Training people relies heavily on communications. Having good subject knowledge is important, but communicating that knowledge to satisfy the needs of others in a way that sustains their interest is often the main challenge for trainers. Money Smart Train-the-Trainer workshops facilitate teaching financial education in a way that is responsive to the varied needs of Money Smart class participants and the goals of the sponsoring organization. These workshops are designed to build additional program delivery capacity so that financial education can be taught by more instructors to more students in more communities.
Train-the-Trainer workshops give practical experience in training delivery, coaching, assessing, and giving/receiving feedback through the use of presentations, demonstrations, and exercises. The workshops are presented for trainers or instructors with various levels of experience and training skills. During the course, participants:
- are provided with an overview of the curriculum and how it can be adapted to specific organizational needs and wealth-building collaboratives;
- have the opportunity to review and discuss various teaching techniques, with some workshops providing the option to deliver mini presentations; and
- are invited to share views, issues and concerns to create a forum for help and advice, as well as network with other local organizations in attendance.
Participants are encouraged to explore the relevance of subject knowledge, topic interest, audience enthusiasm, skill in delivery, use of challenging methods, various learning styles, objectives accomplishment, structure and preparation, and the role of humor. Workshops also cover the value and use of visual aids and audience management.
Train-the-Trainer workshops are held for banks, community organizations, and other entities that either provide financial education training, are part of the FDIC Money Smart Alliance, or are interested in implementing a financial education program. The Train-the-Trainer workshops provide guidance to the lead trainers at these organizations. These lead trainers, in turn, conduct workshops in their organizations for additional instructors or move directly to classroom instruction for Money Smart students.
Workshops are generally held for groups of 10 to 25, but there is some flexibility to accommodate larger sizes. All workshops are free of charge and can be tailored to accommodate a half-day orientation or full-day Train-the-Trainer session.
While it is not necessary for an instructor to complete a Train the
Trainer workshop before teaching Money Smart, the workshops are designed to provide instructors with an overview of the curriculum and basic techniques that help ensure a consistent delivery of Money Smart.
