Connecting training activities with the term of service
Abstract
Help members understand how their pre-service training sessions will directly relate to their terms of service by holding a pre-training meeting and tailoring training sessions to meet the specific needs of members. The Constitutional Rights Foundation compiled these suggestions after speaking with several AmeriCorps program directors in a Civic Engagement Training and Technical Assistance for National Service Programs conference call held in autumn 2001.Issue
It is helpful if members make a direct connection between the training they receive and the service they are preparing for. Without this connection they may feel that their time spent in training sessions is time wasted.Action
The following recommendations for connecting training with service were collected from a Civic Engagement Training and Technical Assistance conference call with several AmeriCorps program directors:- Hold a pre-training meeting with your members to explain the intent of the training sessions. Use this time to gauge their civic knowledge, nonprofit experience, and education histories.
- Tailor training materials based on the information you gather from the pre-training session. If members are unfamiliar with key concepts of your program's service or philosophy, a brief overview may be in order. On the other hand, the pre-training may reveal that your members are already experienced with many of the topics you intend to cover.
- For advanced members, ask directed questions to provoke in-depth analysis of their upcoming service projects. This will help members stay involved during the training.
- Some training sessions require members to prepare materials ahead of time. Members who have difficulty remembering to bring these materials may be encouraged by the incentive of small prizes. If incentives are used, keep them to a minimum; some programs have awarded gift certificates for free food or AmeriCorps clothing. It is important to remember that these prizes are simply for recognizing the completion of a task that is supposed to be required.
- It is recommended that trainers maintain a log to record their training sessions. Include in this log the date and time of the session, size of the audience, topics covered, perceived satisfaction of the audience, level of self-satisfaction, as well as any trouble areas. Compare log entries with participant evaluations to determine if the training sessions are having their intended impact.
Context
The Constitutional Rights Foundation compiled these suggestions after speaking with several AmeriCorps program directors in a Civic Engagement Training and Technical Assistance for National Service Programs (CETTA) conference call. In the summer of 2001, Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) contracted with the Corporation for National and Community Service to begin work on CETTA. This three-year training and technical assistance project is designed to provide AmeriCorps members with enrichment activities and lessons that teach civics and citizenship skills.
Constitutional Rights Foundation seeks to instill in our nation's youth a deeper understanding of citizenship through values expressed in our Constitution and its Bill of Rights, and educate them to become active and responsible participants in our society.
Outcome
The results of these suggestions are immediately visible in the way that members react to the training materials. If members view the training as something that positively builds upon their existing knowledge, then the training is a success. If members actively participate in the training through discussion, ongoing fieldwork and reflection, then the group's collective knowledge greatly increases.
Although the conference call was intended only to gather preliminary feedback, program directors expressed optimism that such practices directly engage members in their training materials, promoting a heightened understanding of the curriculum.
Posted On
December 17, 2001For More Information
Resources
Use the EnCorps "Member Orientation" resources at http://encorps.nationalserviceresources.org/mo_home.php to gather information about all aspects of orientation for both AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps*VISTA programs.Includes resources to help identify the types of training appropriate for your program; orientation agendas; and checklists to help track progress of each member.