Succession Planning Toolkit

This is a WAGGGS toolkit https://www.wagggs.org/en/resources/resource-listing/?search=Succession+planning+toolkit produced as part of the Leadership in Girl Guiding & Girl Scouting range. It complements the Growing Guiding materials from GG UK and I especially like the way it includes "Discussion/Reflection Points" throughout. Appendix 2 provides a succession planning strategy template on a page - I used the resource in a training for Be our Best but equally it would lend itself to a Growing Guiding session, a Leadership training, or a commissioners one.

It was easy to find GG UK materials to illustrate the different elements of the toolkit - I would like to think they were designed in tandem but the resource dates from 2011.

I particularly like the final page, 47, which gives a load of lessons from geese! The penultimate being "We need to make sure our honking from behind is encouraging and not aggravating", I can see how that message translates to succession planning.

What does make a quality training event?

Flip chart from Growing Guiding Conference, Longleat 

Kirkpatrick Model of Evaluation

I was lucky enough to attend the South West Region Growing Guiding conference at Longleat a couple of weeks ago. The Trainer who did the workshop for Trainers did a really effective job - half the groups had to come up with a visual representation of a good quality training the other half an ineffectual training. Groups then swapped flip charts and annotated how the trainings could be improved.  The Trainer introduced us to the concept of the Kirkpatrick Model of Evaluation which I had never heard of before but could be used so well in order to evaluate the sort of training we do. For more information see http://www.businessballs.com/kirkpatricklearningevaluationmodel.htm.

The next training I do I'm going to have a go at doing evaluation at all 4 levels and see the impact that has on the training plan.

Secret Santa the USA way!

I decided to organise an after dinner game for our District Xmas meal but with a bit of a twist. I printed 12 challenges from the internet and bound them into books - see picture below. I wrapped them in Xmas gift wrap and numbered them 1-12. The USA twist as I explained to the leaders was that if a leader didn't like her "gift" she could then steal another Leaders "gift" making them take the one she had just opened. The very first Leader was allowed to steal at the very end of the secret santa. The game was really well received and caused a lot of excitement - the chocolate challenge was being held onto no matter what, and the Anglia Bake off changed hands several times!

We ended up with a conversation on adapting resources and how to use with official GG UK resources as part of Good Guiding is ......... The Leaders have agreed that at the February District meeting they will come back with a book review on how they have used (or not as the case may be)and I have a small gift for the best one - my decision is final! It was really good to see the Leaders so excited as they left the pub clutching their secret santa gift. Now my idea for next year is .......

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

If you're stuck for ways to say thank you see if you can adapt from Karen Owens writing for the girls scouts of central Maryland http://gscm.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Thank-You-Thank-You-Thank-You-.pdf. This is an extract from pages 12 & 14 Check out item no.25:

101 WAYS TO GIVE RECOGNITION TO VOLUNTEERS
 Here are 101 possibilities for recognizing volunteers. The blank 102 is for the beginning of your own list. It is important to remember that recognition is not so much something you do as it is something you are. It is a sensitivity to others as people, not a way of getting something done.
 1. Smile

2. Put up a volunteer suggestion box.

3. Treat them to a soda.

4. A citation at an appropriate meeting.

5. Ask them for a report.

6. Send a birthday card.

7. Arrange for a discount.

8. Serve coffee and donuts for the volunteers.

9. Present a framed photo of an event.

10. Plan annual ceremonial occasions.

11. Invite them to a special meeting.

12. Recognize personal needs and problems.

13. Accommodate personal needs and problems.

14. Be pleasant.

15. Use them as a resource in an emergency situation.

16. Provide a babysitter.

17. Post an Honor Roll.

18. Respect their wishes

19. Give them an informal tea.

20. Keep challenging them.

21. Send a Thanksgiving Day card to the volunteer’s family.

22. Provide a nursery.

23. Say "Good Morning."

24. Greet volunteers by name.

25. Provide good training.

26. Help develop self-confidence.

27. Award plaques to sponsoring group.

28. Take time to explain items fully.

29. Be verbal.

30. Ask VIP’s to converse with them.

31. Hold chat sessions.

32. Give them additional responsibility. 33. Invite them to participate in team planning. 34. Respect sensitivities. 35. Enable them to grow on the job. 36. Enable them to grow out of the job. 37. Send newsworthy information to the media about your volunteers. 38. Display photos in the community. 39. Present a corsage. 40. Say "Good Afternoon." 41. Create pleasant surroundings. 42. Honor their preference. 43. Invite them to coffee. 44. Enlist them to train other volunteers. 45. Have a public reception. 46. Take time to talk to them. 47. Babysit so they may go to dinner. 48. Make good plans. 49. Commend them to other people. 50. Send a valentine. 51. Make thorough pre-arrangements. 52. Illustrate how to equate volunteer experience with work experience. 53. Include on a special committee. 54. Recommend to prospective employer. 55. Provide scholarships to conferences or workshops. 56. Offer them advocacy roles. 57. Utilize them as consultants. 58. Write thank you notes. 59. Invite them to participate in goal formulation. 60. Surprise them with coffee and cake.

