International Association of Facilitators
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| International Association of Facilitators | |
|---|---|
| Name | International Association of Facilitators |
| Abbreviation | IAF |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Headquarters | Denver, Colorado |
| Region served | International |
| Membership | Practitioners, trainers, educators |
International Association of Facilitators The International Association of Facilitators is a global membership organization for practitioners of facilitation, established to advance professional standards and practice worldwide. It engages with a network of practitioners across continents through certification, conferences, publications, and partnerships with allied institutions. The association intersects with numerous professional bodies, academic institutions, and civic organizations to promote facilitation methodologies and peer learning.
History
The association emerged in the 1990s amid networks linked to United Nations Development Programme, World Bank, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, European Commission, Inter-American Development Bank, and African Union initiatives, drawing practitioners who had worked on projects with Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, Gro Harlem Brundtland, and Javier Pérez de Cuéllar-era multilateral programs. Early chapters formed in cities connected to London, New York City, Sydney, Toronto, Cape Town, Tokyo, Berlin, Paris, and Mexico City, where facilitation was applied in collaborations with Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Oxford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of California, Berkeley research groups. Influences included thinkers and practitioners associated with Peter Senge, John Kotter, Margaret Wheatley, Chris Argyris, Donald Schön, Edgar Schein, and W. Edwards Deming, who had contributed to dialogues at events like the World Economic Forum and Davos Conference. The association’s development paralleled professionalization trends seen in organizations such as Project Management Institute, International Coaching Federation, American Society for Training and Development, and Institute of Management Consultants. Over time chapters collaborated with municipal authorities in Barcelona, Amsterdam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, and Vancouver to apply participatory methods in public consultations related to initiatives influenced by treaties like the Rio Declaration and accords such as the Kyoto Protocol.
Mission and Objectives
The association’s stated mission aligns with objectives promoted by entities such as United Nations, World Health Organization, UNICEF, International Labour Organization, and United Nations Development Programme, emphasizing standards comparable to those advanced by International Organization for Standardization and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in other fields. Its objectives include promoting competencies referenced by frameworks used at Harvard Kennedy School, London School of Economics, INSEAD, Wharton School, and Said Business School, supporting practitioners who facilitate processes in settings linked to European Union, ASEAN, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, and Organization of American States projects. The association advocates ethical practice resonant with codes from American Psychological Association, Royal Society, Transparency International, and International Committee of the Red Cross.
Membership and Structure
Membership models mirror structures seen in Rotary International, Lions Clubs International, Toastmasters International, and IEEE, with regional chapters and global networks in continents represented by offices near Geneva, Brussels, Washington, D.C., Beijing, and Nairobi. Governance draws on models familiar from Non-Governmental Organizations that partner with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and World Bank country programs, with elected boards and committees similar to those at Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Members include practitioners who have previously worked with institutions such as McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Accenture, Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, EY, UNICEF, Save the Children, Oxfam, Red Cross, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Rockefeller Foundation. Local chapters collaborate with universities like Yale University, Columbia University, University of Toronto, Monash University, and Peking University.
Certification and Professional Development
Certification schemes echo credentialing approaches from Project Management Institute's PMP, International Coaching Federation credentials, and Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development qualifications. Training pathways are delivered through partnerships with executive education providers including Harvard Business School Executive Education, INSEAD Executive Education, IMD, Kellogg School of Management, and specialized providers associated with names like Christopher Moore and Sam Kaner, who influenced participatory methods discussed at TED Conferences and in publications linked to Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review. The association offers competency frameworks aligned with continuing professional development expectations used by Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and Royal College of Physicians-style CPD programs.
Conferences and Events
Annual and regional conferences take place in venues frequented by organizations such as United Nations Headquarters, European Parliament, World Bank Group campuses, and conference centers in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Barcelona, Munich, Seoul, and São Paulo. Events attract speakers and delegates connected to World Economic Forum, Skoll World Forum, Aspen Institute, Clinton Global Initiative, Bilderberg Group-adjacent dialogues, and academic partners like Oxford Said, Cambridge Judge Business School, London Business School, and Columbia Business School. Conference topics often intersect with initiatives led by Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, Jeff Bezos philanthropy forums, and civic innovation projects associated with Mozilla Foundation, Knight Foundation, and Nesta.
Publications and Resources
The association publishes guides, toolkits, and journals with citation practices similar to those at Elsevier, Springer Nature, Taylor & Francis, and Wiley-Blackwell. Resources are used by practitioners working with case studies from organizations like UNICEF, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, OECD, Mercy Corps, CARE International, Habitat for Humanity, and research from RAND Corporation, Brookings Institution, Chatham House, and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The association disseminates content through platforms comparable to JSTOR, SSRN, ResearchGate, and learning portals resembling Coursera, edX, and Udemy.
Partnerships and Advocacy
Partnerships include collaborations with multilateral and civil society institutions such as United Nations Development Programme, World Health Organization, European Commission, African Union Commission, ASEAN Secretariat, Organization of American States, International Rescue Committee, and philanthropic partners like Ford Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Open Society Foundations, and MacArthur Foundation. Advocacy initiatives have intersected with campaigns and coalitions similar to those led by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Transparency International, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and municipal reforms in cities such as Seoul, Copenhagen, Reykjavík, Bogotá, and Istanbul.