YWCA Youth Education Program: Online Training Manual

The Wheel of Facilitation ............................................................................................................ 3

Running a Successful Program .................................................................................................. 5

Volunteer Roles ...................................................................................................................... 5

Curriculum: What? So What? Now What? .............................................................................. 5

Responding to a Difficult Question or Statement .................................................................... 6

The Law of Least Intervention ................................................................................................ 7

Safety ..................................................................................................................................... 8

Policies and Procedures: Child Protection .................................................................................. 8

Supervision requirements ....................................................................................................... 8

Lost Child Preventative Measures .......................................................................................... 8

Lost Child Procedures ............................................................................................................ 9

Evacuation ............................................................................................................................. 9

Lockdown ............................................................................................................................... 9

Allergies ................................................................................................................................10

Medicine ................................................................................................................................11

Photo policy ...........................................................................................................................11

First Aid .................................................................................................................................11

Major Misconduct ..................................................................................................................11

Forms (Incident / Accident Report and Disclosure of Abuse) .................................................11

Boundaries and Volunteer Conduct ...........................................................................................12

The Rule of Three or More ....................................................................................................12

Secrets ..................................................................................................................................12

Touch ....................................................................................................................................13

Boundaries on Sharing Personal Information.........................................................................13

Informal Monitoring ................................................................................................................13

Don’t stress too much ............................................................................................................13

Vancouver Board of Education Guidelines for ...........................................................................14

Adults Interacting with Students ................................................................................................14

Statement of Purpose ............................................................................................................14

Rationale ...............................................................................................................................14

The Adult's Position of Trust and Authority ............................................................................14

Personal and Professional Boundaries ..................................................................................15

Acceptable and Unacceptable Behaviour ..............................................................................15

Off-Campus Supervision .......................................................................................................16

Considerations when Working with Very Young or Special Needs Students ..........................16

Concerns ...............................................................................................................................16

The Wheel of Facilitation The Wheel of Facilitation describes skills and attributes that we believe are essential for volunteers working with children. These skills are interwoven throughout your training, including this online training. Make sure you are familiar with this document before in-person training.

Teamwork

Build Connections &

Be a Role Model

Professional & Personal

Development

Group Management

Emotional & Physical Safety

Getting the Message

Across

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The Wheel of Facilitation

Group Management

Be proactive not reactive Include everyone/find ways for everyone to

contribute and be engaged Plan for transitions Command and hold group attention Set the right pace for the group Be clear and concise Listen and respond in a way that leaves the

group feeling heard Pay attention to group energy: switch up group

formats when needed (pairs, small groups, big group).

Address behaviour management Support girls and boys to work together Have FUN and be engaging!

Build Connections & Be A Role Model

Building Connections: Build relationships with individual participants

and the group Make participants feel connected to program,

to other participants and to volunteers Show that you care for and support the

participants in the program Model healthy relationship skills for

participants Acknowledge the positives in all the kids

Be a Role Model: Be open and approachable Be self-aware: you know yourself and your

triggers well. Recognize your impact (positive or negative) on others

Show humility and accountability: admit your mistakes and apologize when needed

Respect differences

Professionalism & Personal Development

Be prepared and know the activities well Be on time Wear your YWCA t-shirt Set up the room and have activities ready

before the participants start to arrive Receive and utilize feedback Reflect on your experiences Utilize your skills and strengths Keep developing your skills Maintain positive relationships with school staff

Getting the Message Across

Know the purpose of the activities Participants understand key messages Capitalize on teachable moments Ask the right questions Lead meaningful discussions Refer to previous activities and key

messages Use personal stories effectively Lead discussions not lectures

Emotional and Physical Safety

Create a welcoming and safe space Understand and follow YWCA policies Establish healthy boundaries with participants Address hurtful comments or behaviour Uphold diversity

Teamwork

Connect with each other and have fun Be on the same page Give and receive constructive feedback Step up & step back Support each other Keep in touch

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Running a Successful Program

Volunteer Roles

All volunteers – High School Ambassadors, Facilitators, and Wisdom Champions – have a

critical role in running a successful program. You will meet your school team at school

orientation training.

