Facilitation Matters is the must-attend event for coaches, trainers and facilitators throughout Australasia. Every year we change the focus--and the format, so you get to experience new ideas and fresh ways of doing things.
At the heart of all great facilitation is the acknowledgement that The Wisdom is in the Room. So, this year we are practicing what we preach and turning the festival on its head.
Instead of pre-determined workshops and facilitators that are selected by me—you get to design the festival on the day.
It’s a mixture of Experiential Labs, Coaching Clinics and Open Space Discussions. You get to decide what topics interest you and in what ways you want to learn.
We’ve done a little of each of these things at previous festivals, and people told us they wanted even more. So, we’re going all in.
Connection
Build real connections with others doing good work in the world. Find new friends and foster existing relationships.
Activities
After the existing sentence add: Gather powerful activities you can immediately use in your own context.
Coaching Clinics
Get targeted support, fresh perspectives and practical guidance to sharpen your facilitation skills.
Open Space Discussions
Join dynamic, participant-led discussions shaped by the topics that matter most in the room.
Your Agenda
Pitch the topics you want to explore and help shape the multi-layered agenda of Day 2. Focus on what matters to you.
Day 1 is all about connection.
It’s designed to help people get comfortable asking questions and sharing ideas, while at the same time getting to know who else is in the room.
You’ll get a chance to explore and experiment with dozens of activities that build connection and spark conversation in a group setting.
And just so we’re clear: We’re not talking about cringey, uncomfortable icebreakers that make you squirm. We’re talking about carefully crafted activities that shift thinking, spark insights and build relationship.
So, you’ll not only be connecting, you’ll be gathering a toolbox of activities you can use in your own context. Hands-on learning. Heart-felt connections.
Day 2 is all about what matters to you.
Before the end of Day 1, you’ll get to pitch the topics you want to talk about. We’ll use those pitches to design a multi-layered agenda for Day 2—so you can take part in several conversations throughout the day.
You might have something you want to share, or you might have something you want to learn. Both types of pitches are equally welcome.
The festival will be full of the usual magic that you can’t explain or put your finger on, and while this year’s festival has a slightly different format, the experience is being crafted with just as much care. Plus, there will be a few surprises along the way.
I promise you will leave with new ideas, worthwhile connections, and fresh enthusiasm for your role. Guaranteed.
This festival is for coaches, trainers and facilitators who want to:
Stay up to play with current best practice, while gathering new ideas and fresh perspectives.
Explore topics that don’t usually make a conference agenda. This is your chance to meet with peers and talk about the issues that are pressing for you.
Expand your networks and get a real sense of what other people are doing in different spaces.
Get support from experienced practitioners who are willing to share ideas and offer advice.
Space is limited to 100 participants and every year we sell out.
Register now to secure your space.
When: Thursday 6th August – Friday 7th August 2026
Where: Arena Suites, Mecury Baypark, Truman Lane, Tauranga
Cost:
$595+GST (Members of The Facilitators Network)
$695+GST (Non-Members)
What PeopleSay
If you do any work with groups of any size, in any industry—whether you call yourself a facilitator or not—this festival will give you connections, lessons, ideas and tools to do your work even better. Come!!
Jacinta Cubis
Independent Facilitator
I feel like I’m just drifting back down off Cloud 9 after such a wonderful couple of days connecting with people I knew and making new facilitator friends. What a treat!! Absolutely loved it. Thank you so very much for creating ALL of this.
Michelle Morpeth
Outdoorsy
Such an important opportunity to be affirmed, learn, connect, grow and have so much fun. So masterfully developed, curated and executed. Designed to lift everyone up so powerfully and authentically.
Carla Moore
RESET for Working Parents
