Creating and implementing an effective Student Leader Training

1. Creating and implementing an effective Student Leader Training MACUHO 2011 Annual Conference

2. Session Outline & Objectives • We will Discuss: • Brief History of Student Staff Trainings • Things to think about when re-working your current training • Practical Applications for future staff training • Examples • Individuals will learn new techniques which they can implement into their student leadership training programs • Individuals will be able to identify common trends in student leader training, and begin to break down the process of re-working their student training • Individuals will be able to identify specific factors which can be implemented into student training that have been successful in other programs.

3. Presenter Introductions • Matt Kerch – Assistant Director of Residence Life Lehigh University • Shippensburg University • Dickinson College & Lehigh University • Kerri Kloorfain– Assistant Director of Residence Life Lehigh University • Bucknell University • Bucknell University & Lehigh University • Brandon Morris– Assistant Director of Residence Life Lehigh University • University of Delaware • University of Delaware & Lehigh University

4. Historical Context for Student Leader Training • 1940’s - Planned by deans, 2 to 3 days in length, lecture format. Main components were duty and facility training. • 1950’s – Planned by student affairs administrators, 5 to 7 days in length, lecture and team building activities. Main components were duty, facilities, and social programming. • 1960’s – Planned by student affairs administrators, 7 to 10 days in length, Duty/Crisis, policy enforcement, facilities, building relationships, community building programming. • 1970’s –Planned by new professionals, 7 to 14 days, team building, lectures, scenarios, intense. Main components are relationship building, community building, programming, policy, leadership, health, crisis intervention, facilities. • 1980’s – same format as the 70’s, eating disorders, and diversity initiatives take form during the 80’s. • 1990’s – same as the 80’s, emergence of multiculturalism, race, LGBT, & Gender take form. • 2000’s – 10 to 14 days, exhausting, LGBTQIA, Socio-economic class, standing is also seen in training.

5. Common Trends in the 2010’s • Planned by new professional or Grad Student • Typically 7 to 14 days • Team building, scenarios, lectures, intensive, & exhausting. • Components covered in training: • Relationship/Community building • Programming • Leadership • Conflict Mediation • Sexual Health • Sexual Assault • Depression/mental health/suicide • Diversity/Multiculturalism • Race, ethnicity, Gender, LGBTQIA, Ability, Veteran, Gender Expression, Socio-Economic Status • Social Justice • Gender Identity • Enforcement of community policies and procedures • Duty • Crisis • Facilities

6. Re-designing your current training • Assess your current training model • Are staff members satisfied by the training? • Is it too exhausting or intensive for your staff members? • Are presentations time effective? • Are presentations engaging and relevant to their positions? • Are you conducting assessments of your training? • Focus Groups? • Interviews?

7. Quotes “This year’s training was the best I have been a part of. I think it allowed for more free time to complete tasks as well as time to breathe and take in information from the sessions. “ - 4th year Gryphon “As a returning Gryphon I really appreciated this years training because it was condensed and I still learned all I needed for my job. “ - 2nd year Gryphon “Training was great this year because it allowed me to get to know my staff members better because we had more time to hang out that wasn’t forced.” - 2nd year Gryphon

8. Quotes “This year was my 1st year of being a Gryphon and I wouldn’t change anything about training. I feel that I had a lot of time with my staff as well as the entire group.” - 1st year Gryphon “This years training rocked because it was organized better than before, and I liked the concept of the theme, and liked working around that theme throughout training.” - 2nd year Gryphon “I liked how each Head Gryphon was given materials similar to the professional staff so we were all on the same page, and could assist Gryphons when they needed help.” - 2nd year Head Gryphon

9. Re-designing Training • Begin to re-design your training by creating a list of MUST-HAVES: • Examples can include: interactive training sessions, limit to session length (30 mins), handouts, rotating sessions to keep students moving, shorter days, increased group interaction, shorter training length. • Begin to work out your schedule. • Rotating small group sessions keep groups small, and get more presentations into the schedule. • Try the option of a resource fair for those offices not directly related to the students job responsibilities • Allow enough time between sessions/travel • Social Media Integration

10. Training should be fun! • Theme for training • Free giveaways each day • Prizes • Staff challenge or competition • Banner Contest • Door Decoration contest • Bulletin Board Contest • Spirit Award • Lip Sync • Social Media

11. Begin to re-create your training • Go through previous training and see if there are sessions you can eliminate, condense, or allow to be part of a resource fair. • Group sessions of similar topics together • Integration of institutions developmental competencies infused into training • All sessions limited to either 30 or 45 minute sessions. (Special exception for 2 – 60 min sessions – in our training) • Presenters are asked to be engaging, energetic, and interactive. • Increase in-hall time and individual staff time • Free day in the middle of training • Total of 6 day training, 3 days shorter than last year

12. Training Break Down

13. Training Schedule Example Example of Small Group Session Schedule Example of Large/Small Group schedule structure

14. Final Conclusions • Assessments of training this year concluded: • Students enjoyed the condensed training structure • Students felt they had more time to interact as a whole as well as individual staffs • Students felt adequately prepared for students to arrive • Students were not exhausted at the end of training, but were energized • Students stayed actively engaged during training • Team building activities/competitions/prizes helped keep student interest • Some training sessions can be combined next year or integrated into in-hall trainings • Session structure and overall schedule will stay close to current model to maximize student engagement • The re-design of the training model was a success

15. Matt, Kerri, & Brandon are available to help assist you & your office in re-envisioning and re-purposing your student staff training • Email us at: • mak508@lehigh.edu • kdk206@lehigh.edu • bdm410@lehigh.edu • Contact us if you have any questions or need help with your student staff training!