What is ToP?

Technology of Participation (ToP) includes tools, methods, processes and ideas developed by the Institute of Cultural Affairs, which has had more than 50 years of experience in applying these participatory methods.

ToP methods are used in facilitation, training, education and leadership development. They are based on the assumption that the wisdom needed is always present within a group.  The facilitator, teacher, or leader must be able and willing to hold the space for others to bring forth their own wisdom. After that, discernment and commitment follow naturally.  On a personal level, people discover their voice is more powerful when it is a part of a participatory and reflective learning process. 

One of the gifts of our approach is that methods and tools are not developed for any one place or community. We, as a global learning community, have worked in communities, organizations and companies across the world and our methods have been refined by the fire of constant practice.  Practitioners in “developed” and “developing” nations have expanded upon them with multi-nationals, government organizations, NGOs and their own staff.

For each facilitator the question is, “What can I do to support learning and growth among others and yet remain transparent so that they realize this ongoing creation is about them and not me?”

By Larry Philbrook, a certified ToP facilitator, trainer and assessor

http://top-facilitators.com/empowering-tools/ – this is a site that lists 60 ToP tools created by Bill Staples ICA Associates