Delivering the Thinkuknow Introduction Course: a guide for Ambassadors

We know many of our Ambassadors are feeling confident about working online and want to use the opportunity to train staff or volunteers. 

Use our short guide below to help you to deliver the Thinkuknow Introduction Course online or access a downloadable version (pdf).  

Before you get started

Who’s invited?

Before setting up your training, think about who’s invited and how you are going to register them. Remember, you need to:

• See photo ID

• See a letter from a senior manager, and;

• Receive a signature from the trainee agreeing to the disclaimer. You may want to send out the disclaimer to trainees and save their response as evidence of an electronic signature

With direct colleagues you can get your human resources department to help you with this. If you are delivering training for people outside of your organisation, you will need to set up a system to do this. You could use an online survey or a registration tool, but think about how you will verify ID. 

For example, you could have a brief online meeting with each participant before the training. This allows you to visually check who they are and their submitted ID and gives you an opportunity to check their confidence with using technology. 

Choose the right tools.

There are lots of web conferencing tools available. If your organisation is not already using a specific tool, you should speak to your IT team about what would be best. Whatever tool you use, make sure you check the privacy and security features are in line with your organisation’s Data Protection or Online Safety policies. 

For more information about the different tools available and what to consider when selecting one, visit South West Grid for Learning’s page on Video Conferencing Tools and read the National Cyber Security Centre’s new guidance for organisations. 

Adapting your training

You already have the content you need, but there are some things to consider when delivering training online. 

1. Keep groups small

The size of your group will affect how much time you need to deliver your training. If you want everyone to get involved in the activities and discussions, it’s best to keep the group small. The larger the group, the harder it is to manage and ensure everyone has a chance to contribute. 

2. Break up the content

Training online can be more demanding – for the trainer and the learners. It’s a good idea to break up the modules into smaller chunks of no more than an hour. Deliver each module separately or take a break between modules to give you, and those you’re training, a rest. 

This also creates a great opportunity to check what they have learned before you move on to the next module.

3. Amend the activities

The activities and discussions are an important part of training but think about how you will facilitate online interactions. You could include individual thinking time at the start of each activity before asking for any answers from the group. You could also ask people to think about discussion questions or activities before each break as this gives people a chance to think about their answers. 

Don’t forget to add the questions or any activity sheets to your slides!

4. Be safe and well

Some of the module content is sensitive. With many professionals working from home, it’s important you make them aware of such content in advance. They can make sure they have a suitable place to take part in the training, without interruption from other family members. 

Remind people what to do if they have a specific worry (follow your safeguarding reporting procedure) and who they can talk to about their own wellbeing. If you are worried about any individuals, check in with them during the breaks. 

Preparing yourself

Whether it’s your first-time training online, or you are a web conferencing pro,  preparation is important. 

1. Setting up the ‘room’

Setting up your ‘room’ is important both on, and off-line. Practice loading your slides, logging in and using the tools available. Get a colleague to help you or use a separate device to see what the online training room will look like to others. Think about your surroundings and what you want participants to see.

2. Look after yourself.

Training is best delivered when you feel rested and well. Give yourself time before the training, so you feel ready, and after the training, so you can reflect on how it went. You will find that you do a lot more talking during online training, as you encourage others to participate, so have refreshments on hand and keep hydrated. 

3. Prepare post training information

As well as the feedback forms, think about what and how you will share information and resources with people. Have this ready to send as soon as the training is completed. It’s a good idea to do another follow up a week later. This gives you time to answer any outstanding questions and gives participants a timely reminder of all the great resources they can use.

Pause and reflect

We’re all getting used to a new way of working so if your first time delivering online training doesn’t go as smoothly as expected, don’t worry! 

Reflect on what went well and any issues you experienced and think about how you can overcome these the next time you deliver. Don’t forget to ask for feedback from your trainees using our feedback form. 

If you have any questions about delivering the Thinkuknow Introduction Course online, get in touch with us at ceopeducation@nca.gov.uk. 

We would also love to hear from you if you have delivered training online. What went well? Are there things you learned you could share with others?

Thanks for continuing to help us to empower and protect children and young people online.