With your co-volunteers, decide the best way to communicate each week and what your goals

are for your program. Weekly communication is critical to program success. For example, you

may decide to prepare for delivering the modules at a regular in-person meeting, through texting

or group chatting online, or by e-mail. Knowing the activities in advance will help you be present

with the participants during the actual program, which will make a better and more impactful

experience for the kids.

Curriculum: What? So What? Now What?

Each volunteer receives a curriculum binder at training with planned weekly activities and

discussion questions. Discussions often happen before activities to get students thinking about

the topic, help them debrief after a learning game, or hands-on activity. We’ve organized these

questions into three categories: What, So What, and Now What?

“What” questions deal with students’ direct experience or what they already know. This is the

most accessible information, so it becomes the entry-point into the conversation. Some

examples of questions at this level are, “What do you know already about this topic?” or “What

did we just do? How did that make you feel?” These questions start the conversation and get

people talking.

“So what” level questions ask students to extend what they already know and think in new ways,

like analyzing different parts of a problem, making predictions, connecting ideas, or creating

something new. These questions are important because they help participants learn. They

might sound like, “What can we learn from this?” or “Why is this important?”

Finally, “Now what” level questions get students to think outside the program. What will they do

know with their newfound knowledge? How will it influence their decisions and behavior? These

questions sound like, “How can this information help us in high school?” or “What might you do

differently now that we have talked about this?”

The purpose of these questions is to give you a place to start, but we still want you to make the

program your own. We can’t predict everything that participants will say, and not all questions

will work with all groups. It is up to you to decide what you think will work best with your group.

That being said, make sure to lead the discussion into the “so what” and “now what” levels.

When participants are asked to think beyond what they already know, they enjoy the program

more, learn more and will feel more prepared for high school.

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Responding to a Difficult Question or Statement

If a student says something that takes you off guard, shocks you, or references a high-risk behaviour, it can be hard to know what to say, especially if you are leading a discussion. Follow the list below to ensure that all participants are safe and supported. We will provide you with more training and practice on this at in-person training. Your coordinator is always just a phone call or text away – ask us for support and tell us what is going on. Example statements: “My friend is being bullied and I don’t know what to do.” “Do people do a lot of drugs in high school?” “I heard somebody on the news got sexually assaulted – what does that mean?” “Do you drink beer?” “Why do gay people exist?” Here is how to respond:

Pause and take a breath. Stay calm. It is okay to tell the student that you need a moment. Collect your thoughts. A common response when we feel unsure about what to

say is to rush through things. Try to avoid this.

Reframe your mindset and try to be open, non-judgmental, and receptive. Remember that you are not an expert. It’s okay to say this. However, show awareness of resources and services that exist. Do NOT promise

to keep the question or information a secret. Think about why they might be saying this question or statement.

Observe, listen, and document – do not interrogate.

Accept the statement at face value. Write down the date, times, your name, description of what the student said and

the circumstances.

Thank the student for their question or disclosure, if appropriate. Emphasize that this was the right thing to do. If a student discloses a difficult situation to you, has a lot of questions about a

difficult topic, or is concerned about their own problem or that of a loved one, best approach is to listen actively, show compassion, empathy and document to link them to people with more knowledge and expertise.

Answer as best as you can.

Respond in a calm, matter-of-fact voice. Acknowledge what the student has said – the feeling, not just the content.

Let them know that they are not alone, other people have gone through this, and that help is available.

The students will talk about values early in the program. If appropriate, bring the discussion back to staying true to their values.

Connect with resources or authorities if appropriate, including 911 if the student is in

immediate danger.

Tell your YWCA Coordinator what happened.

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The Law of Least Intervention

The best way to prevent misbehavior is to build a strong rapport with the participants and keep

them engaged, active, and doing things – not sitting and watching you talk. A lot of misbehavior

can be prevented just by keeping instructions brief and activities engaging. However, you will

likely need to redirect participants’ behavior at some point in the program. The Law of Least

Intervention is a tool used in teacher education and facilitator training. It lists some of the

choices you have in managing misbehavior, starting with scanning and planned ignoring,

escalating to more intrusive interventions such as time outs and logical consequences. If

misbehavior happens, start with the least interference and work your way up

.