61. Celebrate outstanding projects and achievements. 62. Nominate them for awards. 63. Commend their work to their employer. 64. Carefully match volunteers to the job. 65. Praise them to their friends. 66. Provide substantive training. 67. Provide useful tools. 68. Say "Good Night." 69. Plan staff and volunteer social events. 70. Be a real person. 71. Give a Girl Scout gift item. 72. Accept their individuality. 73. Provide opportunities for conferences and evaluations. 74. Have the girls write a letter. 75. Maintain meaningful files. 76. Send impromptu fun cards. 77. Write a personal letter. 78. Utilize purchased newspaper space. 79. Give official Girl Scout recognitions. 80. Promote a "Volunteer of the Month" program. 81. Send a letter of appreciation to their family.

82. Plan a "Recognition Edition" of a newsletter. 83. Color code name tags to indicate particular achievements (hours, years). 84. Send commendatory letter to prominent public figures. 85. Say "We’ve missed you." 86. Give them a swap. 87. Promote staff smiles. 88. Facilitate personal maturation. 89. Distinguish between groups and individuals in the group. 90. Maintain safe working conditions. 91. Adequately orient the volunteer. 92. Award special citations for extraordinary achievements. 93. Be sure that they understand and are committed to the mission of Girl Scouting –to serve girls. 94. Send a holiday card. 95. Be familiar with the details of the assignments. 96. Conduct a community wide, cooperative recognition event. 97. Plan a theater party. 98. Do something just for fun and invite their family. 99. Have a picnic. 100. Say "Thank you." 101. Just smile 102.________________________

 

Open Space Technology

Not a training method or even a facilitation technique but another methodology I could see being useful in a GG UK environment. I recently experienced Open Space myself and admittedly I was sceptical to begin with, but it worked so I borrowed the book from the organiser. Harrison Owen: Open Space Technology - A users Guide 2nd edition, published by Barrett-Koehler Publishers in 1997 ISBN 1 57675 024 8.

Open Space works because the basic premise is getting people together who are both passionate and responsible for the issue/problem/dilemma etc. So no pre-set agenda or invitation list, everyone agrees on the first day what the priority questions are to progress. We did it by suggesting topics that could be discussed to progress our "difficulty" these were then written onto a matrix for time slots throughout the day and de-duped or combined. Volunteers were then sought to take contributors names, notes and key actions from each of the key discussions and type them up at the end of the day. Participants are free to move between discussion groups once they have contributed.

Equipment is limited to flip chart paper, pens, post its and a few lap tops so the notes (brief) from each group can be captured. The book focusses heavily on not being constrained by meal and coffee breaks.   

Day 2 starts with a precis of the discussion groups aided by the typed up notes from the day before and this provides another opportunity to combine topics with common or overlapping ground. Again passion and responsibility are involved as contributors opt to progress the topic which they feel most passionate about. Day 2 focusses on action planning and contributors offering to progress what is within their power.

Our Open Space facilitator (and book owner) had a lovely pair of Tibetan cymbals used to keep events to time  and the beautiful pitch seemed to match the nature of the event really well.

The reason I think this would work really well for some GG UK events is that we certainly have a lot of passion amongst volunteers, and generally volunteers know what is expected of them and are willing to step forward e.g 5 Essentials. What generally seems to be missing is communication - Open Space forces communication out into the round. Just think how powerful the technique could be when planning a major event or used against Growing Guiding - who wants to be first to try it?

What do I carry in my training bag?

So just what is standard equipment for a Girl Guide Trainer?

Stationary:

• Blu tak
• Pens flip chart & white board with a rubber
• Mini first aid kit
• Mobile phone
• Camera
• Roll of sticky labels
• 540 coloured dots for sorting Leaders into groups & ice breakers!
• Sharp scissors
• Post its
• GG UK Lanyard
• A set of blank Training Feedback forms just in case the organiser forgets or runs short.
• Expenses claim form!

