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The WLGA has worked with Blue Apple HR Solutions and authorities across Wales to design a suite of 7 induction modules for elected members following the council elections in 2008. The modules cover the following areas:
- Introduction to local government
- Effective Corporate Governance
- Ethics and standards
- Meeting practice
- Equalities and diversity
- Local government finance
- Community Leadership and Engagement
The modules have been created to provide new members with an initial set of information and skills to equip them for their early period of office. This national programme allows for all members to have similar opportunities for development and for authorities to have some guidance in what might be provided. Local input and context is essential and we envisage that the standard material within each module will be supplemented by local information, giving councillors a clear picture of the environment in which they are working. Members will also be provided with e learning packages that they can use independently to supplement the induction modules.
The modules are designed to be delivered in-house, by local officers and members or external providers working with authority officers and members where internal capacity is limited.
This guidance is designed to help organisers and facilitators – especially those new to working with members - in their preparation and delivery of the modules. Suggested approaches and techniques are based largely on our experience working with members in a variety of settings across Wales, and councils are encouraged to tailor and adapt these as necessary to reflect local culture.
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Ideally, councils would want to use internal facilitators to deliver the programme. This will help to build early relationships between officers and members, ensure that information is provided within a local context, and develop internal facilitation. If authorities find that internal resources are limited, there is obvious scope for collaboration in delivery by working with facilitators from neighbouring authorities. Authorities may chose to work with external facilitators, we recommend that where this route is chosen, at least one internal officer is selected to co-deliver the module to help ensure that local or specialist information is included.
Internal facilitators should include:
- Officers with specialist knowledge in the subject area (e.g. legal services officer, monitoring officer, finance officer)
- Member services officers who are accustomed to working with members in this way
- Training officers who are experienced and confident in delivering development modules of this kind
- Experienced Members of the authority who can give a member perspective and personal experience
The exact mix will need to be decided at a local level, taking into account factors such as proficiency, experience and availability.
Training and development officers will know that the practical aspects of planning and organising the events are crucial to their success. Letting participants know what to expect beforehand, ensuring a comfortable physical environment and providing ample opportunity for feedback all contribute to a sense of ownership and improve the chances of positive learning outcomes.
The following checklist will be helpful for non specialists planning the events:
- Key officers involved in the development of the modules will need to have plenty of time to work on the modules before delivery.
- Facilitators will also need to meet several weeks in advance to familiarise themselves with the objectives, programme and content, and to agree and rehearse their input.
- Event administrators will need to ensure that members are aware in plenty of time of the whole programme of induction opportunities provided by the authority.
- Programmes and invitations should make clear details such as the aims of the sessions, venues, and times for arrival/registration and most importantly end.
- Where required, all materials should be provided bilingually, and arrangements made for simultaneous translation.
- Venues should be selected that are light, airy and comfortable and suitable for disabled people. You might want to consider an open ‘U’ or ‘café style’ layout which is helpful for group work.
- Avoid using council chambers which are very much a work rather than learning environment for members.
- Ensure equipment such as PowerPoint projector, OHP screen and flipcharts and pens are provided at the venue, and are in working order.
- Provide packs for each participant containing copies of the programme,
- PowerPoint presentations, activities, background and supplementary material, feedback forms and writing paper. Also provide name plates.
Each module on the CD includes the following (all bilingual)
- Module objectives
- Module programme
- Briefing notes for facilitators
- PowerPoint presentation
- Additional material including activities, case studies and extra information on the subject being covered (the nature and extent of this will vary between modules)
The PowerPoint presentation and accompanying facilitators’ briefing notes are comprehensive; although we envisage that they will be supplemented with local information such as policy, approaches, and data (the presentations in a number of modules contain ‘blank’ slides for this purpose). Facilitators will need to exercise their own judgement as to how much of the presentations are used. All the slides should be included in the packs so that participants can refer to them subsequently.
The facilitator’s role in working with the members is about helping members to understand new and sometimes complex or unfamiliar information in a way that is uncomplicated, stimulating and interactive; helping members explore, question and experiment with the new information and work out what additional support and development they might need. Members take part in development voluntarily and will not participate unless they see the relevance of the exercise and are stimulated by the experience. Some approaches which work include:
- Establishing an atmosphere of trust, informality and openness early on, in which it is made clear that everyone has equal rights to participation and expression, and where norms of respect and inclusiveness are clearly established. The best way to do this is to agree as a group some simple ground rules, which can be written on a flip chart, displayed throughout the session, and referred back to in the event of any breach. It is a good idea to draft a set of ground rules beforehand, and use these as a basis for general discussion with the group. The ground rules might include:
- Practicalities, such as switching off mobile phones and keeping to a timetable.
Mutual Respect – letting everyone have their say and agreeing to disagree courteously.
- Appropriate confidentiality – agree any categories of information that it would not be appropriate to share outside of the session.
- Avoidance of jargon – if jargon or abbreviations are necessary, make sure that you explain them.
- Active participation.
- Avoidance of political debate or point scoring.
- Balancing the programme to incorporate appropriate amounts of presentation, discussion and individual/ group tasks and ensure it focuses equally on building personal knowledge, developing role skills and identifying personal development needs.
- Acknowledging up front the different roles of officers and members, and make clear that the aim of the module is not to mould or influence political behaviour and choices. Recognising the legitimate – and central – political role of members, make clear that the modules must not be used to vent political frustration or as a vehicle for political point-scoring between participants.
- Engaging returning members participating in the module by encouraging them to provide insight and draw on their own experiences that relate to the issues being discussed.
- Ensuring that members see the relevance of the session by focus on the practical rather than technical, applying theory to everyday situations that members are likely to face.
- Apart from where objective factual information is involved, avoid providing definite ‘right or wrong’ answers to questions from the floor, but use these questions to stimulate debate, pool ideas and, if possible, draw out consensus from the group. If you are asked to comment on a specific situation which may be contentious, you could share your experience of how other members have approached situations successfully in the past or offer a range of options from which members could chose.
- Provide an opportunity at the end of the session for collective feedback and reflection on learning, and ensure forms are provided for confidential individual feedback.
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As with all development activities it is good practice to undertake a simple evaluation of the training. Feedback forms provide an opportunity for members to react to different aspects of the training immediately and allow providers to modify future sessions. Confidential forms covering the following have been found to be useful.
- Content - was the right material covered?
- Facilitator(s) - was the style helpful
- Level - was the information pitched at a level suitable for the new member?
- Pace - too fast too slow?
- Timing - useful time of day? Too soon or too late in the members career?
- Venue - location, layout, comfort
- Relevance - how can the member apply the learning immediately and in the future?
- Suggestions for improvement - what could be done differently
- Requirements for additional training - what would members like next?
- It is also important to gather feedback from the facilitators about potential further development needs for members as well as observations on the success or otherwise of the sessions. Making informal contact with members six weeks or so after they have completed the full training programme will provide opportunities to follow up on any further development requirements.
- If you would like advice on content or support in delivering the modules please contact the WLGA.
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