Air Collaborative

Facilitator: Eligibility & Training

Air Collaborative has designed and developed a curriculum and programs that engage creatives and community members to promote collaboration between sectors and increase the value of arts and creativity. The Air curriculum is only as strong as the people who facilitate, teach and engage with participants. The Air staff provides a rigorous training and certification process that ensures high-quality facilitators.

COA is not accepting applications at this time. The information below is for informational purposes only.

Eligibility

For arts and non-arts professionals who are committed to creative and collaborative work with communities throughout Connecticut.

Applicants must:

  • be a full-time resident of Connecticut at the time of application.
  • attend the pre-training virtual workshop(s) on April 19th & 21st, 2023 from 2:00 - 5:00pm.
  • attend the three-day in-person training scheduled for May 3-5, 2023.  
  • make a three-year commitment to the program.
Training

The Air Certified Facilitator Training for Connecticut participants will be held in-person and at a central location in the state from Wednesday, May 3rd through Friday, May 5th 2023. In addition to the in-person training, there will be two pre-training virtual workshops on April 19 & 21, 2023 from 2-5pm.

The Air Certified Facilitator Training will be provided at no cost to the selected cohort of twelve (12). Mileage, meals, a flat fee for childcare (if applicable) will be included in addition to a stipend of $750 for the three-day training. Participants will also receive printed resource materials provided during the training.

What Does Certified Facilitator Training Look Like?

The Air Collaborative provides a 30-hour Certified Facilitator Training that prepares participants to deliver Engage and Shift Workshops. Once certified, additional training can prepare Air facilitators to deliver the Evolve Program.

The trainings focus on mastering:

  • Presentation of Air materials
  • Facilitation of collaborative teams
  • Coaching individuals for future success

Air programs were designed using adult learning best practices so the workshops are extremely interactive and focused on skill building, rather than listening to talking heads. Facilitators help ensure that the participants practice and gain self-efficacy in collaboration, listening, design thinking, and business planning.

The Air program uses facilitation skills that empower workshop participants to learn by doing with a team. Air facilitators are trained to not “give the answer” to the teams they are facilitating. Instead, they empower the participants to discover the answer together. Excellent facilitators learn to balance their desire to help others, with the knowledge that people learn best when they discover the answers themselves.

Facilitators are also trained to provide a fifteen-minute coaching session for the participants on their team. Facilitators learn to help participants identify what they are trying to change in their lives and careers and some next steps that will lead them toward those goals.

Air Certified facilitators will receive compensation for each COA supported Engage and Shift workshop they facilitate.

Roles and Responsibilities

Trainees will become well-versed in the Engage and Shift Workshop curriculum. Trainees must be friendly but firm, and open and engaging.

Trainees must also:

  • Attend all Air Certified Facilitator training sessions.
  • Achieve 80% score on the Air Certified Facilitator Test.
  • Attend a 30-minute meeting with Air staff to establish benchmarks for success using the established Air rubrics.
  • Participate in monthly CT Air Facilitator meetings.
  • Attend training refresher sessions when there are curriculum updates or technology changes.

CT Air Facilitators must be able to comply with the following to deliver workshops:

  • Participate in pre-workshop planning sessions for each Engage and/or Shift Workshop contracted to facilitate.
  • Attend entire workshop.
  • Serve as facilitator for a group of up to 9 participants.
  • Present sections of the workshop curriculum to the full participant group.
  • Provide 15 minute one-on-one coaching sessions for up to 9 participants.
  • Participate in workshop debriefs for each Shift workshop contracted to facilitate.
Ideal candidates walk the talk

Air embodies the paradigm shift that will help achieve our vision to ignite creative economies worldwide by unlocking community genius. People everywhere want to belong, connect, and feel heard. We want to stop being divided and instead be part of something bigger than ourselves. We are people who fill those needs by helping people put the power of creative collaboration to work in their lives.

Our facilitators have diverse backgrounds and life experiences. They have creative and business experience, strong communication skills, and high emotional intelligence. Inspire change and excellence.

Air instructors and facilitators have qualities that inspire hope. They are optimistic realists with exceptional listening skills and great senses of humor. They are lifelong learners who are adaptable, organized improvisers who work and play well with others.

Use technology: Air Certified Facilitators use presentation tools, software and equipment. We embrace the interweb and fun stuff that makes storytelling and collaborating easier and more personal