About the International Association of Facilitators

Join the IAF Group Facilitation Forum

The Group Facilitation Forum is a discussion group where those involved in facilitation can share ideas, ask questions, and get advice on group facilitation, and other related topics. As a group facilitator, you’ll want to join the Forum so you can…

Network and Grow.
Interact with other facilitators world-wide – both IAF members and non-members alike – to grow in your professional knowledge.

Participate in Member Issues and Ideas.
If you’ve already joined the IAF, you’ll be able to interact with other IAF members and leadership about IAF association topics of interest and suggest improvements to “your IAF.”

Learn about and Share Upcoming Events.
Find out what’s happening in the facilitation community by checking the Event Calendar. As an IAF member, you will be able to post events and view events that have been posted by others that will benefit the facilitation community at large.

Find Job Opportunities.
As an IAF member you can post and view for pay and pro bono facilitation opportunities in the “Find a Job Opportunity” forum.

Join in the discussion on the Group Facilitation Forum

Become a member of the IAF

click here for details

Important Links

IAF, International Association of Facilitators

The International Association of Facilitators (IAF) is dedicated to growing facilitators and encouraging the use of group process methodologies world-wide. Globally, IAF has roughly 1,200 members.

Participants are sharing a lighter moment in a session at the Caribbean Facilitators Network ‘Professional Development Day’ in Barbados. IAF is encouraging the creation of local facilitator networks for professional networking and development

Our members work in government, nonprofit, educational, community, and corporate environments. They serve as consultants, teachers, in-house facilitators, negotiators, organizational specialists, coaches, and more.

Members have at least one thing in common. They value and use methods of facilitation in their work. Another commonality is the willingness to share ideas, methods and advice.

The International Association of Facilitators was formed by a group of professionals desiring an avenue for interchange, professional development, trend analysis and peer networking. A formal association was proposed and adopted at a networking conference in Alexandria, Virginia, in January, 1994.

As a participatory organization, the work of the IAF is reliant on volunteer leadership and the contributions of its members. The IAF encourages and supports the formation of local groups of facilitators to network and provide professional development opportunities for their members. Local groups from around the world are invited to become an IAF Chapter to help promote the profession of facilitation as a critical set of skills in the global society of the 21st century.

Barbados conference 03

Participants talk about cross-cultural issues at the IAF Barbados Conference 2009.

Canari session

Participants learn about Action Learning at the IAF Barbados Conference 2009.

Vision - IAF intends:

To be a leading influence in the art and mastery of facilitation
To be a worldwide connection between diverse members and partners
To provide ongoing global exchange of facilitation expertise
To be the premier provider of resources in support of the professional facilitator
To be a strong, evolving organization focused on inclusive and participatory practices
To provide relevant information grounded in applied research to meet customer needs and respond to social trends

Learn more about the IAF

Become an IAF Certified Professional Facilitator

The International Association of Facilitators (IAF) has met the need for standards in facilitator certification. In 1990, an international team of IAF members indentified the core competencies required to facilitate group interaction. This team's efforts resulted in the IAF competency model and the assessment process.

The assessment process is based on rigorous peer review of knowledge, experience and demonstration of skills. The IAF Certified Professional Facilitator designation indicates attainment of these core competencies.

The professional facilitator designation offers clients an assurance that those who are certified are qualified to design and provide basic group facilitation services. For more information visit the IAF website for
registration details

Upcoming certification events

IAF continues to work toward establishing the capability to hold more certification events outside North America and in languages other than English. IAF is presently linking hands with facilitators and regional representatives all over the globe, forming the foundation for the worldwide certification program that is the goal.
click here

Marcos Cajina Heinzkill is a Spanish speaking IAF Certified Assessor. Sharon Almerigi and Gillian Chambers are Caribbean IAF Certified Assessors