Training Resources
Tips for Trainings
You or someone else in your school or organization may already have been trained to facilitate a Committee for Children staff training, and may be gearing up to facilitate your own staff training. Or you may be looking for some ideas to enhance an upcoming Committee for Children-facilitated training. In either case, below are some helpful suggestions to keep in mind as you begin planning for your training.
Creating the Training Climate
- Know the program-study curriculum kits and the training manuals beforehand.
- Teach lessons from the curriculum before the training so you can share stories or ideas from your experiences.
- Choose a training room large enough to accommodate your group and training activities.
- Take the training off-site, if possible. Community centers, public parks, churches, or other schools/universities often donate space for such trainings.
- Prepare for "creature comforts." Provide snacks, beverages, and lunch (if possible).
- Ensure there is adequate lighting, comfortable room temperature, and comfortable seating in the training room.
- Be organized-have the training room, handouts, flipcharts, videos, overhead transparencies, and AV equipment in place and prepared before the training begins.
- Place toys (for example, Koosh balls, Legos, Play Doh) and/or markers and paper on tables for tactile learners.
- Have plenty of curriculum kits available in the training for group activities.
- Individually greet your training participants as they arrive and provide each person with a name tag (especially if the group participants do not know each other well).
- Play music before the training and during breaks.
- Be enthusiastic about the program.
- Co-train with others, if possible.
- Invite the sponsor to speak about his or her vision of the program.
- Provide opportunities for the group to ask questions throughout the training. If you do not know the answer to a question, get back with the group/individual with the answer.
- Incorporate humor, cartoons, stories, and brainteasers throughout the training.
- Incorporate breaks and movement/physical activity throughout the training.
- Be available for follow-up and technical support after the training.