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BIPOC Training for Social Action Trainers (TSAT)
An intensive training for Black, Indigenous, and other people of color who use training and group facilitation for social justice movement building and want to take their training skills to the next level. This workshop covers fundamentals of experiential education and dynamic facilitation, designed for all experience levels – from brand new activists seeking skills to seasoned organizers and trainers honing their craft.
No dates, or dates don't work for you? Is there a wait list?
To register your interest in future TSAT and/or BIPOC TSAT workshops, use our TSAT Interest Form, as an alternative to a full application.
Training and facilitation skills are a key element to successful organizing and movement building. These skills develop new leaders, transfer skills and knowledge between generations, create more participation within groups, resolving conflict and provide the discipline needed for successful actions. Yet, few people who play the role of educator, trainer, or facilitator in their work are offered an opportunity to learn a framework for training that supports their experience or a chance to hone their skills among other trainers. Leadership by Black, Indigenous, and other people of color is vital to critical movements of our time. This workshop is designed to support participants to develop a stronger sense of confidence, options, tools, and approaches that will work for them to be effective in their leadership roles.
Note: This workshop covers the same content as our Training for Social Action Trainers (TSAT) with some adaptations meant to help participants get the most out of a BIPOC space.
WORKSHOP FEE
This workshop is sliding scale, $100-$1,000. The true cost is $1,000 per participant. Our sliding scale honors different abilities to pay while helping us compensate trainers, staff, and accessibility providers fairly. We ask organizations and individuals with large budgets to pay at the higher rates to support the sustainability of this program and help us accept more folks who pledge lower amounts. We acknowledge the different costs and considerations around your attendance, including childcare/caregiving, time away from paid work, and more, and we offer lower fee options for participants who are not able to pay at a higher rate.
We have limited cash stipends available for parents and caregivers arranging care back home, to make the workshop more accessible. Stipends are offered on an as-needed basis. There will not be on-site childcare available at this workshop.
As a participant, you will ...
- Gain greater awareness about yourself and your strengths as a facilitator;
- Get a chance to take risks, experiment and refine skills in a safe and supportive environment;
- Get the stimulation of fresh approaches and increased options;
- Receive personal guidance from experienced trainers in a small group setting ;
- Learn new tools that are easily adapted, principles of workshop design, skills for working with diversity and a better understanding of how to use experiential education methods effectively.
Workshop Goals
- Enhance workshop facilitation and design skills
- Increase the training tools you can use effectively
- Gain greater awareness of yourself as facilitator
- Meet and receive support from other trainers and learn about new developments in the field
Who should attend this workshop?
We prioritize applications from folks from organizations and groups active in social justice movements and building power in their communities.
We accept applications from diverse movement roles – volunteer activists, rank and file leaders, staff organizers, cultural workers, spiritual leaders, artists – and invite applications from both new facilitators and experienced trainers.
If you’re not sure if this workshop is right for you, feel free to be in touch before you submit an application.
Workshop Format
Lodging is provided at the training venue.
Exact times subject to change. The workshop hours for each day are as follows:
- Day One 12:00PM – 5:00PM (lunch begins at 12pm, dinner provided)
- Day Two, 9:00AM – 9:00PM (breakfast offered before session, lunch and dinner provided)
- Day Three, 9:00AM – 4:00PM (breakfast offered before session begins, lunch provided)
Though the hours of this workshop are long, we’ve found that our training style helps keep people engaged, alert and energized through the time. We also provide short and extended breaks within our agenda and encourage participants to take care of themselves so that they can stay fully present. Please contact us in advance if you have questions or concerns about the long hours of this workshop.
The workshop is designed as an experiential package with each session building on the previous session. We want to create the best learning environment possible for participants to absorb the combined learning of each session and therefore WE DO NOT ALLOW PARTIAL ATTENDANCE, you must commit to taking the entire workshop. The central components of this workshop help participants build their skills in the areas of creating safety and cohesion so that a group can do its best work together, using experiential activities to elicit the wisdom of the group and guide their learning, working with diversity within groups, and principles of design that support stronger workshops. Throughout the workshop there are multiple opportunities for discussion about specific questions or challenges that you may want to explore. This workshop is a fun but rigorous workshop and as participants stretch themselves to become better trainers, strong emotions can surface. We do our best to support you to take care of yourself in this workshop and get the most learning out of challenging moments.
Application and Acceptance Process
We aim to confirm participants at least a month before the training. We’re mindful that folks coming from out of town need time to book travel, and we’ll follow up as soon as possible about the acceptance process. Please don’t book travel until we confirm registration.
We’re committed to accepting a diverse group for each training and to supporting folks with less access to resources to attend. People of color, working class folks, and folks from less-resourced organizations are encouraged to apply. We also aim to accept people with specific groups, projects, or organizations back home to apply what they learn. If you’d prefer to apply by phone instead of online, there is a phone number included in the application.
Childcare & Caregiver Support
We have limited cash stipends available for parents and caregivers arranging care back home, to make the workshop more accessible. Stipends are offered on an as-needed basis. There will not be on-site childcare available at this workshop.
COVID-19 Safety
Vaccination: For everyone’s safety, COVID-19 vaccination prior to the workshop is required, along with all eligible boosters, to be eligible to attend.
Masks: For everyone’s safety, mask-wearing is required when indoors during the workshop. Trainers will wear masks when not actively facilitating, and will unmask when speaking to the full group. We might offer outdoor meal options, if possible, but currently TBD.
Testing: If you have had known exposure to COVID-19 within 10 days of the training, we ask you show proof of a negative rapid test each day before attending this workshop.
Exposure: If a workshop participant tests positive or experiences symptoms during the workshop, they will not be permitted back into the workshop. We will offer a fee refund and offer reasonable support around travel back home or quarantine. We will disclose this to the group.
Judith C. Jones Fellowship for Trainers of Color
BIPOC Graduates of Training for Social Action Trainers are eligible for our Judith C. Jones Fellowship for Trainers of Color. Learn more about the Fellowship, here.