Training in Group Facilitation for Adolescents and Youth
Scientific Supervisors & Trainers
Antonis Antoniou
Psychologist
Pavlos Salichos
Psychologist, M.A., Systemic Psychotherapist, ECP
Maria Giourgi
Systemic Psychotherapist – MSc, ECP. Trainer & Supervisor
ΑΚΜΑ Exarcheia
6, Deligianni Str., Mouseio
2025
24 February, 31 March, 28 April, 19 May, 23 June, 7 July, 22 September, 20 October, 24 November, 15 December
Duration of the seminar
10 four-hour, monthly, in-person meetings, on Mondays, 10:00–14:00
Aim
Group Facilitation for Adolescents and Youth is a field of practice that integrates principles of therapy and education, without being identified with either. Facilitation groups aim to highlight young people’s strengths, develop communication skills, support relational flow, and create a safe space in which group members can, through sharing, identify with one another, differentiate themselves, and ultimately evolve.
The concept of facilitation itself does not easily fit into a single, fixed definition. Its understanding depends on the underlying epistemological approach and, most importantly, on the context in which it is applied. Our epistemological framework is primarily systemic and dialectical and can be applied in any setting where adolescent and youth groups exist or can be created.
In summary, our theoretical approach to group facilitation aligns with the model of triple focus proposed by D. Goleman and P. Senge (2015): focus on the self (understanding and connecting with one’s inner world), focus on the other (understanding and grasping the reality of others), and focus on the wider world (understanding the interdependence of systems within the broader environment).
Description
The seminar’s training team draws on 7 years of experience in facilitating adolescent group work at AKMA, as well as each trainer’s broader experience working with youth groups in different professional contexts.
In this seminar, through a series of experiential exercises and “games,” participants engage with practical approaches to working with adolescent groups. The concept of play is approached with the depth and seriousness it entails, as “a distinct and highly significant factor in the life and actions of the world,” as Johan Huizinga (1989) describes.
Our guiding framework combines professional experience—of both trainers and participants—the ongoing group process, and relevant theory. Together, these elements help build bridges of understanding through active participation and lived experience.
The aim is to explore and experiment with tools and methods relevant to contemporary practice, while allowing new roles and skills to emerge that support the fuller development of each participant’s professional potential.
Topics of the Sessions
Indicatively, some of the themes explored in the sessions include:
- Establishing a working contract with adolescent and youth groups
- The influence of family and peer groups on adolescent life
- Managing and working with crisis processes within the group
- Identifying and strengthening significant relationships and roles during adolescence as a developmental stage
- Adapting to the specific context in which we are called to act as group facilitators, both in relation to the goals of the setting and its particular characteristics
Academic Requirements
A basic familiarity with group process principles is required for participation, as this will constitute our main working tool.
For more information, please contact the AIA Secretariat
For more information, please contact the AIA Secretariat.
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Review, Reflection, and a Glimpse into the Future
December 2024