WORKSHOP PEDAGOGY. Operating environment of workshops. Information for stakeholders and partners. PRINCIPLES OF COACHING IN WORKSHOPS

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1 WORKSHOP PEDAGOGY PEDAGOGIC PRINCIPLES OF COACHING IN WORKSHOPS Operating environment of workshops A workshop is a flexible environment in which coaching, different kinds of activities, work and learning takes place. The main purpose of a workshop is to coach people through work. By a workshop we can mean both the physical operating environment or a diverse method of coaching. Workshops support participants personal growth, social empowerment, active participation, employability and work skills through communal coaching with an emphasis on practical work. Methods used include work training and personal and group coaching. Different coaching methods are combined according to the specific needs of each participant. The length of the working day, number of days per week and the work programme can be adapted according to participants capabilities. A workshop is a working environment that allows participants to build up skills, experiences and self-knowledge, which will give them more realistic chances of accessing training and gaining employment. Information for stakeholders and partners. According to the Finnish Ministry of Education (general principles and recommendations for youth workshops, decision 17/600/2006), the most important objective of youth workshops is to improve skills and abilities of young people to enable them to access education and training, to complete their education or to become employed. From the participant s perspective, workshops support life-management skills, social empowerment, social growth at one s own pace and learning by doing.

2 Coaching in a workshop Coaching in a workshop follows educational and pedagogical principles. Activities vary according to the needs of participants. Not only participant-oriented, coaching is communal, empowering and flexible. PERSONAL COACHING WORK TRAINING, RECOGNITION OF SKILLS EMPLOYMENT COACHING OPEN WORKSHOP, TRANSITION SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDE WORK TRIALS, WAGE SUBSIDIES, EMPLOYMENT COACHING, APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING, COMPLETION OF A VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATION WORK TRAINING DEVELOPS WORK SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS STUDY SKILLS SUPPORT PERSONAL COACHING IF NEEDED SERVICES INCLUDE WORK TRIALS, COMPLETION OF A VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATION, PRODUCTION SCHOOL REHABILITATIVE COACHING ANALYSIS OF PARTICIPANT S WORK AND OTHER ABILITIES WORK TRAINING TAILOR-MADE ACCORDING TO NEEDS OF PARTICIPANT PERSONAL AND TEAM COACHING SERVICES INCLUDE EMPLOYMENT COACHING FOR MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS PROVIDED BY THE SOCIAL INSURANCE INSTITUTION OF FINLAND, REHABILITATIVE WORK ACTIVITIES, EVERYDAY SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS START-OFF COACHING ANALYSIS OF PARTICIPANT S ABILITIES STEP-BY-STEP REHABILITATION FOR ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF WORKING PERSONAL AND TEAM COACHING SERVICES INCLUDE REHABILITATIVE WORK ACTIVITIES, BOUGHT SERVICES FROM THE SOCIAL SERVICES IMPROVEMENT OF WORK AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS LIFE-MANAGEMENT SUPPORT Workshop as a learning environment Workshops are particularly suitable learning environments for people who find learning in a traditional classroom situation challenging. Participants can improve their skills and competences through practical work, learning by doing. You can complete parts or even whole qualifications in a workshop if the workshop learning environment is recognised and approved according to legislation and guidelines for vocational training in Finland. Validation of non-formal learning Validation of non-formal learning is about realising lifelong learning in practice. It means that previously acquired skills and competences of people are identified, and skills and competences acquired during coaching recognised. This makes the acquired skills visible so that the participants can benefit from them in their career path ahead. The skills are documented in a skills certificate. A model for the certificate that can be used countrywide and a recognition report for the learning environment are available at the National Workshop Association s website at tpy.fi. POSITIVE ATMOSPHERE RECOGNITION OF THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CREATION OF LOCAL TOOLS EVALUATION AND MONITORING AGREEMENTS AND MARKETING WORKSHOP: SKILLS MAP = RECOGNISED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT PARTICIPANT: SKILLS CERTIFICATE Workshop coaching services. Coaching is tailor-made according to the individual needs of each participant. OSSU validation process. Skills learned in a workshop are described using terminology of the national curriculum of Finland.

