(38): Skills for Residential Experiences

Who is Skills for Residential Experiences for?

This module is for Section Leaders and Supporters who may organise or support residential experiences for young people as part of their role in Scouting. It is intended to provide an introduction to the skills related to running residential experiences and linked to the skills needed to gain a Nights Away Permit.

What does this material contain?

The module contains material that covers the objectives relating to the practical aspects of skills for residential experiences. Each session covers a different subject area through a task, activity or practical demonstration and these can be delivered in any order.

How is this module validated?

The validation of this module is based on an individual’s ability to meet the validation criteria as set out in the Training Adviser’s Guide and the Adult’s Personal File. This means that the individual will need to demonstrate the practical skills needed when running a residential experience that they have acquired in a number of different ways.

What information is provided?

This module contains course-based learning. This could be run through a series of sessions, or as a day or evening course. It can also be run alongside other training during a residential weekend.

This module is split into eight sessions which cover the core areas of the Nights Away Permit Assessment, and will help participants to gain and consolidate skills. This training does not automatically qualify a participant for a Nights Away Permit. It is an opportunity to learn and develop the skills needed for the Nights Away Permit Assessment.

This module is an additional module and not an obligatory module for a Section Leaders’ Wood Badge.

Session details

Introduction (10 minutes)

1. Administration (1 hour 30 minutes)

2. Venue (1 hour 35 minutes)

3. Programme Planning (1 hour 10 minutes)

4. Staffing (1 hour)

5. Catering (1 hour 35 minutes)

6. Fire (2 - 3 hours)

7. Wellbeing, Health and Safety (1 hour 35 minutes)

8. Equipment and Skills (4 - 6 hours)

Close (10 minutes)

Depending on the number, experience and the relationship between the participants, trainers and facilitators, these sessions may need to be preceded by introduction and/or integration sessions.

Planning considerations

The participants for this module will have varying roles and experience within Scouting. Some might be (or have been) a leader or commissioner and may have a lot of Scouting experience. Others may have had very little involvement and this may be their only role in, or experience of, Scouting. When considering what methods to use, trainers should take into account the nature of the location, number of participants, and the need to appeal to learners with different learning styles. Where methods suggested in the notes are adapted it is advisable to consider the balance of all the methods used.

The number of participants on the course will determine your ways of working. If you have a large number, it's recommended that you use facilitators to provide greater support in smaller group work.

Objectives

To enable adults to acquire the appropriate skills to plan and run successful residential experiences for the young people in their section.

1. Describe the planning process for a residential experience.

2. Identify the main elements of effective administration of a residential experience.

3. Explain how to prepare and co-ordinate a programme of activities for a residential experience.

4. Know to choose and prepare staff for a residential experience.

5. Demonstrate how to choose, use and maintain the right equipment for a residential experience.

6. Demonstrate the most common practical skills used during a residential experience.

7. Identify the key factors in ensuring the health, happiness and safety of self and others during a residential experience.

8. Demonstrate an understanding of the significant risks likely to be present on a residential experience and how to manage them.

9. List the catering requirements of a residential experience.

10. Explain how to evaluate the effectiveness of a venue for a residential experience.

Method

A series of sessions

This module can be delivered as a series of training sessions during an evening, day or weekend, or as a series of individual sessions which form part of a wider residential training experience.

If this is run as a weekend, many of the objectives could be covered through participants planning the weekend beforehand. These can then be put it into practice during the weekend. A series of sessions could be run as a programme of training within a Group or District, especially if there are specific events to plan for. This will encourage participation and team growth.

One to one training

This module may be delivered on a one to one basis by a trainer, or someone with sufficient experience to take an adult through the subject areas, for example a Nights Away Adviser In this case the timings and methods will need to be reviewed and revised to suit the participant. Please remember it is not good practice for the person providing the learning to also validate against the assessment criteria.

The following resources may be useful when preparing this module.