S-PLAY – LSP workshop Hospitality training simulation

1. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. S-PLAY – LSP workshop Hospitality training simulation Monte San Giorgio Ticino (Switzerland), 19-20 June 2013

2. Outline of the experience • Goal of the experiencewas to provide a fresh – real life – experience of a LSP workshop • In order to makeit more realistic, a roleplay has been designed, as follows: • a company has to design a learningexperience for • young people – aged 16-25 – whoseinstitutionalisedlearningexperience has been interrupted. They have a difficultsocio-economic background, and experiencedseveralfailures. • They are supposed to beprepared to enter the service industry, namely the hospitalitysector • through a maximum six months training (max one month in presence, plus on-the-job training) • eleven relevant stakeholders are gathered for a LSP session (roles have been chosen by participants according to theirinterest • Hereafter the Report of the session

3. Location: Monte San Giorgio – Ticino, Switzerland Time: twohalfdays – 19-20 June2013 The group: 11 persons, managers of small and big hotels, B&B and restaurant owners, psychologist, city tourism office manager, social security officer, journalist, learning designer Facilitators: Elisabetta Frick, Stefano Tardini, Lorenzo Cantoni

4. the goal To provide relevant insights/requirements in order to design a successful learning experience for about 20 young people – aged 16-25 – whose institutionalized learning experience has been interrupted. They have a difficult socio-economic background, and experienced several failures. They are supposed to be prepared to enter the service industry, namely the hospitality sector, through a maximum six months training (max one month in presence, plus on-the-job training).

5. The method The core process of the LEGO ® SERIOUS PLAY ® methodology implies four steps: (i) posing the question/challenge, (ii) constructing, (iii) sharing and (iv) reflecting. There are 7 application techniques: building individualmodels, building sharedmodels, creating a landscape, making connections, building a system, playingemergence & decisions, extracting simple guidingprinciples. More info at http://www.seriousplay.com/

6. LLED – Lego learningexperience design Relevant external agents Contents / Goals People after People before Relevant external agents Strategies People (beforevs. after) – Contents/Goals – Strategies

7. skill building – warm-up The highesttower An important issue youexperienceatwork The ideal boss

8. Who are they right now? 1/4 Theysee the beautiful world outside but don’ttry to reachitbecausethey know thattheywillfail. They are sociallyalienated. They are attractedfromnegative habits, companies, etc. They go the wrongway. Some of them are optimistic, someotherpessimistic (half-full glass). Theirfamiliesoftendon’t help them.

9. Who are they right now? 2/4 Theyspend the days sleeping, watching tv, drinkingbeer... They have onlynegative perspectives. They are in the darkside of our society but have the beauty inside. Theycan have differentpersonalities: apathetic, willing, proactive,…

10. Who are they right now? 3/4 They may be motivated by money and be aggressive, don’t have a clear idea of the future, could have mental barriers. They must take the step. Theytry to do differentthings but it’salwaysjust for a smallperiod, thentheyfail. Theystay in gangs, have no aspirations/ambitions, they are attracted by the sharks. The authoritysometimestreatthem as «rubbish».

11. Who are they right now? 4/4 Althoughthey share many characteristics, they are all individuals. When they try to go ahead the skeletons move them back. Theystay in gangs, go sometimes to the prison, or to the hospital… All of them have creativeideas but theyhadn’t the opportunity to express them.

12. How shouldtheybeend of the training?

13. How shouldtheybe end of the training? 1/4 They have reached the beautiful world and are part of the working class. They are qualified, able to collaborate, speakwithtourists. They do the 4 steps: practicalcompetences, methods, leadership, personality. Ateverystepthey have an examination.

14. How shouldtheybe end of the training? 2/4 They have learned soft skillssuch as time management, being flexible, friendliness… Theyhave nowmany perspectives. They are smiling, theylisten to the guests, have a service mentality. They are part of the community, workcollaboratively, each of them has a differentrole.

