"Facilitator is a profession rapidly taking its unique place alongside those of consulting and training."
IAFNA Fast Talk "Facilitation vs Facilitator"
Gary Rush, IAF CPF | Master explains how facilitation has moved from being a specialist skill to a competency of every profession.
The International Association of Facilitators (IAF) was formed by a group of professionals desiring an avenue for interchange, professional development, trend analysis and peer networking. A formal association was proposed and adopted in Alexandria, Virginia, in January 1994. Since then, the IAF has grown to include members from 6 continents.
The IAF encourages and supports the formation of local groups of Facilitators to network and provide professional development opportunities for their members. Regional groups from around the world are invited to become Chapters of the IAF to help promote the profession of facilitation as a critical set of skills in the global society of the 21st century. For more information, see www.iaf-world.org
The Mission of the IAF is to promote, support and advance the art and practice of professional facilitation through methods exchange, professional growth, practical research, collegial networking and support services. This is accomplished through peer-to-peer networking, professional development and annual conferences, which are a critical means for fulfilling the Mission and reflecting our core Values.
The Values of the IAF are:
- Inclusiveness - Including the full spectrum of personal, professional and cultural diversity in our membership and in the field of facilitation.
- Global Scope - Connecting and serving Facilitators locally, nationally and internationally.
- Participation - Advocating participative methodologies that generate ownership of decisions and actions.
- Celebration - Celebrating life through spirit filled quality interchange, activities and events.
- Innovative Form - Modeling a participative and flexible organizational structure that promotes growth change and learning.
- Social Responsibility - Supporting socially responsible change within private, public and voluntary organizations.
"The IAF is the only internationally recognized, non-profit, industry association for Facilitators and the CPF is the only internationally recognized, non-commercial, professional credential for Facilitators. You can only receive the CPF designation from the IAF. The IAF has certified CPFs in over 42 countries." read Certificate vs. Certification by Gary Rush, IAF CPF | M
"IAF Endorsed™ Training Programmes"
Our Gary Rush Facilitation course, the FoCuSeD™ Facilitator Academy, is now endorsed by the IAF as an IAF Endorsed™ Comprehensive Programme. It's ideal for those who want to develop facilitation skills, those Facilitators who want to strengthen their skills and knowledge, and those who wish to pursue an IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator (CPF) designation.
"Specially, the *IAF Endorsed™ Training Programme provides:
- A single source of information for endorsed process facilitation training;
- Confidence in which facilitation training programs are aligned with the IAF Core Copetencies;
- Recognized pathways for facilitators to learn both the knowledge and skills they need to demonstrate for the IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator assessment process;
- An improved ability to make informed choices about facilitation training programs that meet an individual's needs."
*IAF Endorsed™ Training Programmes | IAF World
IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator (CPF) | Overview
IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator (CPF) | The Process