Group agreement

As you are aware from your experience of Remote DAFNE facilitation, groups function best when both participants and facilitator clearly communicate their expectations of each other. A key tool for establishing a safe and comfortable environment, and to help the group to manage themselves, is a group agreement or set of ‘ground rules’. This agreement should be created collectively at the very beginning of the course and referred to (by the educator or group members) throughout the course, as required.

The group agreement should outline how the group as a whole agrees to behave and should encourage positive behaviours. You may suggest items for the agreement that will help you to facilitate learning and manage the group, but don’t impose them.

Write the group agreement on the flipchart paper (or alternative). Keep a copy of the group agreement where everyone can see it and refer to it as needed. Add to the list if you need to during the course. If anyone infringes the agreement, you could remind them that it is their agreement they are breaking.

Activity 7: Group agreement

Timing: 5 minutes

Part 1

Think back to the social and emotional factors you identified in Activity 5. Listed below are some example rules to start you thinking about the group agreement. Which of the following would you like your group to suggest as part of their group agreement for a face-to-face DAFNE course?

  • Start and finish on time
  • Phones on silent or vibrate only (step outside to take a call)
  • Respect each other’s opinions
  • Allow everyone to speak who wants to
  • Listen to each other
  • Don’t judge each other
  • Be open to new ideas
  • Avoid talking over each other
  • All questions are welcome
  • There is no such thing as a silly question
  • Be honest.

Part 2

Think about your experience of using a group agreement as part of your Remote DAFNE course. Are there any items in the group agreement that you think you may refer to more or less in a face-to-face setting? Make a note of them in your training handbook.

Tip: A group agreement will not help you (or participants) to manage the group if the agreement is not referred to when needed. For example, if a participant is talking through their diary from the previous night or week and two other participants are having a private conversation, draw the whole group’s attention to the group agreement they have set (e.g. listen to each other; avoid talking over each other).

Introduction to the DAFNE course

Attitudes and beliefs