How to start and maintain youth skill building workshops By Domonique O.

What do they want? Survey the students and ask them what kind of workshop they would like to see and attend. Use that information to narrow it down so that it is easier to search for potential instructors.

Budget? Ask your supervisor about money for supplies See how many supplies you have around the center Ask volunteer about helping donate supplies Ask donors to help donate supplies

Search instructors Ask your team what workshop instructors you had before and contact them to come back Ask your staff if they know of anyone or if they could help teach a class Then reach out into the community. I searched Yellowpages.com and Craiglist.org and asked people who were offering there services if they wanted to donate their time to help some students in some skill building workshops.

Start volunteer process Once you have contacted your workshop instructors have them come in for a review of what they will teaching and a monthly lesson plan. Also you will talk about supplies. Once you feel like they are perfect and they also want to continue the process. We have our volunteer coordinator come in and start the volunteer process. The volunteer coordinator will go over the core values of the company. Talk about polices and rules. Also watch video on how the company was started and then have fingerprint and background checks done. Once everything is finished we issue out a name badge and see them back on the first day or their workshop.

Make room assignments Here at my site we have a limited number of available rooms. So we make room assignments to make sure you have the right room for the right project. Also you might want the room set-up in a certain way so you would want to let your site manager know what they need to bring In or take out.

Promote workshop Once you have your volunteer, you have made your room assignment and you have all your supplies you promote the workshop. I promoted everyday I saw the group which was Tuesday and Thursday during there announcements time. I spoke with a lot of energy and made them want to sign up for all the classes.

Have Sign-ups Once I promoted for two weeks I finally had sign-ups. Most of the students wanted to sign-up when I told them there were going to be sign-ups but I made it more fun and ad them meet me in a location once homework time we over. When that time came I had a huge crowd and I knew they were excited to want to join a workshop. In some workshops I had only certain number of slots for students to sign-up so I stated that on the sign-up list. I also had limited the number of classes a student could sign-up so that other students could sign-up. Once they signed up I talked to the students to let them know this was a commitment they were making and I hope they were serious because I could deny anyone who I thought was not serious.

First day of workshops. You make sure all the rooms are set-up like they need to be. Once your volunteer’s come in you show them their room and let them know you will be available if needed but will also be walking around the building to ensure every class is running efficiently. Now the students are out of there homework time you let them know that if they have signed up for a class it is running today and make sure you arrive on time. Next once the students are in there classes you walk room to room to make sure the students and volunteer are working together and help where needed.

Maintain workshop I sometimes once a week would like to join a workshop class or just sit in to make sure everyone is gaining something and also show the volunteer and students that I am interested in the class and not just walking around being a warden. I felt the times when I sat in on the class it made the relationship with the students and volunteers stronger.

Finale projects In every workshop I told the volunteer that the students needed to work towards a project to present at the end. Something to work towards and not make the class a hang spot.

Last day of workshop On the last day of the workshop I have the students finish up there projects and present what they have made and share what they have learned. This is a time for the students to exchange or get more information on the class they have taken to see if they will want to further there interest in the class Lastly we try and take a group picture to give to the teacher and students.

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