fa·cil·i·tate transitive verb: to free from difficulties or obstacles; make easier, aid, assist.

Meetings are essential to the work of running an organization or living in community. Most people know how uncomfortable — even annoying—unsuccessful meetings can be. Unsuccessful meetings make groups less productive, and can create divisions in communities and organizations. With the aid of research about how group's work, the University of Minnesota Extension Service is ready to make your meetings easier and to clear away the obstacles to success.

Is U-Facilitate for you?

If you want more productive, more effective meetings, and happier group members, we can help. U-Facilitate programs help individuals and groups manage group interaction, make wise decisions and manage group conflict effectively. Our U-Facilitate program offers training, professional facilitation services and written materials – all based on solid research about how groups work.

Take this self-assessment! (PDF) This assessment can help you consider whether your group’s meetings are as effective as they could be.

How Extension can Help

The University of Minnesota Extension Service can help your group in two ways: