BTCV Handbooks Online

Book:	Local Action
Chapter:	Planning Projects
Section:	Identifying the need for training
Metadata:	Details	Buy this book

Learning to do something new is one of the rewards many people get from joining a local conservation group. When the group is new, each project you tackle offers new experiences and training opportunities but as the project progresses you will need to work harder at identifying training needs.

It is probably a good idea to do this formally as part of your annual review and planning session. If you know you will be doing a project that requires some practical skills your group members do not have yet, or maybe identify that members with first aid certificates have left or their certificates have lapsed, you can plan some formal training for the group. Remember you need to keep an eye on informal training opportunities too; don't always get the volunteers who went on that training course at the beginning do all the interesting jobs; make sure they pass their skills on to new group members as it will help keep your group sustainable.

If you can, it's always a good idea to find out what you don't know about as well. You'll probably need some training to help members write the management plan. Work with local naturalists to find out what wildlife is present on your site, and find out how it should be managed; this might open up a new field of interest for some group members.

Looking at the range of training that is available might stimulate interest in members of your group; many people think of education as something they did at school and are thankful is now behind them, but you can find training in all sorts of things:

learning about Environmental Education for Children might help you get schools involved,
Making Compost will make your vegetable patch better and maybe you can encourage more people on your estate to make compost too

As group co-ordinator one of the easiest mistakes to make is to assume that other groups members won't be interested in something just because you aren't. Don't underestimate other people and always offer opportunities around. BTCV now offers some certificated training as part of the BTCV Institute. In partnership with Broxtowe College in Nottingham, BTCV can draw down Learning Skills Council funding to help pay for a range of practical and theoretical courses. You might like to join a course that is being run as part of a programme for groups in your area, or if a number of your group members all want to learn the same thing we may be able to run a course tailored to your group's needs. Ask your local office for more details as what we can offer varies across England, with the skills of the staff in each Region.