PACEY Local Facilitator Training:

1. PACEY Local Facilitator Training:

2. Contents of Session 2 Module 3: Organisation and set up of peer support networks Module 4: Representing PACEY Local

3. Module 3: Organisation and set of peer support networksAim • Equip Facilitators with the skills and knowledge they need to confidently organise their PACEY Local sessions

4. Learning Outcomes • Understand your goals in practical terms • Understand issues around payment and expenses • Develop practical ideas on how you can meet your goals • Know what PACEY expects from Facilitators • Understand the support Facilitators can expect from PACEY

5. Your goals: what is expected from you In terms of organisation and set up: • Establish a local peer support network in your agreed area • Organise and host an initial meeting • Hold at least one network meeting a month, with the aim that around 30% of local childminders and nannies in the peer support group attend each meeting.

6. Volunteering and Expenses • Facilitators are volunteers • However, we recognise that for the set-up in the pilot stage, Facilitators will probably incur costs • That’s why PACEY have agreed to: • pay Facilitators any expenses incurred for attending/participating in facilitator training • cover expenses, cost and overheads incurred in organising meetings, up to a maximum of £150 (e.g. towards the cost of booking a venue, refreshments, advertising, booking a speaker etc)

7. What does that mean for me? • All your expenses (other than training) for setting up should come out of your £150 • PACEY cannot cover any ‘top up’ expenses • PACEY will be supporting and advising Facilitators about how to make each PACEY Local self-sustaining.

8. Some practical examples of how you can be savvy… • Using existing free resources • Using contacts with your local Children’s Centre for free or discounted use of their facilities as a venue • Keeping refreshments realistic • Asking your members to consider contributing towards costs • Organise raffles or competitions to raise funds • Asking local people to speak at your event for free – e.g. local health visitors, Local Authority Early Years Officers etc.

9. Invoicing and Evidence Procedure • At the end of each month, send your expense claim to PACEY • Don’t forget to fill out the survey about your activities over the month • You’ll be getting more information about expenses and the survey

10. Questions? • If you have any questions about expenses, email facilitators@pacey.org.uk

11. Task 1: Establishing a local peer support network in your agreed area

12. How to establish a local peer support network? Three stages in setting up your network • Planning • Organisation • Getting up and running

13. Stage 1: Planning Mapping out your area: • Size? • Rural or Urban? • Challenges presented? Working out your target audience: • Evenly split between childminders and nannies? • Centre-based or home-based childcare dominate the local market? • General level of morale/support for childcare professionals? Exploring what existing resources you can use: • Regular user of local Children’s Centre? • Existing relationships with local strategic people, like your local health visitor, community nurses or early years team?

14. Things to consider… Reaching local childminders and nannies Venues Times and dates Invitations Resources Refreshments Agenda Minutes Stage 2: Organisation

15. Activity • How would you reach childminders and nannies in your local area? • Think about: • How you would communicate • What method you would use • What resources you might need

16. Reaching local childminders and nannies • What your message is: what is PACEY Local and what are the benefits of joining • Who you want to reach: all childminders and nannies in my local area, particularly those who are isolated • How you can reach them: publicising it through any free local newsletters/local press, leaving publicity materials in places like playgroups, libraries, village halls, children’s centres, local childminding associations or places of worship • What you might need: PACEY Local publicity postcards and flyers; homemade posters/flyers using the PACEY Local logo complete with information about you and your particular venue

17. Stage 3: Getting up and Running Think what you might need to do to ensure your group gets off the ground. You might need to consider: • Following up with those who attended the first session – thank them for coming and give them details of the next event • Tailoring your themes, issues and activities to the needs of your local community • Areas where you could develop relationships and links with other agencies and groups e.g. toy and book libraries, Family Nurses, Children’s Centres etc

18. Get your face-to-face network up and running Organise your launch Have your second and subsequent meetings Make your plan for the year in terms of themes, issues, speakers, activities etc Prioritise!

