Quell Training

Feedback from a Government Department

I attended some training delivered by Quell on Conflict Management and resolution.  I was initially sceptical about how well this would work in a virtual environment and the degree of engagement between participants and with the trainer that would be possible.  However, Will, who delivered the training,  did a great job in ensuring all participants were actively involved in both ‘plenary’ and syndicate group sessions.  The technology worked seamlessly in moving between the two sessions and in both settings the discussions flowed easily and naturally, without the technology creating significant barriers.

 In preparation for the training, Quell provided clear instructions on how to access the Video conference and a link to instructions on how to use the platform.  No prior installation or downloading of software was required.  They also provided a series of reminder emails, which facilitated the internal organisation and ensuring those who had signed up, joined the training at the right time.  Following the course, certificates and a course guide were provided to all participants.  The guide is a useful reference and covers the key points from the course.

 Overall, I found that Quell offered professional service and effectively delivered a training course remotely, without any compromise on quality.

Government Official

(Unable to give name due to Civil Service Constraints)

Feedback from Apex Housing Association on Virtual Classroom Training

Virtual Classroom Training

Prior to March 2020 we had been running regular events facilitated by Quell however COVID 19 restrictions very quickly put a halt to the face to face training for Personal Safety.

Quell rapidly & proactively put a process in place to convert their program to an eLearning/ virtual platform via zoom.  Initially, staff were anxious as this was the first time many had delved into digital learning to such a level. Hilary & Will supported a pilot program and following this the feedback from staff was so positive that we have not had concerns regarding accessing events from the vast majority of staff.  Staff enjoyed the interactiveness of the zoom sessions with the completion of polls & breakout rooms for group work which added to their ability for engagement.  Staff also commented on Wills enthusiasm being just as energetics as face to face.

 

Behind the scenes at Quell

With all the current changes to how we deliver training, we are asked how are we able to continue to deliver our training that has always been very interactive.

Well, it takes a lot of effort and equipment, plus with a large dose of enthusiasm. Here is me finishing another session this morning of lone working to a class of 12 attendees, and then its back to set up for this afternoons session of dealing with difficult people. So it is a challenge, but if I didn’t enjoy it or got something from it, I think I would chucked the towel in years ago.

Want to know more then follow us on Instagram “quelltraining” or get in touch to know how we can help. #training #virtualclassroomtraining #quelltraining #loneworking

Feedback from the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Association

Behind the scenes of virtual classroom trainingWill’s virtual classroom training was really well received by our staff and members, it was very well delivered as usual by Will, and whilst being virtual the level of participation made the session almost feel as if we were in a classroom together. This was another example of how we had to change things during lockdown and would certainly look at keeping when things return to some sense of the old world.

Sally McCone

Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Association

 

Feedback from Irish Council Social Housing

Quell Training delivered a series of Virtual Classroom Training (VCT) for the Irish Council for Social Housing during summer 2020 on the topics of lone working and challenging behaviour. Although the move from in-person training to virtual delivery was a big change for all involved, we found that Quell had put a huge amount of work into their training programmes to ensure full use was made of the technology to engage attendees and to keep the content interesting and relevant.

We received great feedback on the virtual classroom training sessions and ended up delivering more training sessions than originally planned due to demand. We would have no hesitation in recommending Quell Training and their VCT platform. It has allowed our member organisations to receive high-quality training necessary for staff safety at a particularly challenging time and we look forward to working with Quell again in the future.

Catherine McGillycuddy

Development Specialist (Education and Membership)

Irish Council for Social Housing

 

Virtual Classroom Training for Lone Working

The subject of Lone Working is sensitive on its own and also a difficult subject to deliver if you have not got either experience or knowledge of the subject, as many attendees can comment on the different risks they face and the issues they come across, however delivering the same subject via a Virtual Classroom is even more difficult due to the delay, interest or retention level of the attendees.

