Strategy for learning and training of AEGEE-Europe

Transcription

1 Strategy for learning and training of AEGEE-Europe

2 Summary This strategy proposes a solution for AEGEE-Europe to deal with the problem of nonfunctioning Human Resources management inside of the organisation, namely learning and training. As it is stated in the introduction, AEGEE members are expected to deliver results without any kind of training. As we do not have any system how to overcome this problem and status quo is not helpful in terms of bringing solutions, the aim of this strategy is to tackle the problem of HR management in structural way. The system that this strategy creates is based on the definition of different stages of membership. We identify five main stages of AEGEE membership through Human Resources Cycle. However, it is not realistic to deal with all of them in one document. Thus, we chose first three stages named Enter, Learn and Perform. According to them we can afterwards define what type of knowledge and what kind of training each AEGEE member needs. These definitions help us to draft learning processes and trainings that will fit into such framework. This coherent approach then brings more visible results and is problem-solving oriented. Important part of the strategy is the definition of trainings in AEGEE and competences of involved bodies. Local Training Courses and Regional Training Courses are defined by content, not by geographical scope. Bodies involved in the implementations of this strategy, namely Comité Directeur, AEGEE-Academy, Network Commission, Human Resources Committee and AEGEE locals, find in the document their competences and tasks.this creates clear structure that helps to overcome problems related to learning and training in AEGEE-Europe. This strategy does not aim to solve all problems related to Human Resources in AEGEE- Europe. It seeks to help locals with learning and processes in the widest range possible. It does not aim to solve problems that other AEGEE-Europe bodies face (Projects, Working groups, Commissions etc.). The aim of the strategy is to cover the problem of learning and training that is related to almost every local antenna. There are three basic reasons why this system of Human Resources management inside AEGEE-Europe has been drafted. First, we would like to create clear and coherent structure of learning processes and training within AEGEE-Europe. Second, we would like to provide more opportunities for self-development for AEGEE members. Third, we would like to provide AEGEE locals with more resources for learning and training in order to conduct these activities on local level. 1

3 Introduction Motivation The project draft of AEGEE-Europe on Internal Education from the year 1999 says this: It is more or less common ground that one of the weakest points of AEGEE is its Internal Education. In all levels of the association, active members are expected to bring results virtually without any training at all. Regretfully, not much has changed in AEGEE since Therefore, for the sake of improvement of our association this strategy should serve as a first step to overcome this long-lasting problem of Human Resources management inside AEGEE-Europe. Purpose of the strategy The ultimate goal of this document is to set a framework for the system of managing knowledge and training inside AEGEE. Such a document, that could bring clarity, coherence and structure, has been lacking so far. It is not intended to solve all AEGEE- Europe s problems related to HR management. Structure of the document The main body of the document is divided into four basic categories. First, we define responsible bodies of AEGEE-Europe, status quo of HR management in AEGEE and different trainings. The second part contains stages of AEGEE membership together with the definition of knowledge and training required. The third part deals with different means of trainings. The last part of the text discusses basic implementation and possible outcomes if the strategy is working. 2

4 Status quo of learning and training in AEGEE-Europe Nowadays, there are these types of tools for Internal Education i. Members Manual containing different toolkits for AEGEE members ii. Local Training Courses / Regional Training Courses iii. European Schools iv. Sharing best practices during Statutory events (new) and at Network Meetings Remarks: i. This initiative is still unknown for the network and needs to be promoted more. The toolkits offer guidelines for members. However, there are doubts that they are used widely in the locals. ii. LTCs / RTCs lack any kind of general framework. These trainings are organized ad hoc by local antenna. It would be beneficial for AEGEE as a whole if there is fundamental common ground across the network about small amount of content in LTCs / RTCs. This strategy does NOT strive for creating single, one-size-fits-all framework for the trainings in AEGEE. iii. Considering the fact that AEGEE-Europe has members in 200 cities, European Schools (with different topic of trainings) with approximately 30 participants each are not sufficient for the needs of AEGEE-Europe. Moreover, European schools are not suitable for all members, as it requires specific timeavailability that not everyone has. iv. These types of events have been introduced at Spring Agora Patra It is early to evaluate their purpose. However, moderation during the sessions and collecting feedback from participants should be improved. The same applies to Network Meetings too. Definition of relevant bodies and their competences In order to carry out the aims of the document, the International Board of AEGEE-Europe Comité Directeur (CD) is responsible for setting general framework and coordination of the strategy. Methodological body related to Human Resources is AEGEE-Academy (ACA). In terms of this strategy, The Academy drafts the content of training and learning processes inside AEGEE-Europe. On the other hand, Academy is responsible for high level trainings and providing trainers for the organisation. Two bodies of AEGEE-Europe, namely The Network Commission (NetCom) and Human Resources Committee (HRC), are responsible for the management of Human Resources as well. They play crucial role in implementation of trainings and knowledge inside AEGEE. Network Commission is responsible for management of local antennae and HRC involves AEGEE members interested in developing the human potential of AEGEE-Europe. The 3

