What We Offer

Discover how facilitation differs from training and how it helps groups work toward shared outcomes.

The power of facilitation

Training and Facilitation

Training and facilitation both support learning and progress, but they work in different ways. Here is how they compare.

A comparison of training and facilitation across ten aspects
Aspect	Training	Facilitation
People involved	Teacher, Professor, Lecturer, Trainer	Facilitator
Roles	As defined by The Association of Talent Development, “Expert on stage”	As defined by The Association of Talent Development, “Guide on the side”
Experience	Only someone with in-depth knowledge, experience and expertise in the subject can train	Anyone who knows group processes can facilitate anything – meetings, outcomes, conflict resolution, etc.
Level of expertise	Vertical – subject matter expert on one subject, e.g. Math teacher, Psychology professor, Sales Skills trainer	Both horizontal and possibly vertical
Emphasis	On learning and application	On collaboration and communication
Mode of instruction	Tells unidirectionally	Creates a playing field for multi-directional communication and interactions
Aids required	PowerPoints, structures, models, process documents, graphics, videos, audios, etc.	Either none, or some props depending on the processes being employed; flipcharts and markers
Interaction dynamics	Gives linear instructions born of own learning and experience; shares their expertise	Asks questions, moderates discussions, makes the participants think about how to get to the agreed upon outcomes and encourages participation and accountability; does not bring in own view-points, opinions and knowledge; observes group dynamics, processes, actions and results
Outcome achievement	Skill building through repeated action/practice; behavior building through repeated feedback	Group processes, wisdom and dynamics at play
Decision making	Lies with the trainer/teacher	Lies with the group

On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to compare all columns.

Professional development

Growth Path

So, you are exploring facilitation as a career and life choice. While there are many ways to the top of any mountain, a clear path helps. At IAF, we have a clear, internationally recognized path of growth as a facilitator. Each of these milestones has been detailed further. Please click the milestone below to learn more.

Individual certification

IAF Certified^TM Professional Facilitator

The IAF Certified^TM Professional Facilitator (CPF) is an international designation that indicates the attainment of the IAF’s Core Competencies for facilitation. It assures that those who are certified are qualified to design and deliver effective group facilitation services.

Learn more

Training programme endorsement

IAF Endorsed^TM Facilitator

The IAF endorses training programs that are aligned with its Statement of Values, Code of Ethics, and Core Competencies. IAF Endorsed^TM trainings can be awarded to both “comprehensive” training programs that cover all six IAF Core Competencies, and “focused” programs that cover one or more competencies in depth.