At the time of the incident:

Scan the room

Choose to ignore the behaviour

Move towards the participant while still addressing the group

Pause and make eye contact with the participant

For a minor incident from a student who has not had any other problems with the group:

Pointed look at participant

Knowing gesture (e.g. ‘Shhh’ or ‘cut it out’ sign)

Involving the child productively (e.g. Having them

scribe for the group during a discussion)

A private word

Humour

For reoccurring incidents or multiple incidents from the same student

One volunteer taking the student out of the room to

discuss their action

Removal from the discussion or group

Group discussion about the behaviour

Minimum Interference

Minor Interruption

Interruption of Activity

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Non-negotiables

During in-person training, you will have the opportunity to practice and discuss ways to address

challenging behaviours. The following behaviours must be addressed every time you see them:

o Bullying (includes physical, emotional, or social bullying) o Disrespectful behaviour (including disrespecting others or disrespecting school

property) o Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic etc. language o Threats or aggressive behaviour o Anything that gets in the way of physical safety (e.g., fighting, standing/jumping

on tables) o Anything that excludes people

Safety

During the in-person training, we will discuss and practice techniques for creating emotional

safety in the programs. The rest of this document, however, focuses on personal and physical

safety for participants in our programs.

Policies and Procedures: Child Protection

Supervision requirements

A minimum of one adult (19 years old or older) must be present to

supervise the group at all times in each program. For example, if a

Wisdom Champion is preparing snacks in another part of the school, at

least one 19+ Facilitator must stay with the program participants.

If no adult supervisors are present, call your YWCA Coordinator

immediately, as he or she can act as the adult supervisor.

Lost Child Preventative Measures

Take attendance at the beginning and end of programs.

Do head counts throughout the program. Position yourself to effectively observe the

space.

Take note of entrances and exits to ensure children are not able to leave unnoticed.

Ensure children are being picked up by an appropriate caregiver.

Ensure you have access to a phone at all times.

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Lost Child Procedures

If a child goes missing during the program session, the Wisdom Champion or a Facilitator

should carry out the following while the other volunteers ensure the safety of the remaining

children:

Secure all exits

Conduct a quick search of the area (e.g. 5 min)

Have any available school staff help (e.g. Principal, custodian, etc.)

Notify the YWCA coordinator

If the quick search is successful and the child is found, volunteers should continue with the

program session. The Wisdom Champion or a Facilitator should do the following:

Notify the YWCA Coordinator

Tell the parents what happened, either at pick-up or before dismissal if the child walks

home.

Follow up with an incident report

If the search is unsuccessful and the child is still missing, the Wisdom Champion should:

Notify the police, the YWCA Coordinator, and the child’s parents

Remain in the area until the police arrive and follow directions given by the police

Follow up with an incident report

NOTE: In the event the community service project outing/trip is discontinued and the volunteer

ratio is appropriate, one volunteer shall wait for the police while the remaining volunteers and

children shall return to the school as soon as possible.

Evacuation

Some emergencies such as a fire or natural disaster may require a building evacuation.

Because each school is different, talk to your YWCA coordinator about where

to meet outside in the unlikely event of an evacuation.

If possible, bring the attendance and student information sheet with you during

an evacuation. This will help you confirm that all participants have arrived

safely outside, and can be used to call parents if necessary.

Lockdown

All schools in Vancouver or Surrey have a “Lockdown” or “Code Red” procedure in place, in the

very unlikely event of a threat near school grounds or inside the school. The procedure differs

between districts and schools, so it is best to find out what procedure is in place for your specific

classroom. In general, these procedures will start with a PA announcement of “Code Red,”

“Code Yellow,” “Lockdown” and “Lockout”, depending on the severity of the threat and whether

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it is located outside or inside of the school. At your school visit training, your coordinator will

review your emergency procedures with you. All procedures will require you to stay with the

participants in the classroom and wait for further instructions.

Allergies

All allergies will be indicated on the attendance and student information sheet. We contact the

parents to obtain a better understanding of the severity of the allergy, and pass this information

along to you. The Wisdom Champion will receive this information on/before the first day – but

it’s important for all volunteers to know how to prevent and respond to an allergic reaction.

At schools where a student has a food allergy, volunteers should read the product labels very

carefully to make sure they don’t have any source of allergens. Avoid foods and products that

do not have an ingredients list or bulk items which have a greater risk of cross-contamination.

Have participants wash their hands before and after snack time.

