Facilitating for Transformation: Decolonial Approaches in Practice
Brussels, Belgium – As we finalise our reflections on last year’s highlights, one training that still resonates with us is our transformative session on facilitation through a decolonial lens. Led by the incredible Rachel Nelems, a globally respected political campaigner and decolonial activist, this session wasn’t just about learning how to facilitate effectively—it was about unlearning, questioning power structures, and ensuring that our spaces truly reflect the values we stand for.
The session on December 2nd, 2024, challenged us to rethink what it means to guide discussions, hold space, and create truly inclusive conversations. Rachel reminded us that facilitation isn’t just about structure—it’s about responsibility. It’s about recognizing historical and systemic imbalances and actively working to dismantle them in the ways we engage, listen, and lead.
Key Takeaways from the Training
Ground Yourself in a Decolonial Approach
Facilitation is never neutral. Rachel emphasized the importance of situating ourselves within histories of power and oppression, acknowledging stolen wealth and land, and actively countering dominant narratives. This means land acknowledgments, explicit purpose-setting, and ensuring that the space reflects the voices and experiences of those most impacted by the topics at hand.
Facilitation as a Political Act
Rachel challenged us to consider who holds knowledge and power in conversations. Who is speaking the most? Who feels empowered to contribute? How do we intervene when dominant voices take over? Facilitation is about redistributing power within the space, and that means being intentional about who gets the floor. If three white men have spoken in a row, pause and intentionally diversify the conversation.
Awareness, Intentionality, and Adaptability
Facilitating effectively requires active awareness of group dynamics, from setting norms that encourage inclusive participation to recognizing when and how to shift roles. Rachel emphasized that facilitation is not just about managing discussions—it’s about shaping the very conditions that allow for meaningful exchange. This includes adapting to different personalities, navigating digital challenges, and making space for reflection and engagement.
Managing energy and attention switches is also essential for effective facilitation and fruitful conversations. Adapting, improvising and remaining open to receiving feedback are other key elements mentioned for the attainment of efficient, fair and authentically inclusive facilitation.
What’s Next? A Handy Facilitation Checklist for Radical Inclusivity
This training was just the beginning! We’re thrilled to announce that a Facilitation Checklist for Radical Inclusivity is on the way—drawing from Rachel’s insights and YTN’s decolonial approach. This resource will provide concrete strategies, practical exercises, and tools to help facilitators create inclusive, transformative spaces.
A huge thank you to Rachel Nelems for such an eye-opening and thought-provoking session. We’re still reflecting, still growing, and most importantly, still taking action!
Stay tuned for the upcoming toolkit—we can’t wait to share it with you.