense on some training courses that the trainer is mechanically working their way through a programme while others make the programme come alive? These questions imply that there is another dimension to facilitating learning that is crucial and that is the relationship between the trainer or facilitator and the
learning group. A good facilitator will identify the group’s uniqueness and develop a rapport with the group that is designed to meet the learners’ specific learning needs. This was described very clearly by one of the Ukrainian social workers, who was comparing and contrasting the experiences of different learning groups.
