Public service – virtual classrooms (‘flexinars’)
Most of our work for public service clients (particularly local authorities) is done on a tailored or completely bespoke basis.
So we thought we’d duck the issue and leave it to you! Hence this range of flexible virtual classroom sessions – ‘flexinars’ – each one with a ‘menu’ of options to help you build your own programme.
Each of the session outlines gives you a menu of options to choose from. The options fall under three headings:
- How to
- Tools and models (based on the latest theory and practice)
- Ideas, tips and techniques
You decide what content you want in relation to your outcomes and what would be most useful for your people to learn about the subject. So it can be all about upskilling and tackling personal thinking and behaviours through ‘How to’s’, which improve personal effectiveness of the individual. Or it can be about tools and models, including helping people understand and decide how they will use them. And there are always techniques, new ideas and tips if this is the most important to you (particularly good for refresher or booster sessions). Or you might decide you want one of each. The choice is entirely yours.
Most clients want 90-minute sessions and that’s how we’ve structured them. But, again, the choice is yours – from 45-minute bite-sized sessions up to three hours (including a break).
Choose one numbered topic for a 45-minute session, two for 60 minutes, three for 90 minutes. If you want more topics, give us a call and we’ll discuss the best way of structuring the session for you.
‘Introduction’ and ‘Action planning’ sessions come as standard to help participants identify what they need to do differently to improve their personal effectiveness.
Of course, if you prefer, these topics can all be delivered in classic face-to-face mode.
These ‘flexinar’ sessions have been designed, and are usually delivered, by Amanda Dudman, leader of our public service practice. She brings the knowledge, understanding and expertise on the subject matter to the session whilst learners bring their experience of the role and their personal situation. Amanda bridges the gap to enable participants to apply learning of new tools, ideas or skills to their role or situation. This places responsibility for learning and application on the job holder and completing a personal action plan helps them to decide how they will put their new-found learning and ideas into practice.
The context of working in public service is recognised and reflected in all sessions.
Chat, group breakout rooms and polls are used to facilitate thinking and learning.
Action planning is standard in all sessions and completed at the end. Participants are encouraged to share their plan with their Line Manager and/or colleagues back at work. We include sign-posting to in-house learning opportunities, resources and further support, including ideas for self-directed learning as part of this activity.
A short PDF handout or activity sheet is provided for each session. This acts as a reference point and resource to support the topic. We can tailor it to include your in-house learning information in this, such as links to e-learning on the subject or your preferred tools.
These programmes are highly participative, so for a 90-minute virtual classroom the maximum group size is 15. If you need higher numbers then we suggest a lighter-touch, 45- or 60-minute session instead, in which case we can take as many as you like.
If you’re hosting a session for a specific team then please allow a bit longer, so there’s time for quality break-out discussions and feedback and a bit more space to action plan personally and collectively if needed.
The sessions are designed to run on Zoom. But let us know if you need to use a different platform and we’ll reconfigure the session accordingly.
See some of the comments from participants in Amanda’s sessions for public service organisations:
- ‘Brilliant all round!’
- ‘I liked that the trainer engaged with the activities that needed her input and then stepped back and allowed us to get on with things.’
- ‘Very alive!’
- ‘Very interactive.’
- ‘Inspirational
- ‘The trainer was great, really understanding.’
- ‘Amanda was really helpful and explained everything well.’
- ‘Excellent I learned a lot about myself.’
- ‘Just great!’
- ‘Great facilitator!’
- ‘This is the second bite-sized course I have done with Amanda – great, engaging course leader.’
- ‘I loved it.’
- ‘An excellent course.’
- ‘I would recommend this to everyone.’
- ‘Great course and trainer. Amanda helped to make me feel at ease.’
- ‘Great trainer.’
- ‘Brilliant!’
- ‘Excellent course – thank you! I have learnt so much from this.’
- ‘Fantastic.’
- ‘Day flew by.’
- ‘Excellent day. Best training delivered to me so far.’
- ‘The day has flown by. A very enjoyable course which I think everyone should go on.’
- ‘Very informal trainer. Knows what she is taking about, energetic and passionate!!!’
- ‘Extremely good.’
- ‘Very knowledgeable and very clear messages. Showed experience in the topic.’
- ‘The trainer was awesome.’
- ‘[Amanda] was bubbly, very friendly. Knew her stuff. Very inspiring.’
- ‘Excellent. Font of fantastic knowledge.’
- ‘Fab!!!’
Any questions? Can’t see what you want? Just give us a call today on 01582 463460 and we can design a programme from scratch, just for you.
