In the vision of Lama Yeshe,  Universal Education as a radical rethinking of education. He saw the need for “a new system of education because the old one is too dated for the intelligent people of today and produces a great deal of conflict and dissatisfaction in the present generation.” Lama Yeshe first proposed this project in the mid-1970s, but it was not until 1982 that he found someone to take it forward, Ven. Connie Miller. Today, the Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW), is one of several projects and initiatives working to carry forward Lama Yeshe’s vision of Universal Education. FDCW supports FPMT centers and projects by offering resources, courses, and training based on the Universal Education approach

Based in the UK, FDCW joined the 2025 FPMT UK meeting, where discussions highlighted the need for a program to help course facilitators develop their skills. In response, FDCW developed the FDCW Facilitator Skills Training, launched in 2025 to support facilitators offering Buddhist and secular courses. Here is the story of how the training developed and continues to evolve. We thank the FDCW team for sharing this story.

FDCW senior facilitators Wendy Ridley and Lizzy Lewis, who shaped the initial ideas into the FDCW Facilitator Skills Training. Photo courtesy of FDCW Facebook page.

Sometimes the most meaningful change begins not with a formal plan, but with a heartfelt conversation.

At an FPMT UK meeting in summer 2025, a discussion around Universal Education and the 16 Guidelines Meditations course revealed an honest challenge: while many FPMT center staff and volunteers were enthusiastic about Universal Education, they often felt underprepared to manage group dynamics and hold inclusive, well-supported sessions.

This planted the seed of an idea: what could Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW), provide to support centers like Jamyang London Buddhist Centre, in sharing Universal Education methods with their communities?

On the train journey home from that meeting, we, the FDCW team, discussed what that support could look like. Ideas flowed freely as we explored what effective facilitation really means, what the volunteers were struggling with, and how a short training could be both practical and empowering. By the time the train pulled in, the seed of the training had taken root.

Over the coming months, this momentum continued. With the continuous support and collaboration of FDCW expert facilitators  Wendy Ridley and Lizzy Lewis, who shaped those initial ideas into a two-hour FDCW Facilitator Skills Training.

In collaboration with FPMT, we invited all Directors, SPCs, center staff, and volunteers to join this training opportunity, because these kinds of skills are relevant and helpful not just for providing Universal Education courses but also for offering Dharma courses. 

The Facilitation Skills Training 

The FDCW Facilitator Skills Training was designed to help facilitators make the shift from knowing what to do to knowing how to be when situations become complex, emotional, or unpredictable. Through reflection, demonstration, and peer learning, participants explored how to make sound judgment calls, work with intuition, and adapt skillfully under pressure.

When the invitation went out for the online FDCW Facilitator Skills Training, 135 attendees registered. The training is open to facilitators, educators, meditation leaders, and anyone leading group discussions, and the response included participants from a range of roles.

In November 2025, around 80 participants joined the online training to explore eight core skills for effective facilitation:

1. Inclusion and Boundaries
2. Preparation: Knowing Your Participants
3. Session Planning
4. Communication Techniques
5. Active Facilitation
6. Managing Group Dynamics
7. Logistics and Practicalities
8. Opportunities for Continuous Growth

In this first training, the training approach reflected the values it aimed to share. Facilitators were encouraged to reflect on their role not as a “sage on the stage,” but as a “guide on the side.” As someone who sets the tone and creates the safe environment that allows the wisdom within the group to emerge, the training offered several practical suggestions for navigating challenges.

At the heart of the training was the attitude of focusing more on your inner state than on following a script. Why? As Lama Yeshe, the founder of Universal Education, explains: “The human mind is like a mirror … Teachers in particular should understand this. Our minds reflect whatever is around, just as a mirror reflects its environment.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe, Educare Magazine, 1984.

So, the key to effective facilitation lies within the facilitator themselves. The facilitator’s state of mind and inner balance (or imbalance!) will affect the dynamics and learning process of the whole group. When a facilitator is grounded in clear intention, care, and presence, trust naturally follows.

From the Spanish-speaking FPMT centers, Martha Cabral and Mar Portillo stepped up to provide the Spanish-language version of the FDCW Facilitator Skills Training which was offered in January 2026.

Following the first training, we decided to repeat the training for those who registered but were unable to join the November session. The course ran in March 2026, with again more than 80 participants joining the online training. One strong theme emerging from the feedback was that participants wanted more time to practice the skills presented during the training. Once again, FDCW responded, and FDCW Facilitator Skills Training Module 2: Practicing the Skills was born. 

This training took place in May 2026, and participants had the opportunity to put the skills into practice. Throughout this development process, the FDCW team has been heartened to see the engagement by FPMT centers in the skills training. Over 55 percent of the 183 registered participants are offering or plan to use these skills while offering courses at their Buddhist centers. The training has been particularly relevant for FPMT centers and projects because it provides upskilling opportunities for those who are serving and may help reduce staff turnover or burnout.

As one participant shared:

It was very professionally led. Lots of different tools were shared, and not just shared but also we got to experience them. I enjoyed the breakout rooms which allowed us to go deeper. And I could tell that the facilitators were teaching what they knew so deeply.

Another said:

It was extremely beneficial to learn and revisit some of the important values that we always need for instance humbleness, openness, adaptation and truthfulness.

Based on this feedback, a third skills training module is in development and will be launched in 2027. This module will dive more deeply into facilitation techniques and in particular the challenge of embodiment.  

You can read more about the FDCW Facilitation Skills Training and the upcoming module.

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.