Become a Facilitator

An authorized Facilitator is an individual who has been trained by Darkness to Light to deliver the Stewards of Children training program to adults in their organization or community. Facilitators are advocates for keeping children safe from sexual abuse and are key to spreading the prevention message.

See the Schedule of Upcoming
Facilitator Workshops

Who Should Become a Facilitator?

Typically, someone becomes trained as a Facilitator for two reasons:

• They work or volunteer for an organization that wants to hold regular Stewards of Children training session, perhaps to train the organization's staff and volunteers, perhaps to offer training to the community.
• They want to start or be involved in a prevention initiative in their community and offer the Stewards of Children training program to a variety of individuals and organizations. 

How Do I Become a Facilitator?

To become an Authorized Facilitator, you must attend a Facilitator Workshop. These train-the-trainer workshops are held regularly in cities across the country. The cost of the workshop is $350 and includes:

• 7.5 hours of instruction, approved for CEU credit by National Association of Social Workers and National Board of Certified Clinicians. (CEU credit for other professions may apply but it is the responsibility of the facilitator to determine requirements and submit any required applications.)
• Instruction on the philosophy and purpose of the Stewards of Children curriculum, mastery of the training curriculum, preparation for and promoting the program, and facilitator policies and procedures.
• All training materials including a Facilitator Manual, a Stewards of Children workbook, DVD, and 7 Steps booklet.
• It is highly recommended that prior to attending a Facilitator Workshop, you first participate in a Stewards of Children training session or complete the online version of the program also available on our website. 

What Skills Are Needed to be a Facilitator?

Facilitators model the core principals of Stewards of Children in the community by talking openly about child sexual abuse and engaging adults in the discussion. It takes courage and commitment to increase people’s knowledge and to change attitudes about child sexual abuse. While teaching or training experience is not required, you must feel comfortable speaking and presenting in front of large audiences. Good presentation, listening, and communication skills are all critically important in being an effective facilitator.

In addition, you should consider how talking about this issue regularly and openly in public will affect you personally. It is difficult to hear personal stories of abuse. You must be prepared to be immersed in the topic without it having a negative or traumatic effect on you. If you are a survivor of sexual abuse this is an especially important consideration.

What Are the Responsibilities of a Facilitator?

• Schedule and facilitate Stewards of Children sessions, training at least 25 adults per quarter.
• Purchase training materials for each person you train. The cost of each training kit is $10. Facilitators are authorized to charge speaking and/or material fees beyond the $10 per person to cover time and expenses.
• Sign a facilitator agreement accepting all facilitator policies and agree to a background check.

Once authorized, Facilitators have access to a Facilitator Only section of our website where you will find useful resources and the opportunity to connect with Facilitators who are making prevention happen in their communities.