Running a STEPS session

A STEPS course can easily and successfully be run online, whether with multiple small groups, or just one.

Whilst there is no opportunity for offering refreshments, in our experience the delivery of the course and vulnerability of the participants is in no way affected (in fact, we have noticed participants open up a lot faster online than in some in-person courses).

There are two options for running a course online: a weekly 90 min session or a 60 min session (where participants watch the Film as part of their preparation for that week).

90 minute session

Here is our suggestion for how to run a regular STEPS session that is large enough to include more than one group. Feel free to adapt this to your local setting (we note some other considerations for different settings below):

Welcome and housekeeping (10 mins)

After the initial welcome, ask someone who has gone through the STEPS journey before to share their experience of going through that week’s Step (for 3-5 mins). Don’t worry if you are doing this together for the first time, as the film also includes a former participant’s story.

Watch the film (20mins)

The film for each Step includes a former participant’s reflections of doing that Step, the 15 minute talk and then some reflections by former participants. Please pause the film after the reflections and before ‘Preparation for next step’. (Note: there are a couple of ways to show the film, depending on strength of internet connection. You can either share your screen to play the film, or send the link in the Chat for participants to click through, giving an extra few minutes to allow people to watch it all. (We recommend having a slide you share that will say the Main Room will be “back at [X] time”. We recommend participants stay logged in to this room whilst watching (although with their sound and video off).)

Group time (45-55 mins)

If you have more than 12 people, we recommend splitting the group in two, with each group in a separate breakout room. (The Host can assign rooms whilst participants are watching the film). The Group Facilitator for each group should then read through the Guidelines and start the sharing rounds.

Wrap-up (5 mins)

Following the group time we suggest the group(s) meet back in the Main Room to listen to the last part of the film, (‘Preparing for the next Step’), which is a short presentation of the Step everyone will work on for the following week. For more experienced facilitators, you may wish to do this yourself, but the film is there should you prefer to use this.

End of session

Everyone leaves the Main Room. If multiple facilitators, they can stay online to debrief and ask any questions arising out of the group session.

60 minute session

An online group can alternatively be run as a 60 minute session, where participants watch the talks for each Step prior to the call, so that the call consists only of the group session and Wrap-up.

When preparing participants for the next Step, in addition to reminding them to read the chapter for that week, and doing the exercises and questions for reflection, you should also send the link to the film for that week for them to watch. (These are found in Materials and in the template email for each Step.)

A typical online STEPS session (60 mins) would look as follows:

3 mins

Welcome and housekeeping (you may want to include a quick summary by the host of how they found the Step that week) s

3 mins

Read Guidelines and read out Serenity Prayer together

50 mins

Group Session. We have found it helpful to suggest an order to who speaks, with the facilitator going first. People can always pass when it comes to their turn, but it helps participants know they will be next in an online setting.

4 mins

Watch ‘Preparation for next Step’ film together

End call

Tips for running STEPS online

We set out a number of helpful tips when running STEPS groups online:

