Course Schedule

The course is divided into eight modules with each module made up of four to seven sessions. The course schedule can be varied to suit participants. In Cambodia most course participants were children's workers with organisations or churches. It worked best to run the course for 2.5 days each month. Elsewhere the course is taught full time over one month

Course Retreats

Retreats held over a couple of days and away from participants place of work have proven extremely valuable.

A retreat at the start of the course, gives participants the opportunity to get to know each other and build a rapport. Art therapy, music, prayer and times for quiet reflection can be incorporated into the retreat.

At the conclusion of the course a retreat be both a time to celebrate completing the training and a time for graduates to express their vision and hopes for the future.

Course Facilitator

It is often useful for one person to function as the course facilitator. They will take a leading role in planning the course, developing suitable training materials, delivering some of the training and evaluating the effectiveness of the course.

Mentoring

The Mentors Questionnaire (80KB pdf file) developed in Cambodia can be used to help the mentor to support students between sessions to give them an opportunity to reflect on learning.

The Mentoring Role (53KB word file) document was developed in the Asia facilitators training and gives a Biblical understanding and some practical ideas about the role of the Mentor.

The Trainers and Mentors presentation (77KB .ppsx file) gives more understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of those who do these roles.

Contracts

It is good to have a formal contract:

  1. Between students and the network running the course so that students are aware of what is expected of them and can fulfil the selection process
  2. Between teachers and the network so that teachers are aware of what is expected of them during teaching and in assessments
  3. Between mentors and the network so that mentors are aware of what is expected of them to support the student.
  4. Between organizations sending students and the network so that sufficient time is given to the students to attend the course and do assignments.

Course Sessions

A typical course session

  1. Reflection or prayer time
  2. Introduction and feedback from evaluation
  3. Outline of the objectives for the session
  4. PowerPoint presentation of 1st topic: an initial summary of the chapter in the book.
  5. Structured learning exercise: small groups are given 10 minutes to consider case studies and discussion questions
  6. Small groups presents answers to the large group
  7. Synthesis activity: in the large group bring together all the contributions from the groups and make recommendations for practice, e.g. develop a tool to find out more about children
  8. Working individually participants write down how they are personally going to put this into practice and create personal goals on how to improve the ways they work with children based on the list of recommendations made and the new knowledge they gained.
  9. Utilise discussion, role play, situation cards or case studies to bring together the experience of participants and think through the topic. Learn from one another.
  10. Small group discussions on a deeper level, reflecting on differences that can be made by positive action in the future.
  11. PowerPoint presentation to reinforce what has been learnt
  12. Explaining the next assignment.
  13. Participants complete session evaluation forms.

Considerations for Presenting a Course

Recommendations from previous courses include:

  • Prepare flexible lesson plans.
  • Use the knowledge of your participants.
  • Plan a mixture of lectures and workshops and including visual aids, and group activities.
  • Maintain the composition of small teams throughout the year.
  • Include games, particularly learning games, in each module.
  • Plan assignments to encourage participants do their own research and then allow enough time for them to share research results with one another.
  • Include short times of prayer and worship and allow time for reflection on what has been taught.
  • Monitor and evaluate each module, implementing suggested changes promptly.
  • Make use of a “mentoring” scheme in which each participant has a personal mentor, usually a line manager. The mentor’s responsibility is to follow on from the lessons and help the participant to apply the teaching of the course in their own organisation. Mentors are invited to come to the start of the course and to attend the concluding graduation ceremony.

Notes on example contracts with students, and selection criteria for mentors, trainers and venue. (76KB pdf files)

Assessing Students

The Checklist for Facilitators, Trainers and Mentors (61KB word file) provides a systematic standard against which the assignments can be measured.

Please also see the Course Assessment Tool (174KB pdf files)

Graduation Ceremony

A graduation ceremony marking participants completion of the course is a fitting way to recognise participants work before their mentors, employer and family members.

Please see chapter 7 in the Celebrating Children course manual for further information about presenting the course.

Quality Improvement Systems (QIS)

Viva Network has developed a organisational capacity building tool for Christian organizations that will lead to sustainable improvements in the provision of care for children at risk. The Quality Improvement System (QIS), helps organisations caring for ‘children at risk’ to pursue excellence and sustainability. The QIS tool gathers standards from recognised international codes of good practice, presents them in an accessible format and encourages organisation to assess programme performance against these standards and then go on to devise strategies for improvement. Areas covered include child protection, caring for children's workers, programme design and more.

Please contact Viva Network for further information