Staff Training

Mary Jo Peavy, CSADP, CPPE

Prevention Coordinator
Operation Snowball, Inc.

Funding provided in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS)
Training Components
Selecting Staff
Staff Training Requirements
Co-Facilitator Roles
Group Concepts
Activities that Teach
Processing Activities
Facilitation Skills
Questions and Answers
Your Winning Team
Leadership Team
Co-Directors
Participant Consultants
Staff Consultants
Administrative Coordinators
Activity Coordinators
Volunteer Staff
Risk Management
Nurse
Paramedic
Selecting Staff
Applying for Staff
Application Process
Drug-Free Contract
Role Modeling
Attend all sessions and activities
Participate fully!
Learn and have fun at the same time
Staff Training Requirements
Team Building
Mandated reporting
Rules for staff and participants during
event
Role modeling
Facilitation responsibilities
Scenario Review
Co-Facilitator Roles
Pairing
Youth/adult staff
Planning
Understand each others roles
Assign who will cover each part of the agenda
Select ice breakers and other activities
Get supplies and materials
Decorate name tags, room, make warm fuzzies
Co-Facilitator Role (cont.)
Registration carry out assigned job, assist
participants, spot loners
General Sessions be a role model, sit
with participants, supervise
Meals be a role model, sit with
participants, supervise
Free Time be available to support
activities, share your talents, take care of you
Small Groups review agendas, follow all
mandatory directions in the agenda, use
suggested activities, be creative, have fun
Characteristics of Good
Facilitators
Patient
Able to identify the phase the group is in
Able to adapt activities/questions to meet
the group where it is at
Has a good understanding of who they are
and what their issues or motives are and be
able to separate from needs of the group
FLEXIBLE
What do you see?
A young lady or an elderly lady?
Set Group Rules
Have group make its own rules in first
meeting
Brainstorm on flip chart paper or
chalkboard and leave posted
Confidentiality
3 Hurts Rule
Respect
Honesty
Listening to each other
Small Groups
As a small group leader you should keep the
following things in mind.
Owning it group should own itself
It is their group you should not talk about
yourself
Control your job is to facilitate and keep the
group moving
No therapy you are not qualified and give no
advice
Eye Contact make eye contact as you speak
and listen

Small Groups (cont.)
Common Sense use your common sense
On time explain why being on time is
important
Folders participants are responsible for
having their folders with them at all times.
Name tags encourage them to wear their
name tags at all times.
Check in with leaders in large group
Respect the property of others stay off
others beds
Challenging People
Monopolizer
Interrupter
Wallflower
Dumper
Other Challenging Situations
Participants who dont get along
Someone tries to do your job for you
Difficulty with adult leaders
Side conversations
Comparing this year to last year
Games...
Activities That Teach?
Relax the group
Break the ice and get group
interacting
Communication
Cooperation
Trust
Spontaneous and all
encompassing
Group Problem Solving
Closing/Wrap-Up

Processing Activities
What
So What
Now What
Facilitation Skills
Group Dynamics
Inclusion (form) What is this group about and
how do I fit in? Is this group safe?
Influence (storm) Whos in charge? How are
we going to work together and decide what to do?
Affection (norm) We are a group, not just a
collection of people.
Segue (conform) Reflection occurs, validate
experience and feelings.

Group Concepts
Democracy: each person has equal
opportunity to participate
Egalitarianism: each person has
something unique to share
Responsibility: each person is responsible
for their own behavior, life, and experiences,
develop sense of ownership of group
Group Concepts (cont.)
Cooperation: work together to achieve group
goals
Honesty: members must be honest with
themselves and each other
Respect: all values & opinions of each group
member must be respected in order for trust to
develop

Group Concepts (cont.)
Confidentiality: concept that everything
said in the group remains in the group,
with exception of disclosure of something
that will harm themselves or others, upon
which the proper authorities need to be
contacted
Listening: not give advice, but listen and
validate what has been communicated,
listen verbally and nonverbally
Group Decision Processing
Group conflict is normal
and good
Encourage group participation
in decision-making
Stay on task
Allow for participant input
Allow plenty of time for
decision-making


Communication Skills
Cement of the group-holds bricks
together
Use a language all can understand
Try to hear the other persons
perspective
Do not use communication stoppers

Communication Skills (cont.)
Eye Contact
Body Posture
Fidgeting

Body Proximity
Facial Expressions
Body Movement
Empathy attending to the other persons needs.
Attending Skills an awareness of your behavior and
that of the person with whom you are speaking.
Verbal Attending Skills minimum response is the key
Communication Skills (cont.)
Open & closed-ended questions and
statements
Closed questions & statements
You feel badly, dont you?
Its hard to think about, isnt it?
I know that youre sad.
Open-ended questions & statements
How do you feel about it?
What do you think?
Tell me about it.

Communication Skills (cont.)
Purpose in asking questions are
To stimulate discussion
To analyze an exercise or presentation
To evaluate the groups progress
Avoid leading questions
Dont ask yes or no questions
Phrase questions in a positive manner
Prepare questions in advance

Communication Skills (cont.)
Reflection and Paraphrasing
Empathy, caring, genuineness

Reflection is mirroring a persons words for them.

Paraphrasing is picking up on the feelings the person
is presenting.
Surface feelings
Hidden feelings
Communication Skills (cont.)
Summarizing is a form of parphrasing.

A reflection on feelings, thoughts and facts
Not only done at the end of a conversation. Can
be used throughout conversation when feeling
stuck.
Points out important statements and feelings
brought up
OS Traditions
Warm Fuzzies
Songs banana song, car song, etc.
Games - M&M Game, human knot, etc.
IALAC
Hand goes up mouth goes shut
Small group rights said here, stays here

Supports out there!
IADDA/Operation Snowball, Inc.
1-800-252-6301 or www.os-
iti.org
Mentor Chapter
InTouch Offices
Local Prevention Provider
Other Operation Snowball
Chapters
OS Board of Directors Rep
Help!!
Anyone?
Contact IADDA/OS, Inc. for contact
names and phone numbers.
Questions and Fears...