How to Facilitate a Telephone Support Group

Telephone support groups are an excellent resource for people who live in far-flung geographical areas, those who don't have reliable transportation or those who are simply too busy to come to a group in person. They can help people coping with mental illness, family problems, losses and other difficult situations. A good facilitator will follow certain guidelines to make sure that the group works effectively so participants can get the maximum amount of benefit.

Instructions

• 1

  Send information to each member of the support group. This information can be send through email or postal mail and should include the following: dates and times of the meetings, the dial-in number and instructions for using the conferencing service. Include an "emergency" contact number in case participants are having trouble dialing in. This should be an alternate to your regular phone number, such as a cell number, if you are using the regular number for your own dial-in.

• 2

  Send a list of rules to each member of the support group. These rules should clearly spell out the purpose of the group, how the meetings will be structured and the behavior guidelines for the participants. Typical rules include things like giving every member a chance to speak uninterrupted, time limits for each speaker and a prohibition on judgment or gossip.

• 3

  Call in at least 20 minutes early on the scheduled day of the support group. This will give you time to deal with any technical problems that might arise with the phone system. It will also allow you to be present if any of the participants call in early.

• 4

  Start the group on time. This shows respect for the participants who took the trouble to made sure to call in on time. If you consistently start the group late, people will begin to feel that dialing in late is acceptable. If they learn that it starts promptly, they will understand that they need to respect the actual start time.

• 5

  Begin with a brief summary of the rules. This will remind everyone of the expectations for the group and the guidelines they must follow to help make sure the support group meeting runs smoothly. At this time, remind the participants to mute their line unless they are speaking to avoid interruptions from background noise.

• 6

  Have each person give a brief introduction. Since the participants cannot physically see who is present at a phone conference, this will let everyone know their fellow participants. Limit the introductions to no more than a few seconds, especially if the meeting has a limited time frame.

• 7

  Enforce the rules throughout the meeting. If you set up rules but do not do any enforcement, participants will quickly learn that they will be ignored. By applying them consistently, you demonstrate to the support group participants that you are dedicated to maintaining a safe and organized environment.

• 8

  End the meeting on time. This, like an on-time start, shows respect for the participants and their schedules. You should have no problem ending on time if you stick to the time limits for each speaker. Before hanging up, remind everyone of the day and time for the next meeting.