From Jamie Oliver’s pass it on campaign to RHS for Schools and local ideas. There’s funding for great programmes to train people to help other people.
What to train
I know an environmental group with one hour to change the behaviour of people in a London office. These specialists have a long agenda with all the stats you would imagine. Sticks and carrots. But the training agenda is subtler. They want people to leave feeling enthusiastic to help themselves and others. Not preached at or overwhelmed. They actually want people to visit their website that has environment saving ideas and act on a few of them.
In my case, we’re training food growing mentors, so want people to leave with ideas for who they can help first and know what support is available. More horticultural training follows once their confidence grows and they have more experience as mentors from which to hang new knowledge.
The trick to such programme training, more so than regular course lectures, is planning what you want the group to do after the training, rather than cram in all your subject material.
Tips: all in the greeting
1. The relationship starts before the training. Personalised communications make each delegate feel welcome. Explain rough content to negate natural suspicion. Invite them to bring something to show the group. These all encourage better attendance and buy in, but also helps trainers tailor examples more relevant to a known audience.
2. The relationship continues with first impression. Remove factors that annoy people, eg have clear direction signs to the training room; herbal teas, open door, comfortable temperature, start on time, etc. Yup, these do matter. Think of these as Maslow’s hygiene factors. They won’t motivate, but will stop demotivation.
3. Then start motivating. Offer something useful that’s personalised, like a manual or namebadge pre-printed so they feel special and welcome. Greet people rather than mess about checking powerpoint. By the time you and fellow trainers take to the stage, you’ll have spoken to most of the group, and have more examples that resonant with the delegates in front in you.
4. Then a hook. What message/s and how? That’s custom. But use the space. Use their knowledge. And offer an overview of actions at the start and end when they’re most likely to remember. Follow up with a thank you note.
