The SOA had a controllers update meeting at the weekend and one of the subjects discussed was training for planners & organisers. It was generally felt that this would not be popular or taken up.
Looking at the British Orienteering website I came across these pages laying out the requirements to be a grade 2 or 3 planner or organiser. I've not come across any reference to the grade of planner or organiser required for different event levels before.
The concept must have been around for some time though, as the pages refer to C4, District and Colour Coded events (so need updating).
I'm not saying that it would be a bad idea, and there clearly needs to be some selection based on ability before planners or organisers are appointed for a specific event, just that it was news to me that we already had such grades and guidelines.
There is a risk that if we insist on such training/grading we may loose potential/existing volunteers, so how do we maintain some sort of quality control of officials, or don't we?
What grade of planner/organiser are you?
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Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
It's interesting what you find if you go digging around on the BOF website.
What I noticed when I found the link regarding the barriers being experienced by clubs, was a recurring problem regarding the difficulty finding volunteers to fill key roles both in running their clubs and the events they stage.
I don't however think have a grading system will address that need: guidelines and training ~ a good idea; but certification ~ IMO a waste of time.
Mentoring is I believe more beneficial. Both tasks can be a little daunting. With support from an experienced colleague you start to gain confidence to put your name forward a second time.
What I noticed when I found the link regarding the barriers being experienced by clubs, was a recurring problem regarding the difficulty finding volunteers to fill key roles both in running their clubs and the events they stage.
I don't however think have a grading system will address that need: guidelines and training ~ a good idea; but certification ~ IMO a waste of time.
Mentoring is I believe more beneficial. Both tasks can be a little daunting. With support from an experienced colleague you start to gain confidence to put your name forward a second time.
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Clive Coles - brown
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Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
“There is a risk that if we insist on such training/grading we may loose potential/existing volunteers”
There is a risk that if you don’t offer the training you won’t get volunteers – people need to feel confident that they will do a good job and will want either mentoring or training to the required standard (which is why you also need grades of planner/organiser/controller).
- besty
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Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
Training cannot be bad. Compulsory trining and qualification will have a negative impact on clubs ability to get people to put on events - it's hard enough to find an organiser without insisting they go on some course. IMO a disastrous idea. we do grade controllers - they are supposed to hep in addition toany local club mentoring that may go on.
- EddieH
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Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
well said Eddie - I'm in your gang on this one
hop fat boy, hop!
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madmike - guru
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Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
From the BOF website link:
So it's a bit tough if you want to plan a regional or national event (or whatever they're called these days) - and two levels of training for the same type of event seems confusing to say the least
(The text below those headings talks about district and regional events, not local ones, anyway!)
There are two levels of training available.
Grade 3 (Local Events)
Grade 2 (Local Events)
So it's a bit tough if you want to plan a regional or national event (or whatever they're called these days) - and two levels of training for the same type of event seems confusing to say the least
(The text below those headings talks about district and regional events, not local ones, anyway!)
- roadrunner
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Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
training = good
any sort of formal qualification = very very very bad
any sort of formal qualification = very very very bad
Andrew Dalgleish (INT)
Views expressed on Nopesport are my own.
Views expressed on Nopesport are my own.
- andy
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Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
I think the mentoring is the best option and it's how we try to do it in EckO.
I think I agree that formal qualification is not the best way, but we do need to know peoples experience/skill level.
Would just having a register of the events each planner/organiser has been responsible for help in the selection process.
I'm guessing that someone that has planned/organised a number of events is probably not too bad at it or they wouldn't have been asked to do it repeatedly.
Controllers already have a process to enable grading but I can't see why they shouldn't be included in the same register.
No one likes being tested/judged, but we do need a means to ensure that the quality of events is maintained/improved.
I think I agree that formal qualification is not the best way, but we do need to know peoples experience/skill level.
Would just having a register of the events each planner/organiser has been responsible for help in the selection process.
I'm guessing that someone that has planned/organised a number of events is probably not too bad at it or they wouldn't have been asked to do it repeatedly.
Controllers already have a process to enable grading but I can't see why they shouldn't be included in the same register.
No one likes being tested/judged, but we do need a means to ensure that the quality of events is maintained/improved.
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Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
andy wrote:any sort of formal qualification = very very very bad
But it's alright/should be done for coaching?
Genuinely, how do things differ for organisers/planners?
Should there be formal qualifications for controllers so as to maintain quality standards in the forest?
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distracted - addict
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Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
I went on a controlling course mainly to help me with planning. I think just calling the beginners controlling course a controlling/planning course would do as the 2 are similar. I wouldn't favour compulsion, I agree with Eddie it's hard enough to persuade folk to do stuff anyway. I could see an organisers course discussing all the things that may go wrong and making all the participants decide they'll let someone else have the hassle.
In general folk are sensible and work their way up through events re planning and organising anyway, although we have some folk who plan or organise an event and decide never again....
In general folk are sensible and work their way up through events re planning and organising anyway, although we have some folk who plan or organise an event and decide never again....
- frog
Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
Who said that they thought coaches should have to have formal qualifications and first aid certificates?
I'd favour a more informal approach to coaching, particularly at a club level where people keen to coach can have a go even if no formal training and leave the formal stuff to those in charge of the Scottish squad training etc. Someone else has decided we can't do that however.
I'd favour a more informal approach to coaching, particularly at a club level where people keen to coach can have a go even if no formal training and leave the formal stuff to those in charge of the Scottish squad training etc. Someone else has decided we can't do that however.
- frog
Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
But it's alright/should be done for coaching?
Genuinely, how do things differ for organisers/planners?
Simple. There is plenty of paid work available for coaches provided they have the appropriate qualifications.
Start paying qualified organisers / planners at a similar rate and they would soon gain the qualifications they needed.
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Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
Paul Frost wrote:Would just having a register of the events each planner/organiser has been responsible for help in the selection process.
I'm guessing that someone that has planned/organised a number of events is probably not too bad at it or they wouldn't have been asked to do it repeatedly.
Does BOF already maintain a register of events that members have organised/planned/controlled? All this data is input by clubs when registering events, so such a database ought to be possible in theory.
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Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
Yes ~ BOF do store most of the data so with a little data mining software they could produce a schedule of who has done what.
The two missing pieces of information I can think of is a record of who acted as coach at an event where coaching is offered. This is not currently being recorded.
Also we are not meant to be recording coaching activities where BOF are not liable for Public Insurance liability cover ( e.g. School Coaching events held on School grounds).
So we have two important gaps in the centralised Coaching records.
The two missing pieces of information I can think of is a record of who acted as coach at an event where coaching is offered. This is not currently being recorded.
Also we are not meant to be recording coaching activities where BOF are not liable for Public Insurance liability cover ( e.g. School Coaching events held on School grounds).
So we have two important gaps in the centralised Coaching records.
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Clive Coles - brown
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Re: What grade of planner/organiser are you?
I find the idea that because someone has planned many times they are therefore good at it quite bizarre. They may have learnt a few must dos, but I am aware of a (very few) regular planners (and controllers) that have quite a record for misplaced controls for one, and in general judgement terms that plan dull uninspired courses.
There are some planners that produce IMO inspired courses - I expect that they did this from their first event.
Firstly planning is an art, and the most important things that the planners do will never be judged by any assessment courses.
Secondly there is little or no assessment regarding the success of planning so experience cannot be a good assessor of competence.
There are some planners that produce IMO inspired courses - I expect that they did this from their first event.
Firstly planning is an art, and the most important things that the planners do will never be judged by any assessment courses.
Secondly there is little or no assessment regarding the success of planning so experience cannot be a good assessor of competence.
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