15. How shouldtheybe end of the training? 3/4 They wear uniforms, are part of an organisation, have some long-term goals. They are ready to face obstacles. They have a clearpath to follow. They are flexible, are able to do manydifferentthings. They are able to manage new situations and bring new skillsinto the organisation.

16. How shouldtheybe end of the training? 4/4 Theyrecognize the importance of the relationshipwithcustomers. Theywork in a futuristic office, design educational software, work all together in a collaborative way.

17. The shared model After having attended the course students should have these skills: softs skills, communication, listening, collaboration, reactiveness, flexibility, time management, professional skills (e.g. cooking), IT skills, etc.

18. Contents and/or strategies in order to help them to grow

19. Flexibility of the system. Learnusing digital media The skill of self-reflection. Where have I been and where do I want to go? Be able to smile all the time. Be a concierge but also a plumber. Be a kind of ghost in the hotel. Time management. Know the city: where to go, the history, bus timetable, main attractions, etc.

20. Learn how to trust the teacher. Cut away the bonds with the past. Learn theories and technical skills (i.e. cooking). Ask the right questions to new guests, welcomethem, treatthemrespectfully. Skiing. Thinkoutside the box. Be enthusiastic, professionals and efficient at the hotel service desk

21. In-class training; materials on the website+ e-learning; internships in different institutions IT skills module: learnfrom basics likesending an e-mail to complextechnologyrelatedskills. The increase of self-esteem. The abilities of the student are a treasure for the company. Watchingvideos, students’ shadowing, giving feedbacks.

22. 4 stepsprocess: observation, tutoring, practice, assessment. Dual system: practicalcompetences in the hotels (alsoabroad), knowledge in the vocationalschool. Learners go to smallhotels for internship in order to gain experience and move to biggerones. Learners must move from one department to the other to learnthat the guestis in the middle of the business.

23. The diagnostic test to find out what the starting point is. Learn to cooperate, goingforward to the future. The strategyincludesdifferentlevels and topics, from the basics to the final evaluation The formative assessment. The student’smindisalways a work in progress.

24. Learning road startswith basics likeboilingeggs, toastingbread, frying the bacon, etc. Be a good presenter& communicator, be able to present to a variety of different people.

25. Building a commonlandscape

26. «We have somehopless people, with no chance at the moment, but stillthey have somecolorsinside. Theytry to jump over the wall but do not trust themselves.» «We do someassessmentwiththem and help them to stepinto a better future. Theylearn how to use computers, how to move forward, they gain self-confidence.»

27. «Theylearn how to move in the hospitalityenvironment, how to prepare beds, about the cities, how to talk to the customers, the importance of the guests. ” «In the end we have well-educated people willing to meet the expectations of the employers.»

28. The landscape

29. Exploringexternal agents

30. Swine flu The authorities of the city (especially the “finance man”) Obstacles: e.g. the government person Media partners (newspapers, television, etc.)

31. The four steps for competence An external mentor The schoolwhichgoesbeyond the typical system The «badpast»

32. The motivation The authority(couldbe EU fundings). An externalsupervisor

33. Which are the most important connections?

34. The final landscape

35. CONCLUSIONS 1/2 Importance of the diagnostic test: to make sure that we don’t teach them something they already know. Students must have competences in cooking, room cleaning, customer relationship and interaction, IT skills, time management. They should be able to work without being visible, trust each other, and trust the teachers. They have to know the main attractions of the city. Students should have basic skills in all departments and have experience on all the elements.

36. CONCLUSIONS 2/2 The strategies (or learningmethods) shouldbe: classes, digital technologies, learning by doing, internship, constant formative assessment, shadowing, self-reflection. Wewantthem to reach a better self-esteem and avoid to beattractedfromtheir «badpast». Friends, families, tutorsshould help. We have to inform the media sothat prospective students know about thisopportunity and alsofundingagencies know thatwe are doing a great job. The teachersshouldthink out of the box: don’tteach in the ordinaryway.