Training

Are you a new committee member or volunteer?

Do you want to know more about NADFAS?

Would you like to improve your skills and build your confidence?

NADFAS is committed to ensuring that any committee member or volunteer has the opportunity to attend courses to find out more about NADFAS, to acquire the information they need to perform their role effectively, and to develop their skills or acquire new ones. Training courses also provide important networking opportunities where members can meet their counterparts from other Societies or Areas and exchange ideas in a relaxed and informal environment.

NADFAS is developing and extending the range of courses to meet the changing demands on committee members and volunteers. The NADFAS website is gradually being populated with courses and course modules which will be available nationally and in the Areas. If you have any suggestions for new events please speak to your local Area Trainer or to the Head of training

  • your Area Traineris Patricia Dugdale:
  • The Head of Training NADFAS is Wendy Keeble:

National and Area Courses outside South Mercia

Committee members and volunteers who have access to the members’ section of the NADFAS website can find up to date details of forthcoming Training events at NADFAS House and in the Areas on the Training and Information Days calendar on the NADFAS website They can apply to attend any of these courses, at NADFAS House, or in another Area. Potential committee members and volunteers can also attend most courses and can obtain details through their society chairman or secretary. For more information contact NADFAS House on 0207 430 0730 and speak to James Wilkins or Sarah Murphy.

Examples of courses in the current national programme for 2015 include:

New Chairmen’s course and follow-up day

A course to help new chairmen, or potential chairmen to understand how NADFAS works and the support it offers, and to give an opportunity for members to share ideas about running a society

New Treasurers’ Day

This course provides an opportunity to discuss the Treasurers’ role and to share ideas, practices and experiences amongst Treasurers. It is run by the Finance Department at NADFAS House.

Confident Speaking

This is an informal and participative course which aims to to give members an opportunity to gain confidence and develop their ability to speak in public, through practising in a friendly and non-threatening environment. The prospect of speaking in public terrifies many people and can prevent them from volunteering to become chairman of a society. This course aims to overcome this anxiety and build confidence and skill.

Confident Negotiating

This course is not just for programme secretaries involved in negotiating lecturers’ fees, but for anyone who needs to negotiate with others, in any setting, including, for example, chairmen who need to negotiate with members of their committee, visits secretaries who need to negotiate with tour operators. In fact we all negotiate with others in everyday life, and this course is designed to help members to practise negotiating in a number of settings and to develop their skills and clarify their understanding of the process.

Membership Recruitment and Retention

Drawing on the skills of NADFAS's Promotions, Marketing and Membership staff, the aim is to explore the experience of, and opportunities for, managing a Society's membership. The workshop covers publicising a Society, promoting membership loyalty, and includes plenty of opportunity for discussion and sharing practical tips to strengthen your Society. It is invaluable to any Society with concerns about membership numbers

Planning a Programme

Aimed at new programme secretaries or special interest day organisers, the programme is designed to meet their interests and can cover how to deliver a programme that matches members’ interests and expectations; how to find the best speakers; who chooses them and how; negotiating a fee; managing costs; hosting a speaker, including overnight stays; and putting plans in place for emergencies

IT-related courses

  • Creating and Maintaining a Website
  • Using Spreadsheets
  • Using Mailchimpand Facebook

South Mercia Area Training

I give below information on the most popular courses, starting with the 'Getting to Know NADFAS Day' which we run locally in South Mercia every year

Getting to Know NADFAS

Each year we run aone-day Getting to Know NADFAS course in South Mercia. Although it is aimed primarily at new committee members and volunteers, those interested in becoming a committee member or volunteer but who have not yet taken up their post and existing members who would like to update their knowledge of NADFAS are also welcome. The day gives a thorough overview of the NADFAS organisation, its history, its contribution to the wider world of art, heritage and conservation, and reveals the scope of volunteering opportunities. By sharing what others get out of volunteering, the difference we make, and demonstrating the depth of support available, we hope to remove any hesitancy people might feel about playing a more active role within a Society. In the afternoon a module covering another topic of interest is added and this varies year by year.

The next course will be held in the autumn of 2015 (date to be announced)

Programme Secretaries Day

The South Mercia Area Coordinators for Education (ACE) volunteers run an annual meeting for programme secretaries to share information and ideas (date to be announced)

Other Courses

From time to time other courses are available in the Area, depending on demand. For instance in 2014 a Confident Speaking Course was run. Both Confident Speaking and Negotiating Skills are courses I am able to run as a member of the national training team, but other courses can be organised covering other areas of interest, and I am very happy to organise these and find appropriate speakers or trainers. Please contact me (email address above) if you would like me to organise a course and I will also suggest some topics at Area Meetings.

If a committee would like a one day coaching session or a facilitator to help with developing a process for thinking about how to deal with a particular issue for its members as a group, I am happy to help. This could be on any topic that the committee wants, for example it could be on working more effectively as a team, or on a specific area of concern, for example membership engagement, or how to ensure that the future of the society is secure. Often having an external facilitator and discussing something that concerns the committee outside its normal meeting structure and time can be helpful.

Patricia Dugdale, Area Trainer