Tips for trainers: ground rules

This short article, in the ætips for trainers' section of the special 50th edition of PLA notes, looks at agreeing ground rules for discussions with participants involved in a workshop. After explaining that ground rules can help participants to feel safe expressing themselves, the authors describe a simple exercise that could be used to come up with ground rules in a workshop. The ground rules can then serve as a kind of group contract that can support an emotionally safe space for sharing and can also be referred to throughout the workshop. The exercise begins by asking participants to brainstorm rules, both positive and negative that is, the do and don'ts for the workshop. The exercise is a learning activity itself, and can help to establish and support new ways of interacting and group awareness in the workshop.