Foundations of ToP™ Methods

Learn and apply two classic Technology of Participation™ methods that strengthen facilitation practice.

Why ToP™ Every team, organisation and community holds conversations that matter: the ones that set direction, build trust, or work through a shared problem.

ToP™ exists to make sure those conversations are focused, meaningful and productive, not just well-intentioned.

ToP™ methods are used worldwide across cultures, sectors and contexts. They reliably support high quality thinking, participation and group decision making. They bring clarity, structure and intention to facilitation choices.

What you’ll learn This two day in-person course teaches you robust, well-tested methods to help you confidently move any group from conflict or confusion to consensus and commitment.

You’ll learn to plan and facilitate using two core Technology of Participation™ (ToP™) methods - the Focused Conversation Method and the Consensus Workshop Method — along with the facilitation dynamics that make them effective.

Through hands-on practice, you'll gain: understanding and practical skills to facilitate better meetings greater confidence and new tools for working with a group tools to help you plan your facilitation events

Your Training Team for this event

Kevin Balm, Director, COrE Creators, and Nicholas Williams, Director, Facilitate Aotearoa

Kevin brings 25+ years’ experience as a business and organisation consultant facilitating growth, alignment, and execution processes aimed at stimulating business innovation, organisation productivity, and culture coherence. Kevin’s career spans private and public sector businesses, national, state and local governments, and international development institutions.

Nicholas has worked in learning and development for 25 years, successfully leading nation-wide education leadership development programmes and facilitating strategic planning with numerous public-sector, non-for-profit, and kaupapa Māori organisations. Nicholas is a certified Technology of Participation (ToP™) facilitation trainer and accredited NZ Ministry of Education PLD provider and International Coaching Federation (ICF) coach.

Your trainers are part of ToP™ Australasia. This is a collective of internationally accredited facilitators, coaches and trainers who have been delivering ToP™ courses across Aotearoa NZ, Australia, India, China and the Pacific for more than 25 years.

What Participants have said

"Provides effective facilitation tools and allows people to practise and develop skills in a supportive environment."

“This training has given me techniques and tools for facilitating in a way that engages people individually, and collectively, to draw on their wisdom and insight for making a positive difference in their communities.”