Large groups (above ± 20) can sometimes be served best with dedicated facilitation techniques, also known as Large Group Interventions. These techniques have a simple, and at the same time pretty rigid structure, in order to offer participants a predictable and safe environment to work in.

Open Space

In an Open Space meeting it is the group that sets the agenda, and the group members themselves facilitate workshops on those themes that really interest them. The minutes of those workshops are also produced by the workshop participants, and form a sound input for future organizational development. Both participants and sponsors are invariably surprised by the enormous amount of energy that is freed up in an Open Space programme.

Worldcafe

In a Worldcafe the Group is invited to round tables, about 6 participants per table. In several rounds of conversation, questions are answerred in small groups that keep remixing. Here not only is the theme defined beforehand, but also per round the questions can be prepared on the theme beforehand. A Worldcafe is a perfect method to bring large groups of people together to speak with each other, to be heard, to exchange ideas, in short: to listen and to be heard.
This set up is expecially apt to make everyone’s opinion count, and to prevent the dominance of any single individual.