In the unlikely event that a student has an allergic reaction to a food product or other allergen,

stay calm. Reassure the participant as anxiety can make allergy symptoms worse. Have the

student sit down and relax as you check for symptoms (see list below). In a mild allergic

reaction there should not be more than some discomfort (e.g. sore or itchy throat, small rash). If

the student has any antihistamines with them, have them take one to prevent any further

reaction. In the case of a mild reaction, call parents to let them know what happened, what you

have done to help, and how their child is doing (e.g. “Bobby had some granola with almonds

and he had a reaction. We have him sitting down, he has had a glass of water and he has taken

an antihistamine. He is feeling better now but we will continue to keep a close eye on him for the

rest of the session”). If the participant is feeling better, they can return to the group if they wish.

Make sure to monitor them closely and follow-up with them before the end of the session. Call

or text your YWCA Coordinator and explain what happened. You will also need to fill out an

incident report.

However, if a participant has any of the following symptoms, the reaction is severe and you will

need to call 911.

• Sudden, severe, or rapidly worsening symptoms

• Exposure to an allergen that previously caused severe reactions (even if no reaction has

occurred yet this time)

• Swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat

• Wheezing, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, or a hoarse voice

• Confusion, sweating, nausea, or vomiting

• Widespread rash or severe hives

• Light-headedness, collapse, or unconsciousness

While one volunteer calls 911, two should stay with the participant, keep them calm, and

retrieve the participant’s epi-pen, if applicable. If the student does not have an epi-pen, make

sure 911 knows. The other volunteers supervise the remaining participants. One person should

leave to inform the on-site school contact (e.g. Principal, youth and family worker, teacher) and

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meet the ambulance. You will still need to call your YWCA Coordinator and fill out an incident

report.

Medicine

Volunteers are not to administer medicine, except in the case of an emergency. Your YWCA

coordinator will tell you if and when a participant is allowed to self-administer medicine. If

volunteers see a student taking medicine who doesn’t have permission, they can either let their

YWCA coordinator know immediately or follow up with the parent to double check that the child

has permission to take the medicine.

Photo policy

Volunteer are not permitted to take photos of participants during the program. Volunteers may

photograph student projects or artwork as a keepsake, but not participants themselves.

First Aid

At least one volunteer at each school is trained in First Aid. Make sure you

know the location of the First Aid kit in your bin, and which volunteers are

trained in Emergency First Aid. Fill out an incident/accident report if First Aid

is required in the program. Even if you are not the certified, you can still help

an injured participant until more trained help arrives. If you have any

questions about first aid, ask your coordinator.

Major Misconduct

Most challenging behaviour can be dealt with using skills learned in training so that the

behaviour does not intensify. On occasion behaviour may be recurrent, dangerous or seriously

disruptive. Should this occur, notify your YWCA coordinator as soon as possible. We will work

to support your team, and work with the child’s parents, the school, and input from program

volunteers to come up with an appropriate solution, which, if necessary, may include the child’s

removal from the program.

Forms (Incident / Accident Report and Disclosure of Abuse)

Copies of these forms can be found taped to the inside cover of each bin.

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Boundaries and Volunteer Conduct

All volunteers shall maintain an appropriate and professional relationship with present or former YWCA clients (Grade 7 participants), customers, members, donors, guests and parents, staff and colleagues, consistent with your professional code of ethics and YWCA policies. All staff and volunteers shall avoid entering into intimate relationships with clients of the organization that cause ethical or boundary concerns. The following general guidelines have been developed to help volunteers make the right decision. If in any doubt, consult your YWCA coordinator.

Volunteers should not fraternize or have personal relationships with clients outside of the program.

Volunteers should not be lending or giving money to clients or to each other

Volunteers should not be providing services to clients outside of work (e.g. child care)

Volunteers should not be driving clients in their own car

Volunteers should not visit in client’s rooms, homes, or apartments unless for official business reasons

Volunteers should not touch or allow themselves to be touched unnecessarily

Volunteers should not provide personal telephone/cell phone numbers or email addresses to clients

The Rule of Three or More

The Rule of Three or More is that when you are working with children, you

should never be alone with a child out of eye sight from other people.