GG Resources:

• The Guiding Handbook
• Guidance notes for leaders Brownie & Guide sections
• Good Guiding is ...... notes inc. guiding conversation and a laminated flower with 10 petals
• Being Prepared and blank Risk Assessment forms
• Participation on a plate guide
• "Being our Best" booklet, guiding conversation and Access & Excellence checklists
• Latest edition of Guiding magazine
• Latest Adventure Made Easy guide
• Some Trainer Self-evaluation forms - always best to capture reflections asap after a training
• My current Trainers Development Plan in case anything occurs that I want to add by hand

Home Made Training Resources:

• 5 Essential cards with a memorable picture for each Essential
• 5 Guide Zone cards
• Sets of Red, Amber, Green voting cards Leaders can use to participate in voting during a training e.g about a resource or game
• One set of numbered stand up cards to prioritise activities e.g in a circuit training event or to establish the order for activities to be undertaken. 

Obviously materials related to the subject of the training and yes my bag is heavy, but at least I know I can respond flexibly and knowledgeably. Also means that if the brief for the session wasn't the same as the Leaders were expecting, there is the opportunity to be flexible and meet their needs. Of course the training organiser always gives the correct brief!

Mission Promise

A gorgeous Promise resource created by Worksop Brownies for supporting girls with Promise activities see http://5thworksopmethodistbrownies.weebly.com/resources.html there are Rainbow, Brownie, Guide resource packs and a senior section one is coming soon. Once you have done 6 or more of the challenges there is a badge you can buy. So far we have done 3 challenges, and 2 of them have involved sweets, so the mission has been a really successful one with our Guides.

This is an excellent example of leaders generating good material and they have done an effective job at matching content for the age range. We are going to do another 3 challenges this week!

Random Stimulus Exercise to generate new ideas

This was another exercise from the creative techniques workshop earlier in the year - I've used it on 2 separate occasions now and it works really well. Good ice breaker material as well as it gets people contributing and laughing.

Basic premise is that new ideas are generated based on seemingly unrelated objects which are then related back to the original problem. It works by providing a number of physical objects - you can pick items around the room but I prefer to choose things related to the theme. So for example a recent Be your Best training had the theme of journey down the river BOB - so I collected items with a maritime theme e.g a boat, seagull, life buoy, anchor and some more regular items like chocolate and elastic bands. You could also use pictures to stimulate ideas. I then asked Leaders to come up one at a time from each group and select an item and generate an idea to help with the problem; which in this instance was what did they want to get out of their residential weekend? Ideas can be based on sense, smell, feeling, imagination, or association - the wackier the better really. Then the group reviews the ideas they have come up with. Most certainly bizarre but it worked well and a lot of fun was generated going by the noise levels in the room.  

Inset training week and Girls Matter publication

Newest GG UK publication and cloth badge below

 The week before half term and Gloucestershire adopted the idea of an inset training week - instead of unit meetings all Leaders were expected to participate in a Leader training. Trainings were organised all over the County focussing on those areas who don't normally get the opportunity to a host a training. There were a number of other training topics but predominantly the week focussed on the new resource - which had a rather mixed response. The best being from a history teacher who is going to build some aspects into her teaching, the general conclusion being that it was something to dip in and out of to launch other activities e.g GFI's!

I was doing the Guide Section training on both my nights and got very different reactions in both of the venues. We had been given a common training plan to use on the pretext that some delivering the trainings weren't trainers. I amended the training plan to include Good Guiding is ..... as a way to feed back on the ice breaker and also added in other resources principally GFI's! and South West region publications.  Nobody envisaged working on the resource beginning to end, but there was good conversation on how to use it. I did self evaluation forms from both my trainings as there are some wider conversations to be had especially on the first evening. I covered a huge number of miles in the week over 80 miles and I was really tired come the end of the week. I want one of the fold flat cardboard flip charts as they are really useful! Hope next year I get a venue a bit nearer to home.     

Pack Types

Have you ever tried playing pack types? They are promoted as self awareness cards which are loosely based on Belbin's team roles. I had the opportunity to test them out last weekend at a residential training event and the feedback was positive and generally felt the cards were accurate. Check out http://www.packtypes.com/ to see a short video on how to play. They fitted beautifully into the theme of "Being our Best" as I was training on the softer skills around succession planning - motivation & participation through decision making. Lots of opportunities to promote GG UK resources but pack types was really good in helping the Leaders think about their personal contribution.

