Discovery’s Training Programme 2021
The Discovery training programme for the Autumn term is now live! Our training programme is a great opportunity to gain skills and knowledge relevant to your volunteering, and generally to learn new things. The sessions are a mixture of awareness talks and opportunities to practice new skills, and will be held on Zoom unless otherwise stated.
The programme is open to all signed up Discovery volunteers from any project – whilst some sessions will be particularly useful for specific projects, we believe there is a lot to gain from all of our volunteers having a good, well-rounded knowledge, so feel free to sign up to anything which interests you!
All training sessions can be signed up to on the Discovery Fatsoma page https://www.fatsoma.com/discoverysvs. Most of the programme isn’t accredited, but Discovery certificates will be available to show you have been to the training, and you can also log your hours for attending!
If you have any questions about the training programme, or any topics you would like to see covered in sessions next term, please get in touch with us by emailing discovery@swansea.ac.uk and we will see what we can do!
Training sessions October- December 2021
County Lines Awareness Wednesday 13th October 2pm – 3pm
This session, run by South Wales Police, will run through the definition of County Lines and what to do to report it.
Safeguarding Tuesday 19th October 4pm – 6pm Monday 25th October 4pm – 6pm Monday 1st November 3pm – 5pm Wednesday 10th November 4pm – 6pm Monday 22nd November 4pm – 6pm
This training offers an awareness of different types of harm that some children and adults may be facing and what to do if you hear or see anything. By the end of the session you will know your role as a volunteer in relation to safeguarding adults and children from harm, abuse and neglect.
Look After Your Mate Monday 25th October 1pm – 4pm Thursday 18th November 1pm – 4pm
The Look After Your Mate workshop empowers volunteers to support friends experiencing mental health difficulties whilst looking after their own wellbeing. The workshop is based on the Look After Your Mate (www.studentminds.org.uk/uploads/3/7/8/4/3784584/interactive_laym_guide.pdf) guide for friends, the workshop covers an introduction to student mental health and the student experience, understanding when a friend may be struggling, communication techniques, signposting and boundaries, self-care and looking after yourself whilst supporting a friend.
Anti-Racism and Allyship Wednesday 27th October, 2pm – 4.30pm
This training will help participants to develop an understanding of the various systems of oppression that underpin our society and the world we live in and make connections between these and institutions, policy development and symptomatic inequalities. Participants will also start to think about practical ways in which we can demonstrate our allyship, including how and when to challenge discrimination in various different situations.
Learning Disability Awareness Thursday 28th October 2pm – 4pm
This is an opportunity to learn about what a learning disability is and how you can best support people with a learning disability in your volunteering. Discovery is collaborating with another local charity, Your Voice Advocacy to bring you this informative, in-depth training session.
Supporting People To Keep Occupied Wednesday 3rd November 11.30am – 12.30pm
A session running through digital tools to help people keep occupied at home.
First Aid Wednesday 3rd November 2pm – 5pm
This session will cover basic emergency first aid, and is for Project Coordinators and lead volunteers on projects working face-to-face this term.
Modern Slavery Awareness Wednesday 3rd November 2pm – 3pm
This session, run by South Wales Police, will run through the definition of Modern Slavery and what to do to report it.
Digital Marketing Carousel Wednesday 3rd November 2pm – 4pm
This session will give a brief introduction to each of the following areas:
- Creating Animation
- Smartphone Photography
- Digital Storytelling
- Accessibility
- Social Media & Community Engagement
Sight Loss Awareness Wednesday 10th November 12pm – 2pm
An introductory session to working with people who are blind or partially-sighted.
Welsh Skills For Volunteering Wednesday 10th November, 3pm – 4pm
A session for beginners, teaching some basic Welsh greetings and other phrases which can be useful during volunteering.
Refugee and Asylum Seeker Awareness Thursday 11th November 12pm – 1pm
This session will provide an introduction to refugees and the UK asylum system, and we will look at some of the definitions, statistics and misconceptions surrounding this. One of our volunteer sanctuary speakers will join us to discuss their own experiences of being an asylum seeker in the UK.
Trans Etiquette In Your Volunteering Thursday 11th November 2pm – 3pm
This session will give an overview of what it means to be transgender, as well appropriate language. It will enable attendees to treat trans people they encounter in their volunteering with respect, and to be a good ally to transgender people more generally.
Making Information Accessible Wednesday 17th November 1pm – 3.30pm
This session will introduce you to the basics of making information easy to read and understand for people with a learning disability.
This course is suitable for anyone who wants to make their written information more accessible, especially for people with a learning disability.
Working With Older People Wednesday 17th November 2pm – 4pm
An introductory session to working with older people, covering things to be aware of, including some dementia awareness.
Disability Awareness Monday 22nd November 2pm – 4pm
This is an opportunity to learn more about disability, including how best to support disabled people and appropriate language and etiquette.
Impacts of Poverty Wednesday 24th November 1pm – 2pm
A session raising awareness of the impacts of poverty on people experiencing it, and things to consider in your volunteering working with people in poverty.
Restorative Practice Wednesday 24th November 2.30pm – 4.30pm
Restorative practice is a way of working with conflict that puts the focus on repairing the harm that has been done. It is an approach to conflict resolution that includes all of the parties involved. This session will cover the basics of restorative practice and consider how elements of it can be used in volunteering.
Suicide and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury In Young People Wednesday 24th November 2.30pm – 5.30pm
Who should attend?
Anyone working with young people who wants to increase their knowledge and understanding of suicide and non-suicidal self – injury
What the course will cover
- Facts about non suicidal self- injury
- The reasons why young people self- injure
- Indications that someone may be self- injuring
- How to respond and how to talk to the young person
- The importance of early intervention
- Facts about suicide
- Risk factors
- Indications that someone may be feeling suicidal
- How to talk with a young person about suicide
- Confidentiality and safeguarding
- Self – care