If you need to have a private conversation, you can go into a quiet corner of

the room or the hallways. Avoid being alone in a room with a child. If you do

need to be in a room with a child, keep the door open and make sure that

people can see you either through the doorway.

The reason for this is partly to protect the child, but largely to protect you. Even

an accusation of any kind physical or sexual misconduct with a child would

have dramatic repercussions for the YWCA’s programs and everyone involved.

Secrets

What do you do if a child says “I have a secret to tell you”?

Let them know that you want to hear what they have to say, but

that they should know that depending on what the secret is you

may not be able to keep it. Tell them that if they tell you about a

situation in which they are being hurt, hurting someone else or

hurting themselves than you will have to tell other people about it

to make sure that they are safe.

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Touch

When or what kind of touch is appropriate?

Ideally, if you are initiating any kind of touch, you want to model consent, which means asking

first and waiting for a clear positive response before proceeding. We need to be aware that

touch can be misinterpreted and that we don’t know what anyone’s past experience with touch

is. What can seem like very clean “buddy” contact to you can be misinterpreted.

Generally, a touch on the shoulder is among the safest kinds of touch. The “side-hug” is also a

useful tool when a child initiates contact. It is essential to avoid any inappropriate touch (e.g.

lap-sitting, long “full frontal” hugs, etc.)

Boundaries on Sharing Personal Information

Part of your role here is to share of your life

experience and the knowledge and wisdom

you have gained. As volunteers, personal

stories can be very powerful. However, we

need to also be careful about what and how

much we share. So please don’t share

anything about:

Intimate relationships

The use of drugs or alcohol

Situations that are still emotionally charged. You want to make sure that you have

already thoroughly processed any story you tell yourself so that you are not doing that

processing with or in front of the children.

Informal Monitoring

Finally, for the safety of the program and its participants, we need to give feedback to one

another around boundary issues. If you feel another volunteer is crossing boundaries, or even

that some people might be misinterpreting their actions that way, please speak with them or

your YWCA coordinator right away.

Don’t stress too much

Having said all of this, we almost never have any issues with this stuff in our programs, so don’t

get too stressed about it. The purpose of sharing this information is more so to make you aware

and to help ensure both you and the participants have a positive experience in the programs.

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Vancouver Board of Education Guidelines for

Adults Interacting with Students

Statement of Purpose

The Vancouver Board of Education is committed to creating a safe and respectful learning

environment for students. The purpose of these Guidelines is to clarify and affirm the Vancouver

Board of Education’s expectations of all adults in interactions with students of the Vancouver

school district. For the purpose of this document, “adult” refers to any person working,

volunteering or otherwise interacting with students on school grounds or at school activities.

It is expressly recognized that all employee groups are subject to collective agreements, terms

and conditions of employment, professional and/or union codes as well as legislation. For

example, teachers are regulated by the School Act, their Collective Agreement, the BC College

of Teachers’ Professional Standards and the BC Teachers’ Federation Code of Ethics. These

Guidelines do not supersede nor replace such codes/documents and statutory requirements,

but rather provide a set of common expectations for adult-student interactions applicable to all

employee groups and other adults (i.e. parents and volunteers) who interact and engage with

Vancouver school district students.

This document does not address every possible situation or provide an exhaustive review of

acceptable and unacceptable conduct. It provides a framework within which the Board expects

adults to exercise common sense and good judgment when interacting with students. It

endeavours to find a balance between encouraging positive and appropriate interactions

between adults and students, and discouraging inappropriate and harmful interactions.

Awareness and understanding of these Guidelines will strengthen a working culture in the

Vancouver school district which is already deeply committed to student safety, security and

wellbeing.

Rationale

Students have the right to a safe, caring, orderly school environment, free from discrimination

and harm. Students also have the right to a learning environment in which clear expectations of

acceptable adult behaviour are held and met. The “Guidelines for Adults Interacting with

Students” seek to establish an environment where anyone in the school community feels safe to

come forward with concerns of adult misconduct towards students. Strong well-publicized

Guidelines will discourage the formation of a code of silence that can become entrenched in

school culture, and inform adults, volunteers, parents and students of the behavioural

expectations for all adults within the Vancouver school district.

The Adult's Position of Trust and Authority

An adult is not a peer of the students. Adults are in a position of trust and authority in

relationship to students and therefore their interactions with students must focus on meeting the

needs of the student.