19. Proper website use • The online community is a support • It is not to replace face-to-face meetings • The website is a luxury; face-to-face is a necessity! • Use the site wisely, to help your work – not to overload you • Direct your members to your Local group pages, so that they can access info from you

20. Task 2: Organising your ‘launch’

21. What we mean by ‘launch’ • All Facilitators need to organise a first meeting • Any expenses incurred are to be covered by the £150 budget • Do not think of launches as being ‘events’ but rather an information evening and a chance to introduce yourself

22. Common misconceptions about launches • All Facilitators need to organise a lavish or elaborate launch, on the scale of the previous launches • All Facilitators will have separate funding for such launches • All Facilitators need to focus on an event rather a simple introductory meeting

23. Activity • What items would you include in your agenda for your launch? • Think about: • Introductions • Background • Benefits • Ice breakers • Building a community

24. Some suggestions for your launch • Introduce PACEY Local: A PowerPoint presentation is available to download from the website • Introduce yourself: background, experience, expectations and hopes • Short ice breakers • Collect information: sign up sheets, email addresses, get attendees to sign up to the PACEY local website, areas of interest/expertise to help with buddying matches • Kick off activities: see your Introductory Guide for Facilitators for suggestions about learning and expectation exercises

25. Task 3: Building on success… ‘A meeting a month’

26. Building on the success of your launch • Spread the word • Plan your sessions in advance • Listen to your members – what do they want? • Chat with other Facilitators online • Stay focused on the task at hand

27. Module 4: Representing PACEY LocalAim • Clarify what PACEY expects from Facilitators • Outline the support Facilitators can expect from PACEY

28. Activity What do you think when hear the phrase ‘a good representative?’

29. Always professional Putting forward a united front Raising concerns with appropriate team members Excellent ‘customer service’ type skills Enthusiasm Easy to talk to Representing your project to the best of your ability Communicating to external stakeholders in an appropriate way Promoting the brand of the project Ensuring that the project’s reputation remains intact Some ideas might include…

30. Why does it matter? • Because PACEY Local is funded by the DfE • Because this is a pilot project – the long term success of PACEY Local depends on all of us working together • Because we have an audience of captive childminders and nannies • Because we have the opportunity to lead the workforce

31. When am I representing PACEY Local? • In face-to-face sessions (meetings, events, outings) with my members • In written communications or meetings with local authority staff, parents and other key stakeholders • On the local.pacey.org.uk website

32. In meetings with members… • Be inclusive • Be approachable • Be enthusiastic • Be positive about PACEY Local • Be positive about PACEY

33. Communicating with your Local Authority… • Follow the advice in your Communicating with Local Authorities and Other Stakeholders document • Follow the template letters • Read the PACEY Local logo guidance document • Be professional and helpful • Be confident! 

34. Working with Other Agencies • Professionalism • Assertiveness • Are they aware of PACEY and my role? • Who do I need to contact, what is their role?

35. Assertiveness • Know the facts relating to the situation and have the details to hand. • Be ready for - anticipate - other people's behaviour and prepare your responses. • Prepare and use good open questions. • Recondition and practise your own new reactions to aggression • Have faith that your own abilities and style will ultimately work

36. On the PACEY Local online community… • Sign up to the terms and conditions • Follow the posting guidance: post in the appropriate area (see next slide) • Don’t use inappropriate language • Check that your posts are clear and well-written • Be inclusive • Be helpful

37. Using the online community

38. Behaviour online • Think of it as an extension of face-to-face communication • Ask yourself: • Would I say this in person? • Is it easy to understand? • Is my tone hostile? Could it be viewed as hostile when read? • Am I likely to offend or upset someone? If in doubt – don’t post it!

39. Activity You have logged into the Facilitators areaon the online community.You note that one of your fellow Facilitators has made a post, expressing their frustration with a technical issue they are having on the site. You know how to deal with this issue. How do you respond?

40. Suggested response • Check if you can complete the query yourself – if you can, you know there is unlikely to be a bug • Read the post carefully – ask yourself, does this Facilitator just not understand a feature? • Post a polite, professional response • Suggest if they need further help, to send an email to the Online Community manager

41. Support for You • What type of support might you need? • How can this be achieved?

42. Introductory Guide to Facilitation with suggested agendas, interactive learning strategies and logistical tips Reporting survey tools Expense claim templates Advice on communicating with local authorities Promotional materials A dedicated Facilitator area on local.pacey.org.uk with chat forums, help forums and training materials At least one facilitators group meeting within 12 months What support you can expect from PACEY

43. Certificate Programme • Facilitators will receive certificates for today’s training • Facilitators will have a follow-up session • Facilitators will receive certificates and CPD hours for standardisation (facilitator group) meetings

44. Questions or problems? Please raise them with us directly. Your designated contacts are: • Connie Cluderay, Project Support Lead - connie.cluderay@pacey.org.uk

45. By the end of this session we hoped for you to be able to: • Understand your goals in practical terms • Understand issues around payment and expenses • Develop practical ideas on how you can meet your goals • Know what PACEY expects from Facilitators • Understand the support Facilitators can expect from PACEY

46. Thank you and best of luck with your own PACEY Local! Please complete the online evaluation questionnaire which will be emailed to you after this session.