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Aberdeenshire Libraries. ICT Mentors: A Successful Volunteer Programme by Jackie Coroon Learner Support Tutor. ICT Support in Libraries. 2002 received Lottery Funding (5 years) Recruited 3 part time tutors Stonehaven (south), Ellon (central), Fraserburgh (north)
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Aberdeenshire Libraries ICT Mentors: A Successful Volunteer Programme by Jackie Coroon Learner Support Tutor
ICT Support in Libraries • 2002 received Lottery Funding (5 years) • Recruited 3 part time tutors • Stonehaven (south), Ellon (central), Fraserburgh (north) • Created learning materials • How to use the internet • Basic computing • Trained staff • Received additional hours to deliver supported sessions (1-1) • Delivered learning sessions in their areas to groups
Lottery Money Ended • Service retained the tutors • Less money available to pay staff additional hours • Waiting lists grew • Two of the tutors left
The Outcome • 1 tutor to deliver and support 36 libraries!
Background to the Project • Budgets continue to decline • Around 2010 no longer funding to pay staff additional hours to support customers with ICT • Impact – had to be innovative regarding delivery of services with limited resources
Background to the Project • Government were encouraging agencies to provide young people with volunteering opportunities in their local communities – Big Society • Aberdeenshire Libraries considered potential volunteering initiatives to help support additional activities such as ICT sessions
ICT Waiting Lists • Many of our larger libraries had lists of people seeking ICT support • Looking at creating mentoring/volunteering in these libraries made sense • Meeting customers needs while at the same time providing volunteering opportunities for people in our communities
Volunteering was New to the Service • In order to ensure the volunteer program was successful we had to consider: • How we would initiate the program and integrate to our services • Communicate the program to staff reinforcing that their roles were safe and volunteers were not replacing core work • Any issues or pitfalls we may encounter • Where would we source our volunteers from • What training would they need
How would we initiate the program • Attended a train the trainer day in 2010 provided by the Beth Johnston Foundation • Was introduced to fantastic resources • Break down barriers between generations • Fun learning activities and ice breakers • Resources and activities I still utilise when introducing generations together – and they work
Communicate the program to staff • To remove any anxiety or resistance • Reinforced volunteers were not taking jobs away • Enhancing services we could not deliver • Staff would be required to support volunteers in the library • Take part in volunteer/learner get togethers • Be involved in our annual award ceremonies
Where would we source volunteers from? • Wanted volunteers who were interested in IT • Local volunteers as there was no income to pay expenses • Made contacts with the Volunteer Centre in Aberdeenshire for advice and support
The Volunteer Centre • We could register to make our volunteer opportunity visible (which we did once we were ready to go) • We received help regarding volunteer descriptors, applications forms • Introduced to other services who used volunteers
Sourcing our Volunteers • Pilot project • Senior pupils from Ellon Academy – local school • Advertised in branches for adult volunteers in Inverurie and Kemnay
Senior Pupils • Met with Deputy Head to discuss… • The project – including level of training the pupils would receive • The quality of the training and the learning volunteers would deliver • Demonstrate links to the Curriculum for Excellence • Successful learner • Confident individual • Responsible citizen • Effective contributor
Pupil Volunteers • Support pupils would have from staff • Benefits to pupil of taking part • Inform them they can use the volunteering opportunity – DofE or Saltire • Training hours also counts as volunteering
Promoted by School • Recruited 5 senior pupils – all boys • All interested in volunteering • Enhance their university applications • Enhance job prospects • Develop a range of skills • Communication • Organisation • Planning • Time management
Adult Volunteers • Advertised in the branches • Advertised on the Aberdeenshire Volunteer Centre website • Recruited 3 volunteer – all male!
Training! • It was vital our volunteers received quality training • Wanted to maintain the level of service that staff delivered • Ensure the volunteers were prepared and ready
Pupil Training • Four, hourly sessions • First – The Ginger Bread Man activity • Introduced to learning styles and how we learn • Taught them how to knit! • The admin element – weekly registers, simple learning plans, reflective learning • Potential scenarios they may encounter • Role play
Adult Training • Two, hourly sessions • Introduced to learning styles and how we learn • The admin element – weekly registers, simple learning plans, reflective learning • Potential scenarios they may encounter
Bringing Young and Old Together! • The pilot project (young volunteers) • learners were not aware that they would be supported by young volunteers • Felt this may have a negative impact • Learners arrived around 45 mins before volunteers • Chat to them about what they wanted to learn • Find out their level of ability • Complete the pre-course registration form
Bringing Young and Old Together! • Volunteers started to arrive • Welcomed them in and then… • introduced the volunteers to the learners • looks of anxiety (from both groups) • room was very quiet
Bringing Young and Old Together! • Informed the learners of the volunteers commitment • The training they had received • Their reasons for deciding to volunteer
Bringing Young and Old Together! • Played an icebreaker game • Soon both groups were chatting • Sharing things they had in common • Room was no longer quiet!
What Happened Next? • Matched learners with volunteers • Arranged start dates • Everyone got going
Comments from Learners “my tutor was very patient, helpful and knowledgeable” “excellent idea having one to one sessions, especially with local pupils” “really learnt a lot from my volunteer”
Comments from Volunteers “really enjoyed the learning sessions with my learner” “we became good friends and found we had lots in common” “found we spent time each week chatting about what we had both been doing at the weekends”
Feedback from D.H.T • http://youtu.be/d0-35yMz-Cw
Adult Volunteers • No get together here • Learners completed registration form with library staff • Assigned a learner • Conducted a review after first block of sessions
Hours Dedicated to Volunteering • 2011 – 2012 216 volunteer hours • 2012 – 2013 474 volunteer hours • 2013 to date 478 volunteer hours • Total 1168 hours and around 130 learners with approximately 70 volunteers
Adult volunteers: Mintlaw Inverurie Kemnay Turriff Portsoy Pupil volunteers: Banchory Ellon Newmacher Turriff Westhill Currently volunteers delivering sessions
Volunteers Training Volunteers • Introduced this year • Last years pupil volunteers trained this years (Westhill and Newmacher) • These volunteers going on to support learners in Westhill and Inverurie
What next? • Due to the success of the programme • Network Librarians recently received training (17 secondary schools) • Recruit and train pupils from 17 schools • Learning sessions delivered in all our larger and medium sized libraries • Improving service provision to customers
Award Ceremony – Volunteer with Senior Librarian and Learner Support Tutor
