Yorck Von korff
- team building
- conflict management
- facilitation
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Type of expert
Facilitator
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Age
55 years
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Country of residence
France
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Languages
English, French, German, Spanish
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Gender
Male
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Availability
Anytime
About me
20 years of experience as a facilitator (certified), mediator (certified), expert on participatory processes, and trainer. Fields: science cooperation, international development, biodiversity, ecosystem and water management as well as public participation. PhD in political science. My joy is to co-develop and facilitate participatory processes. Director of flow-ing a one-person consultancy in Montpellier, France.
My skills
Facilitation (20 years of experience); mediation and multi-party conflict management; coaching using the solution-focused approach and systemic constellations. Project-management.
Why you should work with me
First of all, I would study the context (client expectations, possibly participants’ expectations, the relevant history, issues, and actors) and then use my facilitation experience to suggest an adequate process based on the previous one, if this is expected. This process can take various forms according to event requirements.
I use tools such as checking expectations, warm-ups, participatory diagnostics, brainstorming, prioritisation, small group work for deepening ideas (which can also take the form of a World Café or Open Space), Open Dialogue (can be in the form of a Samoan Circle), gradients of agreement and participatory action planning. Whatever the final process, typical features would be: all can participate and are active most of the time; participants understand each other; and there would be moments of clarification of what has been shared and what has not (yet) been shared. There might be action planning towards the end of the process where this makes sense. The chosen process would be adaptable while it is under way. Systematic feedback from the participants would be built in (for example, at the end of a day of work).
Above all, however, I consider that the facilitator’s stance/mindset is key, namely: congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathic understanding. I would try to bring this stance to the room continuously.
My work experiences
Freelance journalist (between 1992-1997) for various local German newspapers and radio stations.
Independent trainer and consultant on participatory development (agriculture and urban planning) in Cairo, Egypt (2000-2005) working in various countries in the MENA region.
Researcher in participatory processes at a research institute in Montpellier, France (2005-2008).
Consultant, facilitator and trainer for facilitation and participatory processes with a private company in Montpellier (2008-2014).
Director (although only myself as an employee), consultant, facilitator and trainer for facilitation and participatory processes in my own company (flow-ing) in Montpellier (2014 - now).
My education & training
With a PhD in Political Science (2001), since 2000, I have worked as a facilitator, consultant and trainer in ecosystem and water management, intra-organisational change, science cooperation, international development, as well as urban and land planning.
In 2005, I received certification in facilitation from the International Association of Facilitators. In 2008, I graduated from a two-year continuous education programme in conflict mediation at the University of Bochum (Germany). In 2017, I started work as a systemic coach.
Over the last 20 years, I have travelled widely and facilitated workshops and meetings on five continents. I also give training on facilitation and on systemic constellations. I have written various articles for scientific journals on participatory processes. I am the director of flowing and am based in Montpellier, France where I have helped to create various local professional groups.
Master’s in Political Science (University of Heidelberg, Germany). Robert Bosch Foundation Study Program (Studienkolleg) for International Affairs (1995/96). PhD in Political Science (2001) at the University of Hamburg (Germany). Various training programmes in organisation development, facilitation, mediation, and systemic constellations (coaching).
My references
Main advisor on facilitation and conflict management practices in an EU-wide carnivores coexistence project for establishing and facilitating stakeholder platforms in Romania, Italy, Spain, Germany, France and Sweden (2018-2021).
Facilitator in a French-German transboundary project for reintroducing the lynx into the Forest of the Palatinate (Germany) and the neighbouring Vosges Mountains (France, 2016-2021).
Facilitator and advisor for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Germany for two workshops concerning coexistence with large carnivores (2018 and 2019).
Facilitator for a conflict management process concerning a groundwater aquifer in the Vosges Mountains (France, 2018).
Facilitating an interactive session during a conference with 150 researchers in Ostend, Belgium on the North Sea (client: Belgian Biodiversity Platform - BiodivERsA).
Facilitating a team-building event for a team of international experts working on biodiversity issues in Brussels (client BiodivERsA, 2016).