5.6: Facilitator Training & Credentials
Once you know what the role involves, the next step is finding the right person.
Write the Job Description First
A clear job description helps you attract appropriate candidates and gives the successful person a shared understanding of the role. Whether you are creating a new position or adding Powerhouse® to an existing role, your job description should cover:
- Program creation and delivery — planning and running sessions, and the documentation that supports them.
- Program coordination — registration, reminder calls, supplies, permits, inventory, expense tracking.
- Reporting — attendance, statistics, evaluation, and impact reporting.
- Relationship management — working with young caregivers and families, community partners, and any placement students.
- Health and safety — knowing emergency protocols at every program location and completing incident reports.
- Work conditions — the physical and scheduling realities of the role, including evening and weekend availability, travel between locations, and indoor and outdoor programming across seasons.
Be specific about scheduling and travel. Programming often runs evenings and weekends and may involve multiple locations.
|
Area |
What You’re Looking For |
|---|---|
|
Understanding of young caregivers |
Can the candidate explain who a young caregiver is and what your organization does? |
|
Program thinking |
What kinds of groups or activities would they suggest, and why? |
|
Fit and experience |
How has their previous work prepared them for this role? |
|
Self-awareness |
What would previous managers name as their strengths and their areas for growth? |
|
Scenario response |
How would they handle a participant acting out, a family raising a concern about their child, or an activity that is not landing with the group? |
|
Independent judgement |
Can they describe a difficult decision they made without guidance? |
|
Onboarding approach |
What would they do in their first few weeks? |
Use scenario questions. They are the most reliable part of the interview. A candidate who has never worked with young caregivers may still show strong judgement, and a candidate with years of experience may reveal an approach that does not fit Powerhouse®.
Confirm the Practical Requirements
Before making an offer, confirm:
- Screening timeline — when the candidate expects to receive their police check with vulnerable sector screening. This often determines your start date more than anything else.
- Transportation — whether they have reliable transportation to your program locations, and whether the role involves transporting participants.
- Availability — their start date and their availability for the hours the role requires.
Collect references and review your next steps with the candidate before closing the interview. Before your facilitators run their first Powerhouse® session, confirm they have both the general certifications your organization requires and the Powerhouse®-specific training.
Education and Experience
YCA’s Program Coordinator role requires post-secondary education in social services, therapeutic recreation, child and youth studies, social sciences, or a related field, and three or more years of experience planning and delivering programs. Direct facilitation experience is an asset.
Set requirements that reflect the role and your local hiring market. Requirements that are too high may leave a position unfilled; requirements that are too low may leave a facilitator without the foundation to run a group well.
Certifications
Follow your organization’s requirements for certifications and screening. Depending on the facilitator’s responsibilities, considerations may include:
|
Requirement |
YCA’s Practice |
|---|---|
|
First Aid & CPR |
Current certification, Emergency Level C at minimum. Staff must be prepared to deliver first aid if needed |
|
Police check with vulnerable sector screening |
Current clearance, dated within six months. See Lesson 3, Topic 3.9 |
|
Driver’s licence and insurance |
Where the role involves transporting participants, a valid licence, reliable vehicle, and proof of liability coverage on the vehicle used |
|
Suicide alertness training |
YCA identifies safeTALK as a preferred qualification |
The Powerhouse® Facilitation Training covers how to deliver the program, including facilitating for young caregivers specifically, group set-up, holding professional boundaries, responding when a young caregiver discloses something difficult, working with families, and managing group dynamics. Facilitators complete this training before delivering their first session.
Keep Training Current
Certifications expire. Establish who tracks renewal dates for first aid, screening, and any other requirements, alongside the screening tracker in Lesson 3, Topic 3.9. Build in time and budget for ongoing professional development so facilitators can keep their skills current as your program grows.