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In working with students, adults must take great care that their actions and motivations will not

be misinterpreted. The burden of responsibility and accountability rests with the adult.

The onus is on the adult to remove him/herself from any physical or verbal contact with students

that could lead to the initiation or perception of any form of abuse or harassment.

Personal and Professional Boundaries

Adults must respect each student's right to personal boundaries in all interactions. Some

students may be able to tell the adult if they are uncomfortable with the comments or conduct of

the adult. Other students may be reluctant to communicate their discomfort due to the adult's

position of authority over them. It is the responsibility of the adult to be sensitive to, and

respectful of, the personal boundaries of all students whether or not the student communicates

discomfort with the interaction.

When interacting with a student, an adult is advised to consider the appropriateness of her/his

conduct in relation to such factors as the student's age, developmental level, cultural and

educational background.

If a student's behaviour toward an adult is, or appears to be, of a sexual nature, the adult must

let the student know the behaviour is inappropriate and not allow it to continue. If an adult has

an interaction with a student which is cause for concern he/she should discuss the situation

immediately with an administrator, his/her supervisor or associate superintendent. Adults are

expected to refer matters beyond their expertise or role to the appropriate district or community

resource person.

Acceptable and Unacceptable Behaviour

Adults are expected to behave in a manner that maintains and enhances public trust in the

school district and models appropriate behaviours to students. The following examples are not

exhaustive but illustrative.

Examples of Acceptable Behaviour are:

Respectful language, tone and attitude towards students;

Respect for students’ personal/physical boundaries;

Age-appropriate forms of touching such as comforting a hurt or upset child with a side by

side hug or pats on the shoulder or back as positive reinforcement;

School-related communication with students through the use of VSB email with a copy to

the student’s parent/guardian, or by telephone through the student’s family phone;

Supporting diversity within the school population (e.g. ethnic groups, gay and lesbian

students/families).

Examples of Unacceptable Behaviour are:

Humiliation of students (e.g. demeaning comments, intimidation);

Inappropriate touching of students (e.g. massaging, stroking, caressing);

Physical or corporal discipline of students (e.g. shoving, hitting);

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Discrimination or harassment prohibited under the B.C. Human Rights Code including

that based on race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, family status, socio-

economic status, physical or mental disability, sex or sexual orientation; gender;

Being under the influence of recreational drugs and alcohol while supervising or

interacting with students;

Disrespectful language towards students;

Sharing or soliciting overly personal/private information;

Texting or online communication with students on the adult’s personal email, or being

“friends” on a social networking site;

Engaging in any sexual behaviour with a student, with or without consent;

Exposing students to, or involving students in, any activities involving staff, volunteer or

student nudity;

Inappropriately disclosing confidential student-related information (beyond a “need-to-

know” basis);

Asking students to keep secrets.

Off-Campus Supervision

An adult must inform an administrator or supervisor of any off-campus outing with an individual

or group of students. Volunteers shall be advised of expectations for their roles as supervisors

and should understand the regulations outlined in VBE policy.

An adult must be particularly aware of maintaining professional boundaries with students when

in more informal settings, such as on field trips. Social activities with students should be

confined to school-related activities.

Considerations when Working with Very Young or Special Needs Students

Students with disabilities and very young students are particularly dependent on adults for their

safety and well-being. Where possible, an adult should inform a staff member when he/she is

going to be alone with a student. In the course of their work with students who are dependently

disabled or physically challenged, adults may be involved in lifting, toileting, assisting in

physiotherapy programs, and taking care of students' personal hygiene needs. These activities

should be carried out with the utmost respect for the dignity of the student.

Concerns

The “Guidelines for Adults Interacting with Students” are intended to support students, staff,

parents and volunteers to safely inform supervisory staff if they have concerns about the safety

or security of students and/or witness adult behaviour contrary to these Guidelines.

Where there is concern about adult behaviour or conduct that is inconsistent with these

Guidelines, this should be reported to an administrator or associate superintendent. Such

reports shall be treated in a confidential manner (with information restricted to a need-to-know

basis). Every adult has a legal responsibility to report suspected or disclosed cases of sexual,

physical, emotional abuse or neglect of a student following the VBE Protocols and Procedures.