5 cooperation between these two bodies can be set in buddy format when every NetCom has one member of HRC to help him/her out to carry out the tasks related to the implementation of this strategy. This way we ensure the distribution of the workload connected to the implementation phase. Last but not least, every local antenna or contact antenna should be responsible for delivering basic knowledge and training to its members. Therefore, antennae have also a stake at the development of Human Resources of AEGEE-Europe. They are partly responsible for setting their priorities and objectives of these trainings. At the end it is their members which are being developed to work in their locals. So locals should promote training and learning inside their structures, bearing in mind the support of all mentioned relevant bodies. This strategy, together with future documents, will help them to organize different levels of training. So, in the end, the structure of bodies might look like this. CD ACA NetCom,HRC Locals Coordination of overall process Coordination of relevant bodies involved Defines AEGEE priorities Defines methodology for LTCs/RTCs Carry on High level trainings (ES) Provide trainers Train trainers coordination of implementatio n of LTCs/RTCs get feedback from locals provide help and support implementatio n of developed trainings define objectives related to local's members development promote training and learning inside local antenna 4

6 Definition of trainings inside AEGEE-Europe One of the strong feature of formal education institutions is hierarchy of different levels of education. According to this hierarchy, it is then possible to define the level of knowledge required for the entry. This strategy aims to create similar looking structure that will provide basic information about the purpose of training and its entry requirements as well as outcomes. - Local Training Courses The strategy distinguishes between level one and level two of LTC. These are the places where members should learn new knowledge about AEGEE after they enter the organisation and skills needed to stay active in local antenna. Members from other antennae can attend LTC as well without changing the concept of training into Regional Training Course. - Regional Training Course Its role is to provide knowledge and training for members that aspire to be in the board of local antenna. RTC serves as a training centres for future boards and as an opportunity to network with the people from similar area. Moreover, this is also a place where active members will learn how to deliver their LTCs in their locals. Therefore, two requirement should be met. First, content of the event in line with this strategy. Second, presence of at least two members from at least three antennae in an area. - European Schools European training event specifically designed to develop particular skills. Duration approximately of 6 days. - Training for Trainers European training event for future trainers inside AEGEE- Europe fully in competence of AEGEE-Academy T4T ESs RTC LTC 2 LTC 1 5

7 Specific definition of the content for trainings: LTC 1 Aim: LTC 1 serves the purpose of integrating new members in a local antenna. Compulsory parts: AEGEE Identity introduction AEGEE History introduction AEGEE Structure Local Antenna introduction + activities Event management The compulsory part should take up to a maximum of 50 % of LTC 1. The rest of the training content is up to an organising local according to its needs and objectives. LTC 2 Aim: A member who attended LTC 2 will have enough knowledge to get involved in AEGEE activities either in local or in European level. Compulsory parts: Communication channels in AEGEE Training opportunities Thematic projects of AEGEE Project management Communication inside the team Again, the compulsory part should take up to a maximum of 50 % of LTC 2. The rest of the training content is up to an organising local according to its needs and objectives. RTC Aim: The outcome of RTC will be members that are prepared to deliver inside a local antenna as board members. Compulsory part: Management of local antenna (Antenna criteria, Membership management, Financial reports etc.) Leadership skills OR Strategic planning Additionally, regional focus will build stronger bonds among neighbouring locals because of personal relations made during RTC. 6

8 Again, the compulsory part should take up to a maximum of 50 % of RTC. The rest of the training content is up to an agreement of participating locals according to its needs and objectives. European Schools The aim: To provide extended training in specific field of skills. This training is in competence of AEGEE-Academy or specific body of AEGEE-Europe that is having a niche in particular field (ITC organising ITES for example). Training for Trainers (T4T) The aim: To train future generation of trainers in AEGEE. This training is fully in competence of AEGEE-Academy. ACA sets objectives and outcomes of the training. Stages of AEGEE membership In order to precisely define what knowledge and skills our members need it is useful to draft different stages of AEGEE membership. Then we are able to tailor the structure of training according to their needs. Therefore, we define five stages of membership in AEGEE-Europe. The stages come from the general HR Cycle of AEGEE-Europe that serves as a general framework for HR management inside AEGEE-Europe. This does not mean that the development of our members only progresses along these lines. A member is not necessarily confined to a certain stage, but it helps us to target their needs adequately. Below is the visualisation of HR Cycle stages. 1. Enter 2. Learning 3. Performing 4. Giving back 5. Exit The purpose of the strategy is to deal with first three stages of membership, namely Entering, Learning and Performing. These stages involve learning and training. Therefore, it is natural focus of the strategy. 7

