Values & Ethics for Group Facilitators

In order to do mental health recovery and WRAP work, it is essential to understand and support the following values and ethics.  To offer co-facilitated WRAP® groups based on the evidence-based practice complete the pre-requisite work and the Copeland Center's Seminar II WRAP Co-Facilitator Certification Training

The Copeland Center certificate that qualifies a WRAP® Co-Facilitator, is an explicit agreement to uphold a clear set of values and ethics. If the values and ethics are not demonstrated, practiced, and explicitly accepted by a WRAP Co-Facilitator that individual cannot represent or facilitate this work. Review, practice, refresh and self-evaluate these values and ethics regularly.

Copeland Center Co-Facilitators agree to uphold the following values:

    Honor everyone

    Hold all individuals in high regard and support all participation

    Co-facilitate individual learning through shared experiences

    Co-facilitate a focus on a mutual learning model, where people work together and learning outcomes are self-determined

    Co-facilitate group equality

    Co-facilitate a sense of hope

    Accept people as they are

    Co-facilitate a focus on participant’s strengths

    Validate individual’s experiences

    We are each an expert on ourselves and have multiple paths to wellness

    Co-facilitate a focus on what is working in our lives

    Co-facilitate choices and options

    Our knowledge is always changing, expanding and is infinite through our mutual sharing

 

Copeland Center Co-Facilitators agree to present WRAP as:

   Simple and safe for anyone;

   Complimentary with any lifestyle and any therapy we chose;

    Adaptable to anyone’s personal philosophy;

   A way of living and based on self-determination and,

    Anyone can develop a WRAP and for anything the person chooses

Ethical Guidelines:

The following are ethical guidelines to co-facilitate the WRAP® curriculum owned and produced by Advocates for Human Potential.  These ethical guidelines support the practice of the above values.  Review these guidelines with a Copeland Center Certified Co-Facilitators before and after every session for quality control:

  1. Provide examples and personal experiences that promote the 5 key concepts of Hope, Personal Responsibility, Education, Self-Advocacy, and Support as defined in the curriculum.
  2. Provide affirmations and validation of an individual’s experiences and styles of participation.
  3. Support and promote voluntary participation.
  4. Keep the focus on individual strengths and potentials.
  5. Use personal experiences and real-life examples to facilitate the materials presented.
  6. Keep the focus on a group process; the group supports individual needs.
  7. Ensure that all points stated support the Key Concepts: Hope, Personal Responsibility, Education, Self-Advocacy, and Support as defined by the curriculum.
  8. Co-facilitate most of the time (50% or more) on shared ideas from the group on wellness recovery.
  9. Be well prepared and know the materials.
  10. Begin with a brief introduction that builds trust and connects to the material.
  11. Support everyone to work at an individual pace and to determine our own readiness to work on goals.
  12. Support many choices and options from the group: not final answers from the Co-Facilitators.
  13. Before committing to work with a group make adequate time to prepare.
  14. Start and end the group sessions on time.
  15. Organize presentations that are clear and to the point. Use the agendas and activities in the curriculum as a guide.
  16. During breaks or after the session, connect with people.
  17. Adjust the content of the curriculum materials so that the essential points are covered.
  18. Allow plenty of time for everyone’s input, affirming, and validating all responses.
  19. Share practical information that participants can use in their lives.
  20. Emphasize simple, safe, inexpensive, non-invasive personal strategies and skills.
  21. At the beginning share with participants what we will be co-facilitating. Then co-facilitate the curriculum.  In the end, summarize what was co-facilitated.
  22. Make presentations and co-facilitation as interactive as possible.  Co-facilitate a diversity of participation and input and build discussions around the strengths of individuals.
  23. Practice self-care at all times.
  24. Plan for co-facilitation of every session having 2-3 trained Co-Facilitators available.
  25. Be flexible in planning.
  26. Model mutual support, respect, and shared facilitation between Co-Facilitators. Allow plenty of time before and after sessions to connect with your Co-Facilitator and have a mutual understanding of how to be supportive of each other.
  27. Plan and design activities that build on participant connections.
  28. Use non-clinical language at all times; language that is based on the 5 key concepts (Hope, Personal Responsibility, Education, Self-Advocacy, and Support) and the Values of this curriculum.
  29. Support individuals to advocate and choose what treatments work and determine what does not work.
  30. Our personal political and religious agendas are left outside of this work and curriculum. Discrimination of any kind is not acceptable.

 

"We must work to make sure that every person knows that they can get through even the hardest of times, and come out on the other side, and that the system can provide the tools so that can happen.  We must work to make sure that every person has access to this knowledge and to these services without stigma—young and old, rich and poor."
-Mary Ellen Copeland, PhD
November 9, 2011        Barre, Vermont