Reasonably priced at around £25 a pack and of robust quality - I will certainly use again in training, and have already loaned them out at work. Watch the courier used by the seller as they insist on a signature on delivery which is hard when you are out all day. Is it the sort of resource County's will buy for Trainers to keep as a county resource?

Inclusive Training Checklist

This was the title of a hand out from the Trainers conference last month. Useful if not common sense advice about how to make trainings accessible to all members under 3 headings of the training room, resources & activities. Interestingly the most accessible font was suggested as a sans serif one e.g Trebuchet, Arial, Tahoma & Verdana. I was always taught that Times New Roman was the most readable font, so I thought it was worth investigating. Turns out that for online reading a sans serif font is considered more legible than a serif font which Times New Roman is - so I will change my ways from now on.

The advice given on activities was equally as relevant for planning meetings as trainings e.g. have additional extension activities in your back pocket and support different ways of learning in those participating.

Good hand out  that needs a better title!
 

Trainers Conference 2015

April has been a fun month for Guiding and I really enjoyed the GG UK Trainers conference up in Staffordshire a couple of weekends ago - it was inspirational to realise there are so many dedicated Trainers across the UK. We were all very cleverly helped to experience what it is like to be a brand new learner at a training. My Saturday afternoon new challenge was a session of Taoism on the lawn between the bedroom blocks. I admit I was sceptical but I actually really enjoyed it and it was beautiful with the sun shinning down, and a slight breeze blowing around us, as we all relaxed. It also felt like a bit of a celebration too with a gala dinner on the Saturday night with an excellent speech. More to follow soon.

A Fishbone on Glos County Training Day

Example of a Fishbone diagram to illustrate the issues around transitioning between the sections

 

I was fortunate enough to attend a workshop this month on using a variety of techniques to encourage attendees to participate in discussion so I thought I would give this idea a go. At our recent county training day I was given 1 hour to run a workshop on celebrating a smooth transition process - it was cross section so I had to try and get something in for everyone. I thought by charting all of the pitfalls on the fishbone we could usefully use the hour to focus on the positives and the celebration aspect. However I was knocked off course immediately in that the preceding workshop overran so both I & the Leaders were waiting outside the classroom to go in. Which meant I didn't get time to prepare so was literally facilitating the workshop in the order it came out of the bag for life - not good. There was plenty of discussion but there were some very very experienced Leaders who had a lot to share, so it was difficult to get the majority of the group contributing,

 

Next time I will insist on either being the first workshop after lunch or having an empty classroom to set up in advance. I would also split the group for part of the workshop into their section to make the sharing of experiences more meaningful. From some of the conversation I overheard whilst waiting for Taps I suspect there had been an overlap with the content of the afternoon workshops and some of the morning trainings - it will be interesting to see the feedback forms.

 

The first training on "Good Guiding is ....." and Adventure & Challenges - despite being bigger than I had anticipated went really well. The groups had to overflow into the corridor to work and I had to trim material from the end of my plan in order to finish on time. The old GG book on Wide Games was a real hit and I pointed them to a USA site selling a copy for $20! 

Guide Challenge Badge - Unit Guidelines

I visited the annual County Leadership Qualification Training weekend yesterday to do the Guide section training. It was lovely to see so many new young leaders, and the enthusiasm was infectious but what was alarming was the percentage in our small Guide group who didn't know about unit guidelines! So I thought I had better check to make sure we are correct (we re-do the guidelines at the start of each September) and all the guides sign them. Here is the extract from the Guide Challenge badge online:

 Over a 12-month period, be a reliable member of your Patrol.

• Talk to your Patrol about what it's like to belong to that team and make one suggestion for improvement.
• Sign and keep the unit's Guidelines.
• If you have sometimes found the Guidelines difficult to keep, discuss this with your Patrol and make suggestions for changes.

Girlguiding Emergency File

Happy New Year for 2015!

This is a new resource sent to the main unit contact (and featured in the last Trainers' mailing on email). It is A5 size and designed to be kept with the unit at all times and needs to be populated with unit emergency contact details, healthcare plans & activity risk assessments. It also includes templates for Emergency Contact Information, Witness Statements, & Fire Evacuation Information. It's the first time I've seen the risk management flowchart, risk assessment matrix & members' benefits scheme so widely published - I do hope there will be some publicity & explanation to come.
Extra blank forms can be printed from the forms area within the resource library once logged onto the members area.