BREAKOUT GROUP FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
Materials needed:
· Smartphone with stopwatch/timer
· Newsprint/flipchart/paper for taking notes and markers
· Copies of the handouts for the Facilitator of each small group
· Copies of the Regional Working Document (one per person)
· Pencils/pens (one per person)
· 3 large envelopes/folders (one for each Moment) to collect notes from small groups
Moment 2. Getting Involved
Part 1. Breakout Discussion [90 minutes]
1. Welcome delegates and provide instructions. [15 minutes]
· Invite delegates to introduce themselves to the people sitting next to them.
· Explain that this is an opportunity for delegates to listen to each other about what they have heard and experienced during the V Encuentro process. Please do not interrupt when someone is speaking. Our goal is to review and deepen our understanding of the needs and possibilities to better serve Hispanic Catholics in the region, particularly Hispanic youth and young adults.
· Explain that for the next 45 minutes or so they will be working in small groups to identify successful ministerial practices, as well as ministerial challenges and opportunities.
· Invite delegates to form groups of 6-8 people, if not already sitting in groups. Ask for one volunteer per group who would be willing to take notes and report.
2. Work in small groups, following the instructions and timing in Handout 1. [45 minutes]
3. In the large group, each small group reports the successful practice they focused on, as well as the greatest opportunity and the greatest challenge. Listen to as many people as possible. As far as possible, give priority to young people. [15 minutes]
4. Finalize the challenges and opportunities that will be shared during the plenary. [15 minutes]
· You will need two people to record the small group responses: one for the opportunities and another for the challenges. Recorders should mark repeats with a check mark (ü) each additional time it is mentioned.
· If some of the challenges and opportunities mentioned by the small group presenters repeat, choose the 3 challenges and 3 opportunities most often repeated.
· If there is no clear top 3, then take the top 5 or 6 and do a simple vote by show of hands. Each person can only vote for one challenge and one opportunity. Report the 3 challenges and 3 opportunities with the most votes.
5. The breakout session facilitator should collect the small group notes and Handouts from the note takers and submit them to the Regional Team at the end of the event.
Part 2. Plenary [45 minutes]
· The designated presenter from each breakout session will report their top 3 challenges and 3 opportunities identified.
HANDOUT 1
Moment 2. Getting Involved
1. Identify a note taker and a timekeeper. As a small group, list 3 or 4 successful pastoral practices in the middle box for the assigned Ministerial Area of the breakout session. Part III of the Regional Working Document describes some possibilities, but delegates are encouraged to brainstorm additional ideas. Choose one pastoral practice to focus on and circle it. [15 minutes]
2. Identify 5 forces that support the pastoral practice that the group has chosen (Opportunities) and 5 forces that work against it (Challenges). [20 minutes]
3. Rate the forces in each column from 1 (weakest) to 5 (strongest). [10 minutes]
Moment 3. Accompanying Everyone
Part 1. Breakout Discussion [60 minutes]
1. Welcome delegates back and provide instructions. [10 minutes]
· Explain that for the next 30 minutes they will be working in small groups to prioritize the regional strategies for the assigned Ministerial Area of this breakout session.
· Direct the delegates to Part IV of the Regional Working Document. Note that each strategy has been assigned a letter or number.
· In the interest of time, only refer to the letter/number when reporting back. Do not read the full statement. This will make more sense once you are in the small groups.
· Invite delegates to form groups of 6-8 people, encouraging them to find a new group.
· Ask for one volunteer per group who would be willing to take notes and report.
2. Work in small groups, following the instructions and timing in Handout 2. [35 minutes]
3. Finalize the 3 strategies that will be shared during the plenary. Listen to as many people as possible. As far as possible, give priority to young people. [15 minutes]
· Each small group will report their top 2 strategies to the large group.
· You will need two people to record the small group responses. Recorders should mark repeats with a check mark (ü) each additional time a strategy is mentioned.
· If some of the strategies mentioned by the small group presenters repeat, go with the 3 strategies most often repeated.
· If there is no clear top 3, select the top 5 or 6 and do a simple vote by show of hands. Each person can only vote for one strategy. Report the 3 strategies with the most votes.
4. The breakout session facilitator should collect the notes and Handouts from the note takers and submit them to the Regional Team at the end of the event.
Part 2. Plenary [45 minutes]
· The designated presenter from each breakout session will report the top 3 regional strategies identified.
HANDOUT 2
Moment 3. Accompanying Everyone
1. Identify a note taker and a timekeeper. Choose someone to read aloud each of the strategies listed for the assigned Ministerial Area in the Regional Working Document (Part IV). [10 minutes]
2. Each delegate in the small group selects half of the strategies (i.e. the top 10 out of 20; the top 5 out of 10, etc.) that he/she considers are the most important by placing a check mark (ü) next to the corresponding number or letter. [10 minutes]
3. Each delegate reports his/her top strategies to the note taker. Add up the totals and identify the 2 most important strategies for the small group. If there is time, discuss why these two strategies are important for Hispanic Ministry in the region. Make sure someone in the group takes notes. [15 minutes]
Ministerial Area:REGIONAL STRATEGY / Delegate
1 / Delegate
2 / Delegate
3 / Delegate
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5 / Delegate 6 / Delegate
7 / Delegate 8 / TOTAL
IN FAVOR
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Moment 4. Bearing Fruit
Part 1. Breakout Discussion [75 minutes]
1. Welcome delegates back and provide instructions. [15 minutes]
· Explain that for the next 40 minutes they will be working in small groups to brainstorm actions necessary to promote the evangelizing mission of the Church at the national level within the domain of the assigned Ministerial Area. These lines of action will form part of the final report to be submitted to the National Encuentro Team. See Handout 3.
· Invite delegates to form groups of 6-8 people, encouraging them to find a new group.
· Ask for one volunteer per group who would be willing to take notes and report.
· Once the small groups complete their lists, instruct them to place a star (ê) next to the top recommended action.
2. Work in small groups. Call everyone back when time is up. [40 minutes]
3. Finalize the recommendations that will be shared during the plenary. Listen to as many people as possible. As far as possible, give priority to young people. [20 minutes]
· Each small group will report one national recommendation.
· You will need two people to record the small group responses. Recorders should mark repeats with a check mark (ü) each additional time it is mentioned.
· If some of the recommendations mentioned by the small group presenters repeat, go with the two most often repeated.
· If there is no clear top recommendation, do a simple vote by show of hands. Each person can only vote for one recommendation. The two recommendations with the most votes will be reported during the plenary.
4. The breakout facilitator should collect the notes from the note taker and submit the notes and Handouts to the Regional Team at the end of the event.
Part 2. Plenary [45 minutes]
· Each small group presenter will share two national recommendations during the plenary.
HANDOUT 3
Moment 4. Bearing Fruit
1. Identify a note taker and a timekeeper. (5 minutes)
2. Brainstorm recommendations at the national level to promote the evangelizing mission of the Church within the assigned Ministerial Area. Go around to each person and share ONE idea. Continue going around until everyone has run out of ideas or time is up. The note taker writes down all ideas. There should be no interruptions or criticism. (25 minutes)
3. In the small group, choose one recommendation to report to the large group. (10 minutes)
Recommendations at the National Level
Place a star (ê) next to the top recommended actions necessary at the national level.
Region ## Breakout Group Facilitator Instructions, p. 3