First Response Training
You may have heard that First Response training is restarting in South East Region. All leaders plus adults in a variety of other roles have First Response as part of their Personal Learning Plan, and it’s normally renewed every 3 years. As we’ve had no face-to-face training for over 10 months now we have a huge backlog, around 450 people.
It would be an excellent start if we could identify anyone who has a recognised first aid qualification, and so may not need to do the First Response course. Any external qualifications must include all the topics covered in First Response, the full details are on the UK Scout website here. If you have a qualification that you think may be suitable please contact your ADC with details so Compass can be updated.
For those who don’t have a current qualification we are now able to deliver most of the course via Zoom. Each person needs to attend 3 Zoom sessions of 2 hours each, plus a face-to-face demonstration of some practical elements when that’s permitted. The Zoom sessions are:
- Life Support
- Trauma
- Major Illnesses
The three sessions must be attended in that order. To get the ball rolling there will be 4 sessions each week throughout February just for Life Support. In March we’ll introduce Trauma sessions, and continue with Life Support, and in April we’ll introduce Major Illnesses.
Given the number of people who need the training, and the huge commitment required from the trainers, running courses at less than full capacity is not an option. If your ADC (Adult Training) contacts you to ask you to commit to a date, please respond to them as soon as you can.
If you haven’t heard from your ADC, but would like a place, please contact them to ask about availability. Anyone in a Regional role should contact Training@sesscouts.org.uk
There will be a Reserve List opened on the booking system on the Region’s website at https://sesscouts.org.uk/events/2021-02/. If you’re willing to be contacted at short notice if there’s a cancellation, please record your details there. If you have confirmed a place with your ADC you do NOT need to use the booking system, it’s only for reserves.
If you have confirmed a place with your ADC and you can no longer attend please let them know as soon as possible so someone else can take the place. Non-attendance without cancellation is not acceptable.
Training Update
It’s a bit late, but we didn’t have a Newsletter in January so Happy New Year! Let’s hope 2021 is an improvement on 2020.
Hopefully you’ll all check the calendar on the Region’s website here to find those courses that you need to do. I’ve started to email people when there are spaces available, so if you are getting emails and don’t expect to need to do that particular course please speak to your Training Adviser or ADC (Adult Training) to discuss Compass being updated. More courses are being added as soon as Trainers are able to commit, so keep your eyes open. Also, in response to feedback, some courses will be run on Saturdays or Sundays to suit leaders who find evening sessions difficult.
Don’t forget that a Wood Badge needs to be completed in 3 years, and if already over 3 years you have until 30/09/2021. Not that long! Not everyone realises that a Wood Badge is role-specific, so if you have one, and have taken on another relevant role, you need to get another Wood Badge. We won’t make you re-do all the training, but as a first step you need to speak to a Training Adviser or ADC (AT) to discuss whether there are any training gaps, and how to address them. Check your Compass record to see what you need to do, and make a plan to work through it gradually. SHQ has produced a guide to validation while we’re in some form of lockdown, have a look and see if there’s anything you can validate now https://www.scouts.scot/media/2310/validation-guides.pdf
If you are still getting the emails from Tim Kidd asking you to complete some mandatory training there’s a problem. Either it’s overdue, and we really need you to get it done, or, if you know you have completed it there’s a problem with the data in Compass that needs to be resolved. If you’re not sure what needs to be done please speak to your GSL, Training Adviser or ADC (AT). This link is to the Getting Started training material – this includes the online Safety and Safeguarding that are to be renewed every 3 years.
If you have questions please contact your ADC (Adult Training) in the first instance – they are all full of useful information.
Mary Dick
ARC (Adult Training)