Designing a Training Session

1. Designing a Training Session

2. What types of training exist? • Training courses and workshops • Courses taught by universities and other organizations • Distance learning • Internships • On-the-job training • Orientation sessions • Peer-based methods • Self-directed learning • Tutorials • Large professional conferences, conventions, and retreats

3. What do you train people to do? • Examples of General topics: • Communication • Computer skills • Diversity • Ethics • Human relations • Safety • Sexual harassment • Self-defense

4. Examples of Organization-specific topics: • Crisis-counseling centers for children, people that are suicidal, or victims of abuse. • Groups might train staff and volunteers about the resources to which the group might direct its clients. • An HIV/AIDS service center might develop workshops on different insurance carriers. • A half-way house for recovering addicts might design a training on facilitating support groups.

5. Why should you design a training session? • To develop an individualized training that will best suit your organization's needs. • To pass on the experience and expertise of members of your organization. • To give staff members or volunteers experience in training design. • To offer staff and volunteers additional opportunities for professional growth .

6. Who should design your training session? • Experts • Future learners • Future teachers

7. Designing a training session • Learn about the people you will be training. • Determine the needs of your target audience. • Consider the scope of your organization's needs and resources. • Develop specific objectives for the training. • Develop the content of your training session. • Decide on a format for your training. • Decide who should run the training (and what training they will need). • Ask people not involved in the development of the training outline to critique it. • Recruit participants. • Develop a way to assess your training. • Celebrate your hard work.