9 Definition of knowledge and skills according to first three stages of membership First stage Enter The aim of the stage: Integration of new member into a local antenna. It is often the case that new members do not get introductory information about AEGEE during the time they are new in a local antenna. They are forced to look for information on their own or slowly loose interest in the participation on local level. Therefore, in order to prevent loss of motivation of new members, the concept LTC 1 has been developed. The purpose of LTC 1 in this stage of membership is to offer basic introduction into a realm of AEGEE-Europe and specific local antenna. It should answer two basic questions. What type of organisation am I part of? And what can I do in my city? It is an introduction into a learning process of AEGEE members. Moreover, in ideal case, organisation of LTC 1 is synchronised with the recruitment process of AEGEE local. Every local antenna has its recruitment process in different time and it is NOT an intention of this strategy to unify it across the Network. However, according to observation there are two main recruitment waves in AEGEE correlating with starts of academic semesters in autumn and spring. According to this fact, we propose that organisation of LTC 1 is supposed to happen 60 days after recruitment process of the specific local antenna. In the end, it can look like this. LTC 1 Spring LTC 1 for members which joined in Spring (March/April) Enter Autumn Join of new members in Winter semester (September/October) Enter Spring for members which joined in Spring (February/March) LTC 1 Autumn LTC one for new members which joined in autumn (October/November) This structure serves as example how local antenna can integrate its new members into the AEGEE. 8

10 Who is responsible? CD (Coordination) Academy (Content Development of LTC 1) Network Commission and HRC (Communication with locals and support for them) AEGEE locals (Content Development and Implementation) Second stage Learning The aim of the stage: A member has enough knowledge to get involved in AEGEE activities. After getting to know basic information about AEGEE-Europe and local antenna, members need to get knowledge about how to actively participate in AEGEE activities either on local or European level. The concept of LTC 2 provides the framework to learn this knowledge. LTC 2 is supposed to answer two basic questions. What can I do in AEGEE and where can I get involved? And how will I handle the work in the team? If LTC 2 gives sufficient answers for these questions, then a member is ready to contribute into AEGEE activities. As it is stated above, LTC 2 includes development of knowledge as well as skills. Regarding skills development, LTC 2 aims to tackle general set of skills that every active AEGEE member needs basics of project management, team dynamics and cooperation, communication tools. It is fundamental to train our members how to work together before than we develop specific skills in fields of PR, FR or HR. LTC 2, therefore, approaches skills development in a general way that benefits everyone, not only specific group of people. In ideal case, organising LTC 2 is synchronised with the recruitment activities of local antenna as well. If we take into an account previous LTC 1, then LTC 2 will happen in the period of one year since member joined a local antenna. It can look like this. Autumn Spring LTC 2 Members that joined local antenna in spring (February/March) LTC 2 Members that joined local antenna in autumn (September/ October) 9

11 Related to specific skills (PR, FR, HR) development, there are European Schools that aims to offer extended training for specific topic. Moreover, there are other means how to develop these specific skills. The strategy discusses them in the next part of the text. Who is responsible? CD (Coordination) Academy (Content development of LTC 2) Network Commission and HRC (support for locals and communication with them) AEGEE locals (Content development and implementation). Third stage Performing The aim of the stage: Prepare member to take responsibility in the board either on local or European level. After getting through the learning process a member should have advanced level of knowledge about AEGEE activities and opportunities to get involved. However, being in the board requires another type of knowledge and skills than the previous learning process. This is a place where concept of RTC fits in. As it is defined above, RTC serves the purpose of training of future board members. This is backed by two reasons. First, AEGEE-Europe does not have any sufficient platform where to train board members 1. Therefore, RTC can be suitable alternative to develop. Secondly, RTC with its regional scope fulfils the need of networking as well. Creating bonds between people from different locals helps to create more common initiative, better communication and exchange. Therefore, it fits the prerequisite of successful local board. The content of RTC thus is designed to train board members. This is mainly connected to the management of locals. The members should know the rights and responsibilities of locals, administrative processes, work with the visual identity of AEGEE-Europe and IT resources of AEGEE-Europe, get acquainted with the Strategic Plan and Action Agenda of AEGEE-Europe and the basics of impact measurement. At this stage it is also important to define the role of the Network Meetings in the structure. A Network Meeting (NWM) is not a place that should duplicate the purpose of the RTC. As its name says, it is a place for networking and meeting active people from local level of AEGEE-Europe. However, this is not a place where training should take place. This is the place where active members can come up with new initiatives and share best practices. NWM, therefore, fits to the purpose of knowledge sharing and networking than 1 European School 1 covers only minimal amount of members. This is not sufficient for the needs of AEGEE-Europe where there is approximately 1200 board members. 10

