This article was first written for ACEVO Consulting and published in December 2011. I hope that readers who are not themselves Third Sector leaders will also find it helpful.

ACEVO Consulting aims to broker professional services to help third sector leaders save time and money, reduce risk, make informed business decisions and get the best results for their organisations.  Facilitation is among the services offered, however facilitation is a term that is widely and loosely applied.  This article aims to clarify what is meant by facilitation as a professional service, when and how it can best help third sector leaders realise the above benefits, and what to look for in seeking professional facilitation support.