Moderator

Braver Angels moderators lead our signature Red/Blue workshop as well as other BA workshops—both in-person and online.

Moderators deliver content (in skills-based workshops), facilitate structured conversations (in experiential workshops) and lead a variety of well-tested exercises. By establishing and enforcing workshop ground rules and following workshop designs, Moderators create an environment in which participants can explore challenging political topics and learn more about themselves and others.

Questions?

For questions, contact the Moderator Team at mbayless@braverangels.org

Prerequisites

Membership: You must be a Braver Angels member. Please sign up to become a member.
Group Facilitation Experience: This means that you are comfortable with group process, and that you are able to create a supportive environment while also enforcing ground rules and upholding the structure of the workshop. It’s not enough if your experience has been working with groups as a manager of work teams. In Braver Angels Workshops, you have no authority over the people that attend and you can’t “manage” them. Work as a therapist is also not sufficient. The skills in a client relationship with an individual, a couple or a family are not the same as group facilitation experience. Some therapists have experience in group therapy, which may qualify.
Emotional Readiness: This work is about depolarization, and that can be very emotional. We need people who have respect for the other side, and who won’t respond to getting their buttons pushed by someone of a different political persuasion. In the moderator role, you must be neutral and you have to create a space where everyone feels respected, where everyone in the room says that the moderator wasn’t emotionally reactive to either side or wasn’t trying to “correct” either side. You cannot see the other side as deplorable or ignorant or deserving of pity. You would have trouble doing this work if your goal is to “enlighten” the other side. In short, you cannot be emotionally triggered by people who have political views that are very different from your own.
Workshop Attendance: Because we want you to have a feel for Braver Angels workshops before you become a moderator, it is necessary that you participate in a workshop before submitting your application. The workshop can be local or national, online or in-person. Any of our workshops (not debates) would qualify. To sign up to attend a Braver Angels Workshop, please see our current list of events or contact your local BA Alliance.

"I enjoy being a BA moderator because it allows me to use my skills to enable others to better understand the value of communicating effectively with curiosity and respect."

"I started as a Zoom Event Manager and really enjoyed working with experienced Braver Angels' moderators. They inspired me to take the training and give it a try -- thanks to all of you for encouraging me!"

"While my personal preference is moderating in-person workshops, I’ve found that moderating online has given me the opportunity to meet people from all across the country and I’ve made some really satisfying friendships with folks whose political perspectives are very different from my own."

"Becoming a Braver Angels moderator has given me great hope for our future."

Step 1: Listen to Audio Intro

Hear from Braver Angels co-founder Bill Doherty about the application process.

By: Bill Doherty

Step 2: Submit Application

Please speak to your group facilitation experience and provide a short resume that speaks to that experience. Don’t give us your standard resume or CV.

Apply

Step 3: Complete the Training

Once you are accepted, you will be given access to our Moderator Training Website to complete a number of training activities (10-15 hours total). After completing those required activities, you will then attend a Moderator Orientation Meeting (held over Zoom) where you will have the opportunity to speak with Bill Doherty and fellow moderators-in-training about moderator expectations.

Step 4: Complete a Qualification Session

You may then choose to go through a Phase 1 Qualification Session to qualify as an In-Person Moderator (delivering in-person workshops only) or you can complete about 2 hours of additional training and go through a Phase 2 Qualification Session to qualify as an Online and In-Person Moderator (delivering workshops either in-person or online).

Step 5: Stay Up to Date

All Moderators are expected to stay up to date on new workshop offerings and review/refresh themselves on the content of any workshop they are going to moderate.

FAQ

Is the training free?

Yes, there is no charge for the training. We also expect people to do the workshop without charging.

What happens after I become a trained Moderator?

Once you’re accepted, you’ll become a part of the Braver Angels moderator community and your name will be added to the list of Qualified Moderators. The most successful (and busiest!) moderators are those who actively reach out to their local and state alliances and/or network with BA members that they meet through virtual events. You are encouraged to join the monthly Moderator Forums to learn from–and with–other moderators. Upcoming Moderator Forums are announced via email to all qualified BA moderators and moderators-in-training.

How long does the training take?

The training is self-paced and most people find that it takes 10-15 hours to complete.