Tips for carrying out a training course

The success of a training course is the result of a long preparation. Here you can find some useful tips:

Before the training
 
• Plan everything in advance: agenda, working team, space, materials necessary, eventual local transport, accommodation etc.
• Analyse the motivation, educational background and expectation of each participant. It’s important to have a homogeneous group in terms of motivations and skills, in order to deliver a successful TC.
• Before the arrival send all the useful information to the participants, taking in consideration the multicultural aspects and special needs.

During the training
 
• Follow a gradual learning flow! After an introductory session (presentation of the project, team and participants), it is good to introduce the main topics (e.g.: urban garden and youth work) and, after, details of each topic.
• Once you talk about gardening, bear in mind the idea of the garden as an educational and social tool! It is a training for youth workers willing to use the gardening in their work, not a training for individuals eager to set up an own private garden!
• Interchange theoretical and practical sessions in order to keep high the motivation and concentration. Especially organize gardening activities, putting in practice what was learned.
• Stimulate creativity and diversity! As the participants are coming from different countries, and especially if they are from different continents, give them enough space to meet and exchange personal and professional ideas and knowledge.
• Plan several study visits! Especially for the urban gardening topic, it’s very welcomed to know close-up any reality dealing with gardening: community garden, cooperatives, NGO’s etc.
• Put yourself in their shoes—or seats. Give frequent breaks, especially for half-day or all-day sessions.
• Encourage participation. Make the session lively by engaging participants in the learning process.
• Solicit feedback on the training session and organize a daily evaluation! It will help to track motivation, the learning path and see if the session succeeds or not.
• Following daily evaluation of the participants and working team, revise the programme!
• Organize public local gardening activities! Valorise your intercultural group, giving the opportunity to run a local activity in a public space, such as a square, garden or any green area. Local people will become more interested and motivated to take bottom–up initiative with the participants of the training! Such public activity will be practical result of the training as well as a small gift to the local community from the hosting group.
• Last day, make a final evaluation with the participants; get feedback about all the framework of the training carried out: agenda, logistics, learning outcomes, results, potential follow-up activities etc. You will take in consideration it during the follow–up activities with the working team.

After the training
 
• Make a final evaluation with the working team, paying attention also to the working methods used and their impact! The success of a new training is based on the deep evaluation of the previous one.
• Give visibility to the success of your training course! Use testimonies, video, pictures of the programme and places visited! It will help to have a more long and deep impact at local and transnational levels. Your experience could be taken as an example and replicated by other youth workers.
• Provide to the participants a certificate of participation.

Source: plantingcities.eu