3 Workshop pedagogy WHAT WORKSHOP PEDAGOGY MEANS takes place in flexbible learning environments tailor-made according to individual needs emphasis on learning by doing communal coaching that follows a set plan. Learning and the motivation to learn in a workshop is based on practical work. Theory and practice intertwine. Timely support, advice and coaching will support areas relating to increase of social empowerment and skills listed on the below circle. Social empowerment is preventative action. It is about holistic support of participants, to increase and promote their well-being. COMING TOGETHER COMMUNALITY EMPOWERMENT The flexibility of the operating, working and learning environment of a workshop makes it possible to take the individual needs of participants, their pace of progress and strengths into account. Different working and learning modules and activities can be created flexibly within the workshop and its networks. INTERACTION, DIALOGUE COACHING SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT, INCREASED SKILLS LIFE-MANAGEMENT SELF-EFFICACY EFFICACY INCLUSION, ACTIVE PARTICIPATION The coaching process always has a plan and set objectives. The plan consists of objectives, practical activities and the means of achieving them, which the coach and the participant produce together. A realistic timetable is also set together. An important part of coaching is that participants acquire genuine experiences of accomplishment and that there is a clear improvement in their skills. Learning by doing is the most common method used in workshops. Participants learn new skills and knowledge through concrete tasks. The tasks will become more demanding as the participants skills increase. Participants learn to recognise their own strengths and abilities through work and feedback. Do, experience and grow in the workshop community. Personal growth takes time and a workshop provides participants with individual support. Experiential learning refers to learners ability to make use of previous skills and experiences while learning new ones and to an ability to build new, useful skills and knowledge. In experiential learning you are allowed to try, test, make mistakes, fail and receive instant, constructive feedback. Experiences of success promote learning. Learning is active and social and at its most effective when we are interested in what we are learning and we can somehow relate it to our previous experiences and knowledge.

4 Empowerment is a process that starts from people themselves. It is about discovering your own strengths through experiences of success. A clear indication of empowerment is an increased belief in your future, an ability to look at your opportunities in a realistic way and to take responsibility of your own life. The role of the coach is to support, guide and advice. For the coaching process to work, the participant must be motivated and willing to commit to the process. At the end of a successful coaching process is a person who believes in him- or herself. Self-efficacy means belief in your own ability to manage your life and circumstances. Your belief in your abilities will have an impact on your life choices, motivation and ability to face challenges in life. Active participation is about initiative and responsibility, and to develop those characteristics, you must have opportunities to take initiative and to make decisions and to see the impact your actions has on your own and other people s lives. Working together with others in a workshop, participants learn new skills and knowledge. WORKSHOP PEDAGOGY REQUIRES coaching in an environment that supports learning. Inclusion is about belonging to a community and the right to participate in planning of services that are relevant to you. Inclusion is empowering and encourages activity and participation. Life-management is about feeling that you have control over your own life. Life-management covers all areas of life, such as family, housing, education and training, work, health, relationships and everyday challenges. Moving on from a workshop People come to a workshop, get coached and move on. Coaching in a workshop is meant to be a supported transition period, during which vocational direction is sought or another service that would better meet the needs of the participant is identified. The most important thing is that the participant will have a clear plan and direction for future after the workshop. Belief in the future is an attitude that grows and strengthens through the above areas. It is about ability to dream and courage to make decisions concerning your life. It is about courage to take on challenges and willingness to achieve things.

5 INTRODUCTION TO SERVICES Finland has not legislated for workshops and what you can do in them but the coaching services provided by workshops are regulated by law. ENTRY TO WORKSHOP, SITUATION ANALYSIS DIRECTION TO OTHER SERVICES, SITUATION ANALYSIS PARTICIPATION IN COACHING WRITTEN AGREEMENT WRITTEN COACHING PLAN OBJECTIVES, MEANS, SCHEDULE WORKSHOP ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ASSESSMENT COACHING, ORAL AND WRITTEN TRAINING, STUDY VISITS WRITTEN PLAN FOR FUTURE OBJECTIVES, MEANS, SCHEDULE EDUCATION LABOUR MARKET SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT SELF-EMPLOYMENT OTHER MEASURES UNEMPLOYMENT The coaching process. Qualified coaches are there to help, support and encourage workshop participants. Participants themselves must set their goals and take responsibility for their decisions. Workshops and their multi-sectoral network Workshops operate in the gaps of different service systems, in the margins and interfaces of different sectors. Apart from employment and youth policies, workshops are closely related to education and social policies. Workshop context. Youth, social, education and employment authorities look at workshops and their results from different perspectives. The operation of workshops requires cooperation of different professionals to achieve common objectives. The aim is to combine information, skills and experiences and to delegate tasks and authority. Cooperation crosses sectoral boundaries

6 History of workshops 1980s First workshops in Finland are established workshops are mainly a tool for youth work 1990s increased need for workshops supported employment measures, apprenticeship training and workshop coaching are brought under one umbrella networking of workshops the National Workshop Association is established in 1997 new activities are developed 2000s workshops continue to develop coaching services continue to develop workshop schooling becomes more common most local councils in Finland have workshops start-up workshops and outreach youth work 2010s cooperation with training institutions increases increased number of immigrants qualification requirements for a specialist vocational qualification of job coaching 2011 LEARNING BY DOING the aim of a workshop development project ( ) is to improve the quality of workshops in order to make activities more effective and to enable workshops better meet the needs of participants. The Learning by Doing project is funded by RAY (Finland's Slot Machine Association). The National Workshop Association (TPY) is responsible for the project administration. The association was founded in 1997 by workshop professionals and it provides a variety of membership, training and development services to its member organisations and partners the National Workshop Association has 220 members about 85% of local councils in Finland have workshops further information