12 skills development. In the end, if we are able to combine skills development through RTC and knowledge sharing through NWM, then we create the environment where board members will be prepare to conduct their tasks inside a local antenna. Who is responsible? CD (Coordination) Academy (content development of RTC) Network Commission and HRC (content development of RTC and support for locals) AEGEE locals (content development and implementation). Means of learning and training After the definition of three stages of membership we can sufficiently set up the means how to achieve the learning process and skills development. However, the reality of AEGEE-Europe is that not everybody has the same access to the resources and training in the organisation (because of geographical distances, study responsibilities or financial problems). Therefore, we need to come up with the means of learning and training that are able to include big amount of members. That is why we are going to work on the structure of Online trainings inside AEGEE. They should serve a purpose of complementary platform for AEGEE members where they can learn knowledge about AEGEE without being present somewhere in training. Of course, the content on Online trainings will be in line with this strategy. Therefore, these means of learning and training are of three types Text-based publications accessible to every member supported by AEGEE Wiki, consistent with the strategy Online trainings accessible to every member added value to text-based publications, consistent with the strategy Training events people-to-people contact consistency with this strategy 11

13 These means will provide a framework for learning and training inside AEGEE-Europe that is more inclusive and coherent with this strategy. Benefits of these means are more accessibility for members of the organization, more learning opportunities, coherent structure of training and better management of human resources on the local level. The aim of setting these means of learning and training is to ensure that members can develop their knowledge about AEGEE-Europe and the skills needed in their life through various ways. Every stage of membership, as stated above, will contain at least two means of learning and training (except of stage Exit, which is the final phase of AEGEE membership). Through such support we can provide locals with the help in human resources management. For better understanding, here is the visualisation. Enter Text-based document in line with LTC 1 concept Online trainings in line with LTC 1 concept LTC 1 Learning Text-based document in line with LTC 2 concept Online trainings in line with LTC 2 concept LTC2 Performing Text-based document in line with RTC concept Online trainings in lin with RTC concept RTC, European Schools 12

14 Implementation Practical implementation will follow after Agora Cagliari. That means drafting documents, setting online trainings and creating content for them. Communication with locals and possible translation into more languages will accompany the process. The goal is to get everything ready until Agora Oviedo in April. However, more concrete document about implementation process will be drafted after Agora Cagliari. Timeline 1. Discussion and collecting feedback about the overall HR strategy for AEGEE- Europe before Autumn Agora Cagliari At the Agora there will be a progress meeting about it. 2. After Autumn Agora Cagliari. Drafting the materials for locals in the field of training and knowledge learning. Implementation phase with all relevant actors involved. 3. Setting objectives and content for online trainings and setting up the online platform. Launching the platform before Spring Agora Oviedo At Agora Oviedo presentation of the whole strategy and voting about it as an official document of AEGEE-Europe. 13

15 Outcomes The benefits of implementing such system of learning and training inside of AEGEE- Europe are as follows. Clear structure of learning processes and trainings. This helps members to understand what is expected from them and which opportunities they have for the self-development in AEGEE-Europe. Moreover, their progress in the organization will be coherent in the sense that they will be ready for positions they are about to take. More opportunities for self-development inside AEGEE-Europe. Above mentioned means of training and knowledge learning ensure broader scope of opportunities for AEGEE members. When they decide to improve their knowledge or skills, they will have choices that are not arbitrary. That means we create a structure where everyone in AEGEE-Europe can learn without physical borders. More resources for AEGEE locals. Local antennae will be provided with more materials and guidelines that will help them to follow this strategy. It is unwise to think that locals will put up with the new system on their own. In the end, we would come back to the initial problem stated in the introduction about delivering outcomes without any guidance or training. Therefore, the objective of this strategy is also to create materials for local antennae that could help them to overcome problems of HR management. 14