  • Calls should be done with access to a camera so participants can see one another (Google Meet, Zoom or similar applications work well, and also enable you to share the Wrap-Up films online as a presentation, by sharing your screen). The participants do not need to look at the screen during the group reflection time, but do need to leave their camera on.
  • Please advise all participants to use headsets or be in a completely private room when doing STEPS, to ensure confidentiality is maintained. 
  • Choose an order to share in your groups so people know when it is their turn to speak (make sure you and the co-facilitator go first so you can be an example of how to share openly and honestly). You can either suggest you go in alphabetical order (using the participants' first names), or write the order in the chat and put it up for everyone to see (it only takes a week or so for people to easily remember). As the weeks go on, you can vary the order, as participants get used to sharing.
  • Don’t worry if people don’t share too much on the first week (although in our experience we were surprised how much people did share online), but do be prepared to share yourself as much as you can, as it will set the example for others as to what is possible.
  • If you finish before the allotted time (and are in a breakout room as part of a larger course), that is absolutely fine. You could always use this time after you have gone through the session to come off mute and just chat whilst waiting to go back into the Main Room for Wrap-Up. (Maybe ask how people found the session, if they have any queries, and say you are available if people would like a call after the session). Obviously if you are just one group, you can continue to wrap-up and then end the session).
  • Whilst we generally keep chit-chat at the beginning of the session quite short, use lots of smiles and body language to welcome people into the group and make them feel at ease, and realise you are all doing this together!
  • Remind participants to keep themselves on mute unless they are sharing, or thanking someone else for sharing. We recommend when it comes to saying the prayer, that only the Facilitator mic is on, with everyone else on mute (although saying the prayer aloud in their own home).
  • We have found it helpful having the Guidelines in PDF format on the screen next to the Zoom call so you can read them whilst still “looking” at people! Then you can keep your book in front of you.
  • As a co-facilitator, just have a quick check at the beginning of the session to see that people are not in a busy location, but are in a private space - you could always chat to people individually if you are concerned others may overhear conversation and suggest they use headphones.
  • It is helpful when running breakout rooms to assign someone who is not facilitating a group to run the technical side of the call, to free you up to host.
  • For Safeguarding: as you will have seen in the Group Facilitator Manual, if you consider there is a safeguarding issue, please follow your safeguarding policy and take this directly to the Course Leader, after having contacted the participant to explain you may just have to speak to someone about something they said. For more information, please read STEPS Safeguarding Policy and our Best Practice for safeguarding.

Tips for Step 1 only

  • If doing multiple groups on one STEPS Course, when it comes to going into breakout groups for the first time, introduce yourselves as the Facilitators (you may not necessarily be hosting beforehand) and give a very brief sentence or two about your personal experience with STEPS so people can get to know you.
  • Explain that you will now read through the Guidelines as we start the group session (and will do that each week), and that when it comes to sharing, you suggest you speak in the a certain order (see above). Encourage everyone to keep themselves muted unless it is their time to share, or when they thank people for sharing. Remind people that it is absolutely fine to pass if they don't want to share. (Also remind people to be in a private space where others cannot hear, and to use headsets if needed).
  • Read through the Guidelines (Include time to do the Serenity Prayer at the beginning together).
  • Go through the Group Session (starting with the two facilitators first). It may take people awhile to get the format, but keep doing it yourself and they will catch on!
  • Keep going around with the reflections until everyone has had a chance to say what they want.
  • If you are part of multiple groups, keep an eye on the time to ensure you have a chance to read the confidentiality part at the end of the call, and to all say the prayer at the end of the chapter together.
  • Explain the 3 minute rule, and suggest if people go over you will raise your hand on the screen, or politely mention to bring the reflection to a close.

Top Tip

You may need to remind the group of the structure over the first few weeks in case people forget. Alternatively the Host may wish to remind everyone before the breakout session of the structure of these group sessions.

Guidelines & Slides

Running STEPS in a home group setting

Some churches choose to run STEPS in their existing small groups or home groups. In this context it is especially important that all the participants in the group are willing to work actively with the STEPS process so that the group flows well. To ensure everyone is aware of the process, it is important to run the Introduction Session and discuss the expectations involved in undertaking the course.

A home/life/connect group will often be a group where participants have different areas they are working on. It is of crucial importance that each member of the group has identified very clearly which area of unhelpful behavioural patterns they want to work on. It is also important that there is a person who assumes the duties of Facilitator to make sure that the participants feel comfortable in the process. This also ensures that the structure of the STEPS process is followed.

The STEPS sessions need to be clearly separate from a ‘normal’ home/life/connect group online meeting and understood as such. After having watched the film (if doing it during the session), the group work begins – signalled by the reading of the Serenity Prayer – and everyone should be clear that group guidelines are to be observed. Small groups follow the same principles and guidelines as described in this Manual.