What is Training Links? A Case Study
Training Links funds and supports networks of community and voluntary organisations to undertake training together. Here's an example of what that looked like for a network of cancer support groups and services.
What is the name of your Training Network?
It's the Cancer Support Centres and Services Training Network.
What is the goal of your Training Network?
The goal is to deliver a coordinated, personalised training programme to trustees, managers, staff, and volunteers of Cancer Support Centres and Services nationally. Members of this network are charities and community groups that deliver a particular service which requires a personalised training programme.
Areas that were covered in the training included:
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Zoom Fundamentals
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Self-Care and Resilience
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Compliance with the Governance Code
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Funding Streams and Grant Applications
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Creating Impactful Digital Content
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HR challenges during COVID-19
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Developing Professional Video Content
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Writing in Plain English
What activities have you been doing to work towards that goal?
During 2021, the network delivered 12 separate three-hour training courses with an average of 21 attendees per course. The content had been decided on by the Network Committee, a representative group of 12 members.
What have been the successes for you so far?
The success of the Network is reflected in the attendance, the feedback we received, and the quality of the facilitator.
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260 attendees from 39 cancer support centres/services attended the online training events.
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Overall satisfaction ratings across all 12 workshops were consistently high. The average rating is 91% ranging from 85% (lowest) to 98% (highest).
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The programme facilitator was hugely important. The facilitator was accessible to the members for queries and questions. Having one point of contact was invaluable and gave a consistent approach to all sessions.
Have there been any challenges?
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One challenge was the different levels of experience of the attendees. Some organisations have full-time staff and some are volunteer-lead. This accounted for the varying levels of experience.
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Our reliance on technology for delivery of the programme was challenging due to participants’ differing levels of expertise with IT. This was apparent in the early workshops and did improve in the later sessions.
What value does being involved in the Training Links Network bring to your network members?
The network is made up of colleagues from similar services nationally and we all share similar experiences and challenges. We were all facing unprecedented challenges in running our services during COVID-19 and the networking opportunities were very beneficial as we navigated these challenges. Overall, there was huge value in being involved with this project over the last 12 months.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We are pleased to be able to continue the programme next year, having been successful in our grant application for 2022. The network members were delighted that the programme can continue and build on the work of 2021.
Did you receive any testimonials?
Yes, we conducted a post-training evaluation and here is a sample of the feedback we received:
“Excellent presentation and very well linked to our sector.”
“Very good session. I found the examples used very practical and easy to transfer into my work.”
“I felt the facilitator was very informed and educated and the content very useful for newer centres or newer people in the sector.”
“Excellent workshop - really enjoyed it especially working in the smaller groups and everyone's participation. The facilitator is fantastic. Thank you so much.”