Aims of the exercises
The Trainer’s manual has a short list of aims at the start of every exercise. These are meant to help the trainers piece together the exercises. The purpose is not to reveal the goals to the group. Rather than highlighting the theoretical back- ground concepts of the exercises, trainers should strive to create clear practical examples.
Opening the day’s session
Each day, the trainers begin before the group members arrive. It is important that they have taken care of practical issues before the group members arrive, so that they can be there every morning to meet and welcome them. Each participant should feel that they are welcome.
In online implementation, the trainers should join the first meeting 30 minutes before the participants and test the functionality of the network connections and the online platform used. The trainers should also join well before the participants on the following meetings.
Each day begins with a short warm-up, during which the participants can, for example, discuss the use of supplementary material and sources of information presented in the group or what they have done regarding their career plans. Trainers can tell the group something about their own experiences. The goal is to create an atmosphere that is as safe and natural as possible from the very beginning. At the beginning of each day, it is also good to provide a short summary of the issues to be covered.
Ending the day’s session
At the end of each day, the supplementary material related to the day’s issue is distributed and the thoughts that the exercises have aroused in participants are discussed. To end, a short summary of the issues presented during the day and a preview of what to expect the next day is presented. If the day contains several sessions, there is no need to carry out the exercises intended to open and end each day’s session.
Keeping to schedule
It is advisable to start and end each day on time. If a participant is late, welcome them and make sure that they are familiar with the programme. This is best done in such a way that one of the trainers continues supervising the exercise and the other explains the issues covered earlier to the latecomer. In online implementation, the trainer briefly goes over the previously discussed topics.
Keeping to schedule throughout the programme is important to maintain intensity, and experience has shown that participants value this greatly. Keeping to schedule also makes sure that important issues are not neglected. The Trainer’s manual offers well-defined, effective instructions for exercises, and gives a predetermined time limit that you should not exceed. During the exercises, the trainers should make sure that the participants are aware of the time so that they can effectively use the time appointed. Discussions easily become drawn out and the trainer may optionally allow extra time for some exercises, because all discussions that serve the course interests are important and should not be cut out in order to keep to schedule. It is, however, advisable to stick to start and ending times.
It is also essential that the Information interview time is agreed upon with the visitor before the course begins. It is advisable to make personal arrangements regarding the interview with the visitor.
The Invitation to the information interview letter (pdf, appendix 1) may be sent as a reminder.
Participant’s Workbook
During the programme, participants do several exercises in their Workbooks. Because Workbook tasks are essentially connected with the rest of the work, it is advisable to do them in the order presented in the Trainer’s manual. The manual contains instructions on when to give directions for doing Workbook exercises and when the exercises should be completed. The Participant’s Work- book also contains additional information on various issues.
The discussion exercises after the information boxes can be used as a warm-up for the next day or the next section. After the Towards Successful Seniority® programme, the Participant’s Workbook and its notes serves as the participant’s personal career management guide.
Before the programme begins, makes sure that:
In in-person implementation:
- you have a flip chart and paper in the classroom
- you have large felt-tip pens of different colours
- you have masking tape to attach flip chart sheets to the wall
- you have paper (A4)
- you have enough Workbooks
- you have 3–4 pictures for the initial exercise
- the other trainer knows of the group and timetable
- you have a visitor for the Information interview in Session two
In online implementation:
- Mail the Participant’s Workbook to all participants
- Send an email invitation with instructions and a link to the group meetings, as well as your own phone number in case of problems. Explain that cameras will be kept on during meetings.
- Depending on the online platform used, prepare the materials to be shared via the screen in, for example, Powerpoint or Howspace (e.g. images for the warm-up exercise). It is easier to run a group if you have the names of all participants and the schedule ready in an easy-to-share format.
- Test the connection and practise dividing participants into breakout rooms in the online environment
- Agree on the schedule and division of work with the other trainer. Ask the visitor to join the information interview on the second session