Back-end Support is Essential
For Zoom sessions, members of the organising team were on standby to offer technical support to participants, contact participants who did not turn up for the sessions, and allocate participants into breakout groups for discussion.
In physical sessions, small group discussions could usually be managed by just one facilitator. On a virtual platform, having an assistant facilitator to help manage the conversations and type out instructions into the chat – even for small breakout discussion groups of six to eight people – improved the session flow.
Working with Facilitators
Besides familiarising participants with the technology for virtual engagements, the organising team had to work closely with the facilitators who were guiding discussions in the Zoom breakout rooms.
For example, the organisers had to ensure that facilitators were clear about the session objectives and sensitised to participants’ needs and challenges.
To help participants forge connections with one another in a virtual setting, the organising team allocated participants into fixed groups. The team designed more breakout discussions in its engagement to facilitate in-depth discussion in a more private setting.
The organising team also established a feedback loop with facilitators to respond quickly to any issues that arose before, during and after each session.
Over time, the facilitators who supported these groups in their discussions and project work also became trusted parties who served as conduits between the organising team and participants.