Mainstream and Margins

as a facilitation tool

OLENA ANGELOVA
Trainers group “Insha Osvita” (Ukraine)
Getting to know each other
Name

Country

Why are you here? (1-3 sentences)

Mainstream &
Margins approach

Developed by Process
Work and Training for
Change.
 Margins Mainstream Margins
● pushed to the ● qualities, behaviours, values ● feeling not
periphery by the that supported included in
mainstream decision- making
(mostly ● feeling at home
unconsciously) ● doing work that
is underrated
● taking more visible or
● talking together responsible work
on the edge of ● losing confidence
meetings and in the group
● “we all think...”, “everyone
events knows that...”, “this is normal...” ● speaking up but
● leaving part of ● talking confidently that not being
the identity taken seriously
“behind the ● being listened to or emulated
door”
● feeling invested in the group ● disengagement
with the life of
the group
 Margins Mainstream Margins
● much clearer ● clueless! ● almost
understanding everyone can
of the ● confused! feel
dynamics him/herself at
● it come from nowhere! mainstream &
● alienation margins at the
=> ● feeling attacked and alienated same time
empowerment
● feeling that the group will fail ● you as
● the relationship facilitator can
is fluid and be at both
changing over ● feeling guilty (but often as
time => mainstream)
(always!) using the power responsibly
● we can set the
● might respect the challenges tone
 Margins Mainstream Margins
● ppl of colour ● white ● not English
speakers
● laugh & singing ● european
● freedom to
● straint ● lefty! leave the
seminar
● not knowing a ● well educated
lot of theories ● to be not agree
● quite & serious with/ to
● another confront the
political route ● queer facilitator

● english speaking ● black humor

● politeness
 Margins Mainstream Margins
● to be quiet at ● activists ● singing
the seminar
● gender & eco sensitiveness ● eating meat
● parents
● vegetarian ● smoking
● mental
illness/burn out ● woman under 35 ● starting in
actinism / lack
● use foul ● from big cities of experience
language
● shiny dress &
● expertise / nerdiness
● from small heels
cities ● wanting for a sleep
● ppl that don’t
like music at
● asking for a good wi-fi
breaks
Try to remember
relevant experience
as participant or as
facilitator

Write 5-10 features of

mainstream and
margins of these group
(7 min)
Try to remember
relevant experience
as participant or as
facilitator
How did you or
participants expressed
that qualities?

How facilitators could

observe this qualities?
(5 min)
How can we observe the M&Ms of the
group?
• Agenda
• winning conflicts and discussion
• quitely discussions
• being angry or sad suddenly
• how ppl express themselves - ignoration, signs of violence
• how they reacting at free time
• ppts lost some interest of activities - leave the space or phone
• various learning styles, cultures - how can we understand it?
• not only focus on observation - this is our assumption, they could be wrong
• engaging conversations how the dynamics shape
•
Mainstream & Margins:
turning point
Change is generally instigated by the margins, who will usually
have more awareness of the dynamics.

Facilitators can support a mainstream in recognizing its relationship

with one of its margins. But facilitators usually can be as well more in
mainstream than in margins.

Without this change the group will not work in the proper way.
Groups and cultures grow at their edges.

You can support margin qualities become mainstream or

consciously keep some qualities in margins.
What we can do as facilitators?

• explore and empathise with your own mainstream and

margin experiences beforehand

• practice self-awareness about your mainstream/ margin status

right now and how that affects your behaviours

• act with multi-partiality, supporting both the M&Ms

•
support others to become more self-aware about their own and
the group’s mainstream and margins

• support others to notice the dynamics between them, to stay

with the process despite strong feelings, and to try to
renegotiate their relationship
What we can do as facilitators?

• support margins to step in to their own power through:

• catching their eye, so they know that they are not only seen
but supported and invited into the space

• using body language to show openness and empathy to what

they are almost saying, understanding the dynamics in the space

• mirroring their body language

• talking to them in a break

• occasionally gently saying to them that it looks like they might

have something to add.
Thank You for attention!
Contact: angelova.helen@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/angelovaEl/