The Master Practitioner Diploma in
FIRO® Theory
Introduction
The Master Practitioner Diploma in FIRO Theory is a two year, modular,
professional practitioner training and development programme in
FIRO Theory and Group Process Facilitation Skills.
This is a unique training and development programme, the first of
its kind to be offered anywhere in the world, which enables participants
to explore Will Schutz’ FIRO Theory in its full depth and
glory from a personal, interpersonal and group perspective.
Core Aims of the Programme
The main aims and objectives of the programme are as follows:
To create an intensive group learning environment
and culture which will enable participants to explore their own
personal and professional development issues using FIRO Theory,
The Human Element and Open Encounter, methods which were created
by Dr. Will Schutz the originator of FIRO Theory.
To develop top flight Group and Individual Process
Facilitators who are confident and highly capable in all aspects
of FIRO Theory and in the application of the theory using the facilitation
approach created by John Heron.
To support these facilitators in the establishment
and continuation of their own professional practice whether as in
house organisational consultants and change agents or as freelance
practitioners.
To ensure that there are enough accredited practitioners
of the theory to make it available to a wider potential population
of users.
To support the continuous, on-going development
and application of the theory.
To facilitate continuous research into the validity
and application of FIRO Theory, Open Encounter and The Human Element
Approach.
Fundamental Working Methods
These working methods give the programme its distinctive structure
and provide a framework in which different levels of learning and
development can take place. They form the basis of the learning
contract to which each participant will be required to commit.
Facilitator and participants will form a learning
community which aims to balance hierarchy and authority [where the
facilitator takes a strong lead] with co-operative and self directed
ways of working. The primary facilitator will initially have a high
profile with participants taking increasing responsibility for decision
making, content, method and facilitation as the programme progresses.
Autonomous self-discovery through structured and
unstructured experience, in which emphasis is placed on people’s
innate ability to learn from their own thoughts, feeling, bodies,
perceptions and intuitions.
Methodologies of action research will be introduced
to enable participants to integrate action and reflection. Skills
of reflective practice will be used to further enable the development
of the learning community. The main programme group will sub divide
into self managed action learning sets, which will meet separately
for a minimum of one half day between each three day workshop, for
the purposes of action research, reflective practice, facilitation
practice and personal support.
Developing the life of the group through working
with individual and group needs as they arise in the here and now,
using open encounter, working with the group dynamic and exploring
defence processes at individual and group levels.
Using role play, coaching, pair work, facilitation
practice, observation and analysis, field work arranged by participants,
peer supervision and feedback.
Ceremony and work with the sacred, guided journeying,
vision questing, dream work, meditation, imaginal work, and other
activities to nurture and develop an awareness of the transpersonal
dimension of experience.
Theoretical input. Extensive reading, seminars,
discussion and the presentation of prepared papers by programme
participants.
Each participant will be expected to maintain an
ongoing journal of their experiences, reflections and learning.
Participants will be encouraged to present field and case studies
of the applications of their learning in their life and work.
Each participant will be required to submit a dissertation
[20,000 words] on a negotiated aspect of their learning, eg application
of the theory or critical enquiry before the end of the second year
of the programme.
Accreditation and validation will be achieved by
an on-going process of Self, Peer and Facilitator Assessment and
Accreditation. The method used on the Master Practitioner Programme
is a synthesis of two distinct approaches which have been conjoined
for this programme.
Graduates of the programme will be accredited as
Master Practitioners in the Application of FIRO Theory. The accreditation
has a two main aspects: the granting of the Diploma, which is conditional
on completing the programme and fulfilling the programme learning
contract including the submission of a 20,000 word dissertation;
and accreditation of competence in the main areas of the programme,
especially with respect to facilitation.
Programme Content
Personal Development & Professional Development:
These two ideals will be held throughout the programme. The programme
will in the first instance be a personal development programme.
Professional Development is seen to be predicated on effective personal
development. This means that participants can expect to work on
their own issues consistently throughout the programme. The aim
is to help each participant to connect with and to further develop
a healthy self concept. This will in turn support their professional
development.
Interpersonal and Group Development: This strand
will enable participants to explore FIRO Theory in considerable
depth relative to their own self concept, their behaviour towards,
and their interactions with, others. Participants will be encouraged
to become more aware of their defence mechanisms and how these interfere
with their effectiveness.
It will be highly experiential, a large part of each three day block
will utilise the Open Encounter Method to deal with whatever issues
may arise for participants in the course of their learning, development
and their interpersonal relations on the course itself.
There will be developmental workshops on a variety of topics throughout
the two years, for example Group Dynamics, Psychodrama/Sociodrama,
Bodywork, Transpersonal work, Gestalt and Bioenergetics amongst
others.
Facilitator Training: This developmental strand
will focus on enabling participants to develop top quality professional
facilitation skills. They will graduate with a full understanding
of Heron’s approach, and they will also learn to apply this
in facilitating FIRO Theory and The Human Element. This will include
using the suite of psychometric instruments which are known as Elements
of
Awareness.
Participants will also learn how to work with Open Encounter and
other projective techniques and to incorporate these, as appropriate,
into their facilitation repertoires.
This strand will also look at workshop/intervention design and implementation.
There will be many opportunities for each participant to practise
facilitation and to receive coaching and feedback on this.
Working with Personal Change: This strand will
focus on enabling each workshop participant to develop their own
professional practice, so that by the time they graduate from the
programme they will be ready to begin to implement and use their
learning personally and professionally.
These four strands will run concurrently throughout the two years
of the programme.