The subject of Virtual Classroom Training as I have written about over the past few weeks has been confused at times with eLearning, and therefore I would encourage readers to relook at this post. Virtual Classroom Training is electronic, but it is a session that has physical attendees together online at a designated time and reflecting upon a given subject, for instance, the risks associated with Lone Working. I would state that currently a lot of people are burnt out with webinars or online meetings, however, the Virtual Classroom is designed to still enthuse learning but with a different style and approach.

Training is not only as good as the subject, trainer and knowledge, but it is also down to the attendees to give the subject matter a chance to thrive, and doing this via a webcam can be quite uncomfortable for many.

I would encourage anyone or organisation to not leave training to the side for now, but to try these new approaches to the delivering of learning and visit our new courses that will increase as time and interest are generated by the current status of face to face training.

Is the Future Virtual Classroom Training?

The question around when will face to face training for adults be back in full action is often asked of us. Then it is quickly followed up to the question of what do we think of the subject of Virtual Classroom Training?

Our answer is quite simple, and we give it to everyone that asks us on how or what is the future of training under the shadow of this Covid 19.

Currently, no one has an answer or a solution to how we move forward in the training environment, and it is also clear there is a degree of frustration, in what to do now or prepare for the future. We have taken a very large step and decided to embrace the change by actively preparing, designing and implementing virtual classroom training for our current clients. inclusive we have taken the same time and consideration to ensure we make it both engaging and interesting.

Sitting back and expecting the same approach to training is quite foolish at the moment, and anyone that has been in training as long as we have in Quell will know that adapting to survive is the only or best approach.

Virtual Classroom Training is here to stay for the foreseeable future and it is up to the trainer, trainer company or department to adapt and learn new skills to get the subject knowledge across.

We continue to develop and evolve and if the Virtual Classroom Training is the future, we are ready and prepared for the new challenge.

Virtual Classroom Training

Over the past few weeks, we at Quell have been requested by many of our long term clients to review different ways of delivering training, and more importantly, ensuring that the message of staying safe is kept to the forefront.

Many of our colleagues in other training companies have looked more at the eLearning side of training and this had caused our clients to claw away as they feel their staff are fed up with this approach. Then when it was suggested that Virtual Classroom Training could be introduced, there was the perception that it would be boring and non-interactive.

To be a good trainer you have to able to adapt and introduce new methods, and just because you are doing something new or indifferent to your normal routine does not mean you can’t experiment.

We at Quell look at the Virtual Training Classroom environment as a new challenge, and with imagination and participation, it can be adapted to meet the needs of the client needs.

At Quell we have taken the traditional method of sitting in front of a screen and talking and then blended it with the classroom and virtual world to engage and encourage.

If you would like to see how we at Quell have taken two of our popular courses (Lone Working / Dealing with Difficult People /Incidents) then visit us to find our more.

Is Face to Face Training a Thing of the Past

The days of standing in front of a class and delivering training may be something that is put on hold for a while, and it is up to training companies to think of new and innovative ways to encourage participation, retention and more importantly to give high standards.

The initial impression by many was to move everything straight to online virtual classrooms and sit in front of a webcam and talk, however, this was a knee jerk reaction and has failed from the start for many, as comments of bored, not interesting subject matter or to long surfaced very quickly by many attendees.

When delivering any type of session you are not only presenting the subject, but you are also entertaining your attendees and giving them something to grasp or retain, and more importantly, enjoy what they are experiencing.

The effort is key when delivering a virtual training classroom and this is by starting with the setup and what will your attendees see. many sit and chat with objects and distractions, use PowerPoint and videos, then give a few questions to answer and then pat themselves on the back for a job well done, or think they are glad they got through that session.

At Quell, our Virtual Training Classrooms are a lot different than others as we think of the layout, presentation, participation and what is the objective, by including open questions to promote discussion and breakout rooms to get solutions, and above all, we also gauge the retention levels to ensure we get the right balance of interest and boredom.

We have looked at both Virtual Training Classrooms Sessions and eLearning and may have the answer you are looking for to help fill the gap of face to face training for now.