Peer Assist

When it can be used:

• When you are starting a new project or activity
• When you face a problem that another group had in the past
• When you are planning a project that is similar to one that another group planned in the past^[1]

Step by Step

Before the Meeting

• Develop a clear definition of the problem to be addressed, when considered useful some background research on similar issues can be conducted.
• Enlist participants with different skills and interest. The procedure works best in groups of 4-7 persons. Consider including people from outside, but only if it will not disrupt internal sharing. Give the participants you designed some material, so that they can prepare the meeting in advance.
• Organize the space with charies in a circle around the flipchart.
• Identify an external facilitator and note-taker to ensure that the session moves in a positive direction. The Facilitator's Role is important.
• Schedule enough time for the Peer Assist, according to the subject and the outcome expected. Generally a good amount of time would be one and a half day.
• Leave the group the time to socialize and spend time creating the right environment for real sharing.

During the Meeting

• The learning team presents the issue to hand, including a description of context, history and ideas. This description should be done in an open and flexible manner, so that it can enable redefiniton.
• Participants discuss the problem. They have to consider many possible options to find a solution and try to focus on what the learning team should know to address it and where it is possible to find this knowledge. They should try to consider the options that has worked elsewhere.
• Participants present the feedbacks of their discussion to the learning team. This has the possibility to ask specific questions about the options presented.
• Learning team acknowledge the contribution of the participants and commit to deliver a list of the lessons learned, and of what the learning team are going to do differently as a result.

After the Meeting

• Update Participants with the list of lessons learned.
• Consider who else might benefit form the lessons learned. Always look out for opportunity to share and re-use knowledge and learning.

Facilitator's Role

The facilitator keeps track of the discussion on the flipchart and provides an environment conducive to sharing experiences. He plays three main roles which are the follows:

Leadership role

• To focus on providing a direction to the group when the leader fails to fulfill their role
• To stimulate and encourage constructive debate between group members
• To support members of the group, helping them to bring information, and to build new ideas
• To participate when the group is interacting poorly or in the wrong direction, by promoting new discussion
• To promote team building in a cohesive, interactive, and productive way

Referee role

• To regulate and maintain order of the group discussion, discouraging participants from talking at the same time
• To protect members, and ensure that all contributions to the discussion are treated equally
• To deal with problems, and to control people within the group, allowing everyone to participate freely
• To manage the time, and adhere to the meeting timetable ensuring completion of the agenda

Neutral role

• The facilitator is neutral, and pragmatic, because he takes a detached look at the discussion
• He encourages feedback, promoting discussion of each point of the meeting. ^[2]

Job Aids