In the past 12 months, we have trained over 6,500 individuals that work directly with the vulnerable sector. We have certified an additional 400 trainers in the last 12 months and 1200 trainers in the past 36 months who are now training their staff and volunteers. Do the math that is tens of thousands of individuals that have now been trained to recognize the indicators of abuse, report allegations, disclosures and suspicions of abuse. That is tens of thousands of individuals that have learned how to prevent abuse and minimize the risk of injury, and harm.

One of our greatest joys at Plan to Protect® is listening to our new trainers complete their training practicums. The passion they communicate and their creativity in engaging their learners to care for individuals that are vulnerable to abuse are inspiring.
 
Training does not need to be boring, training does not need to be just a lecture, training does not need to be just reading a policy - and it shouldn't be! And, yes training is critical in ensuring everyone understands your policies and procedures and to ensure your staff and volunteers are all on the same page.
 
The truth is that the importance of training cannot be understated. Doing initial orientation training and annual refresher training with your volunteers and staff may be an insurance requirement, but it is also a critical step in protecting the vulnerable sector. Training also helps you make sure everyone in your organization is on the same page; it helps you communicate your policies and procedures; develop people's potential; encourages people to think about safety; demonstrates your commitment to protection; reinforce best practices, and communicates your expectations and your care for your volunteers and staff. 

At Plan to Protect®, we are big believers that your training can be creative and can include games, activities, discussion groups, and Q&A periods. If you need help making your training creative we recommend checking out our Train the Trainer course. Participants receive PowerPoints, Teaching Notes, Student Notes and Creative Methods (like Jeopardy, Family Feud, videos, case studies and more) for Orientation and Refresher training. 

Plan to Protect® recommends initial orientation training (2hrs) and annual refresher training (1hr) for all volunteers and staff in positions of trust. Training should include awareness (what is abuse and how prevalent is it), protection (what are the different types of abuse, what are the indicators of abuse, how do you report abuse and protect the vulnerable sector) and prevention (what policies and procedures does your organization have to prevent abuse to the vulnerable sector).  

We truly believe - and insurance companies require - that training should be taught by qualified and knowledgeable instructors, which is why we have developed a Train the Trainer Certification course. We are passionate about the fact that training can be creative, engaging, and interesting for volunteers and staff. The best training is also customized for your organization and your policies. 

Need some help with training? We can help!

Check out our Train the Trainer Certification course; on-line Orientation and Refresher training courses; and Orientation and Refresher Webinar training.