Mastering Technology of Participation

Mastering ToP is an intensive skill-building experience from the Institute of Cultural Affairs Technology of Participation (ToP). The year-long program helps you hone facilitation dexterity and leadership capabilities during quarterly intensives, field work, and mentoring.

Deepen your knowledge and have fun while learning new tools, processes and applications for engagement and facilitation methods. Your cohort of peers will become a network of support for years to come! Popularly known as MToP, the program includes:

I. Learning Intensives: Each quarter, MToP cohorts meet in-person for three days of intensive work:

• Intensive 1: Facilitating Depth Reflection - Learn to create participatory environments and dive into the science behind focused conversation, wave methodology, and image shift methods.
• Intensive 2: Facilitating Consensus Building - Build your skills in creating a multi-sensory impact.
• Intensive 3: Orchestrating Group Action - Co-facilitate Action Planning sessions with real clients and deepen knowledge of Strategic Planning.
• Intensive 4: Designing for Transformative Change - Learn to design exceptional events, produce effective results, and explore integrating other methods.

II. Field Experience: Practice and learning in between intensives

• Apply methods between sessions.
• Develop a personal inquiry project.
• Study materials: MToP Handbook, The Art of Focused Conversation and The Workshop Book.
• Those interested in certification can be part of a special cohort group.

III. Mentoring: Group mentor meetings with colleagues

• Exchange experiences designing a diverse array of events.
• Participate in joint facilitation and observation.
• Share feedback to foster growth and insight from mentor facilitators.

If you love the ToP Facilitation Methods and other ToP methodologies, MToP promises to deepen and increase your capacity to use these methods bringing you new tools, processes and capabilities with groups.

For those interested in becoming certified as a ToP facilitator, MToP will help you prepare for it. 

Click here to watch a short video about the MToP Program.

• Organizational leaders
• Organization development consultants
• Consultants and facilitators who want to prepare to become Certified ToP® Facilitators or Licensed Trainers of ToP® methods
• Facilitators who want to master their knowledge of ToP® facilitation methods

ToP Facilitation Methods (TFM)
ToP Strategic Planning (TSP)

"MToP was a wonderful opportunity to be among my peers in practicing and improving my skills as a facilitator. I am reminded that being a ToP facilitator is a process of constant growth and self awareness that I will use the rest of my life. By understanding the theory behind the methods I am better equipped for my journey toward certification and creating change in my communities."

- Savannah Gene, Diné

“The ToP Mastery Course was one of the best investments I made in myself. It was an intense, immersive, and supportive personal journey of co-learning, co-discovery, and co-creation. The intensives were fun and exciting, yet challenging. My journey took me through a range of emotions that were at times emotionally and physically exhausting, but in a way that led to a deeper understanding of the methods, taught me about my personal strengths and challenges in relation to the methods, and showed me how to give the best of myself as a facilitator. ToP mastery is as much about mastering yourself as it is about mastering ToP methods. I strongly recommend this course for anyone brave enough to open their hearts and minds and embark on this life changing journey.”  

Jessica Wildermuth
2019 Cohort