Developing a self supporting business based on Process Facilitation:
In parallel with the personal/professional development process,
those participants who wish to become self employed or employed
as consultants/facilitators will be supported and encouraged to
develop a healthy and self sustaining business in facilitating individuals,
groups and teams.
Contract
The programme cohort will negotiate a conjoined
learning contract at the start of the diploma, however, this prospectus
will constitute a non-negotiable part of that contract. High attendance
of the order of 90% of the programme is a requirement for the award
of the diploma, which includes participation in the action learning
sets.
Please note that to participate on the Master Practitioner
Diploma you must have completed a Human Element Phase One Programme
prior to the start of the Diploma. You do not have to have completed
the Phase One at the time you submit your application.
To apply for a place on the programme, please complete
and submit the enclosed application form as fully as possible, using
additional sheets of paper as required.
We are particularly interested in getting to know
you and in understanding your reasons for wishing to participate
on the Master Practitioner Programme and what you want to achieve
as a result of your participation. We would like to have some understanding
of the extent of your personal and professional development to date.
If your application is successful you will be offered
an interview with the primary facilitator of the programme. This
is an opportunity for us to get to know you better and for you to
get to know us. There is a fee of £50.00 inclusive of VAT
for the interview. You must enclose a cheque with your application.
If you are not offered an interview your cheque will be returned
to you.
At the interview you will have the opportunity
to ask any questions about the programme and the commitment you
will be making.
You will be informed very shortly after the interview whether
or not you will be offered a place on the programme. If you are
offered and accept a place you will be required to pay a non refundable
deposit - which will be deducted from your programme fees.
The costs as published in this prospectus are complete.
There are no extra tutorial fees, but you will be required to pay
an annual membership fee to the governing institute which is currently
£60.00 sterling for each year of the programme. There is also
a small but required reading list details of which will be made
available to applicants who are offered a place on the programme.
If on graduation from the programme you wish to be part of the European
FIRO Network, there will be an annual membership fee. The only other
costs you will encounter are for any additional books and publications
you may wish to purchase.
Diploma Facilitator
Pat Young has been facilitating groups, teams and individuals for
more than twenty years. His experience includes facilitating post
graduate facilitator development programmes at the Human Potential
Research Group at the University of Surrey [1992 - 1994] at the
Centre for Action Research in Professional Practice at the University
of Bath [1998 - 2000], and Diplomas in Counselling at Sandwell College
and Birmingham Counselling Centre. From 1989 - 1992 he was Senior
Counsellor and latterly Director of The Alcohol Counselling Service
in Brixton. He has worked as a consultant to organisations in the
private and public sectors specializing in management and leadership
development training, group and team dynamics, group, executive
and individual coaching. He has a strong background in business
and management. He has been working with Will Schutz’ FIRO
Theory since he encountered ‘JOY’ in 1992 and had the
privilege of being trained by Will in 1999. He is the principal
of Learning Edge Consulting.
Dr Will Schutz is the originator of FIRO theory, FIRO-B, The Human
Element Seminar and a new generation of instruments called The Elements
of Awareness. Human Element® is a registered trademark of Business Consultants Network. FIRO ® is a registered trademark of
Consulting Psychologist Press. Learning Edge Consulting are UK Distributors
of The Human Element and Elements of Awareness. The Cube is the
intellectual property of Learning edge Consulting and may not be
used without permission.
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Testimonials
"This continues to be a profound experiential
- whole body learning journey; I feel more complete and connected
than I can ever remember.... I am really in-joy-in(g) myself ..
and there's still more than a year to go!" - Richard
McKenny
"Mere words cannot describe the awesome changes I have felt
in me since being involved with the FIRO training. I have grown
from frightened child to a self-aware, powerful and engaging adult.
When I became more sure of who I am the fear of living in the world
melted away. Journeying through FIRO with the incredible facilitation
of Pat Young is like walking through a darkened, shady forest negotiating
brambles and other obstacles on the path of life before breaking
through the confusion into a light filled space that is stunning
in its beauty and bright with light. I can now acknowledge that
strong golden light within me and go on now to help others shine
their own torches in their darkness" - Viv Bolton
"I was thinking (out loud) about the balance there has been
between intense and difficult emotional experience, followed by
processing, catharsis, and a building of inner confidence and peace.
For the first time in a long time, I ran a 1-day workshop. The understanding
I had gained from doing the FIRO course gave me the tools, the knowledge,
and the confidence to build a deeper and more meaningful relationship
with the group than I had ever considered doing before, with the
result that the clients (and I) got more out of the day than I had
probably ever delivered before" - Finn Jackson - writer
and business strategy consultant
"My work as a consultant involves helping clients to develop
intergrated strategies and solutions - whether on an organisational,
team / group or individual basis. I am involved in delivering co-created
solutions to my clients on a variety of levels - organisational
development, team development and individual development in a coaching
or personal development context.
Achieving lasting change and delivering value are amongst my personal
and professional criteria for a successful intervention at each
and every level. My 25 year experience in the learning and development
field has taken me to many different theories, models and practices
in the search for the "best fit" for my work. In my experience,
Firo / Human Element is the supreme approach for working simultaneously
at all these levels to achieve the outcomes required. Quite simply,
it gets results.
From a personal perspective, I am energised, excited and focused
about my journey to "be" Firo rather than to "do"
Firo. For me it's not something that one does - it involves really
being who you are - and that's an awsomely powerful place from which
to operate!" -
Hilary Cooke - Merlin Business Consultancy Limited
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