Guidelines for Transition Teams - The United Church of Canada

Role of Facilitators
• Arrange a comfortable setting with chairs in a circle or horseshoe, so that participants can see
each other. Have everything ready: flip chart paper, tape, markers, etc.
• Welcome participants, introduce self and recorder, and put people at ease.
• Be clear about the purpose: to collect information, not discuss issues.
• Make people aware of time limitations, and ask for their co-operation (monitor time per person,
especially if the group is large).
• Ask one question at a time, and summarize responses to help the recorder.
• Remind participants about the ground rules whenever necessary.
• Make sure everyone who wishes to answer gets a turn.
• At the end, thank people for their participation and trust, and say again how the information will
be used.
Role of Recorders
• Make sure each flip chart page is identified by number or question for ease of compilation later.
• Record participants’ responses (not their names) on flip chart so that everyone can view them as
they are written.
• Record in phrases and sentences, as close to the actual spoken words as possible.
• Check accuracy by asking each person if what is written reflects what he or she meant.
Data Compilation, Editing, and Publishing
One or two people will have the task of receiving every group’s recorded responses and compiling
them into one document. The Transition Team will then need time to read the document and analyze
the data for dominant themes. Finally, the findings will be incorporated into a final report, which
must be drafted, edited, and printed for distribution to the congregation.
Further Tips for the Transition Team
• Before starting these cluster groups in the congregation, form a group with the facilitators
and recorders as participants. This acts as a training experience and allows them to give their
personal input outside of the group where they will give leadership. It also lets them know what
participants will be experiencing. Set aside 2½ hours, and use the extra half hour to review and
clarify all the steps.
• Someone from the Transition Team should always be available as support for facilitators and
recorders when groups are in session. Facilitators and recorders may need support for debriefing
or someone to call in case of an unexpected incident in the group.
• Ensure that recorders practice writing responses that will be clear when someone else reads them,
and that they know where to deliver the numbered pages of responses when the group is over.
• Arrange for someone to compile the responses by transcribing them just as they appeared on the
flip charts.
• Use the compiled information to pick out common themes. Don’t get lost in counting pros
and cons; pick out subject themes by noting which subjects were most mentioned, and whether
positively or negatively.
52 Guidelines for Transition Teams