Interpersonal skills for life and ministry


Hosting an On-Site SYIS Workshop

The SYIS workshop is based on a “wellness model.” It is designed to help people and teams to live out God’s Word more effectively, not as intervention for individuals or teams in serious conflict. God may use the workshop to bring healing in some cases, but organizations should not sponsor one for that purpose.


Here are some of the details…

Love is the goal of the SYIS Workshop — that we will love God and one another more and demonstrate this in new ways of relating. Without love nothing else matters (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
On-site SYIS Planning Guidelines
  • Workshops are a normally five days in length.
  • Participants must not be required, pressured or expected to attend. Participation must be completely voluntary.
  • Participants must be committed to attending the whole workshop.
  • Workshops should not be scheduled within one or two weeks after participants have been through conferences, business meetings, workshops or other intense experiences. The intense interactive nature of SYIS workshops requires participants to be emotionally, spiritually and physically prepared for the experience.
  • The number of participants should normally be between 12 and 24.
  • Facilitator teams normally consist of four members: a highly-experienced lead facilitator (coordinator), one or two moderately experienced facilitators, and a new facilitator in training. Teams of three facilitators may be acceptable in some workshop situations.
Responsibilities of Host
  • Arrange for a suitable venue and date, in consultation with ITP.
  • Provide an on-site Workshop Administrator. A document outlining Administrator responsibilities will be provided by ITP.
  • Make the workshop known to local organizations, if it is to be open to others.
  • Handle registrations.
  • Handle Finances. This includes: determine registration fees in consultation with ITP, collect fees, pay for venue and other local expenses, reimburse facilitators for expenses as agreed upon, pay for workbooks and other materials.
  • Arrange for local transportation, meals and housing for facilitators.
  • Assure that the above guidelines are followed, and any exceptions are discussed with and approved by ITP prior to the workshop.
  • Work with the Workshop Coordinator to make sure everything is done.
Responsibilities of ITP
  • Designate a Coordinator for the workshop. A document outlining responsibilities of the Coordinator will be provided by ITP. The Coordinator will normally be one of the facilitators.
  • Provide qualified facilitators, in consultation with the Host.
  • Provide workshop notebooks, and any other materials needed.
  • Put the workshop on the ITP Web site.
  • Contact other organizations if desired by the Host in order to get more participants.
  • Provide workshop brochures in paper or electronic form, if requested.
  • Communicate with the Host, Workshop Administrator, and Workshop Coordinator to provide counsel and answer questions.