- Setting Up a Diocesan Program

Setting Up a Diocesan Program

Our goal is to quickly develop the diocese’s capacity to have its own trainers leading the program. The trainers maintain a connection with, and accountability to Shaping the Parish™.

Note: Shaping the Parish™ can be sponsored by a diocese or a group within the diocese.

1. Arrange for a diocesan program. Have a training team come to the diocese and conduct Shaping the Parish™. That agreement would be to conduct the program twice. During the first year we work with the diocese to identify several participants that might make good trainers of the program. Those people serve as interns the second time the program is offered. At the same time they would be reciving additional training in areas such as humani intercation, conflcit maangement, group development and educational design. The hope is that they would run the program when it is conducted the third time.

YEAR	ACTIVITY	OTHER
First Program	The trainers and diocese identify those who may have the potential to become trainers. A decision is jointly made to invite 2 - 4 people to become interns. The interns continue as participants. May conduct make-up sessions for people that miss a weekend.	Begin to take the additional training needed, e.g., human interaction, group development, design skills, conflict management.
Second Program	The interns serve in an assisting role, e.g., lead small groups, logistical assistance, conduct make-up sessions, make a few presentations.	A possible alternative, if timing and conditions permit, is for the interns to serve in the national summer program. That could allow the diocesan training team to take over earlier.
Third Program	The local trainers conduct the program.	Trainers competent to lead T-Groups are brought in for that weekend. The local trainers are supported for the program by e-mail and phone consultation.

What this approach is likely to offer

Possible concerns with this approach

Allows the trainers to be selected after they have some knowledge of the program and after the we know them.

First time through in the diocese is lead by a trainer with more experience.

More expensive in total costs and initial costs
Longer for local trainers to take over
A big investment is made without someone in the diocese having first hand experience with the program.

2. The diocese sends people to the National Program. They complete the two summers. They intern as facilitators in either the National Program or a Diocesan Program.

YEAR	ACTIVITY	OTHER
First Summer	Diocese sends a team of people (3 - 5) that the diocese thinks might have the potential to be program trainers. They participate in the program. After the program the STP trainer and the diocese discuss their potential as trainers.	Begin to take the additional training needed for that role, e.g., human interaction, group development, design skills, conflict management.
Second Summer	Team continues participation.
Third Summer	Diocesan team members serve as interns in the summer program.	Alternative: A diocesan program, led by external trainers, is begun after the second summer. The interns assist in that program.
The following fall or winter	The local trainers conduct the program.	Trainers competent to lead T-Groups are brought in for that weekend. The local trainers are supported for the program by e-mail and phone consultation.

What this approach is likely to offer		Possible concerns with this approach
Less expensive for the diocese Less time for the local trainers to take over the program Team gets its initial experience alongside people from other dioceses. possibly a richer experience.		It’s possible that some or all of the team will not have the ability to become trainers.

Costs

National Program

If the diocese sends a team to the National Program it pays those program fees. We may be able to work out a price for the whole team.

Trainer Fee
If the diocese brings in trainers to conduct the program for the first couple of years, fees are negotiated with the trainer serving as the coordinator. The coordinator who oversees the program is usually paid between $12,000 - 16,000 for the program of 6 weekends. Assisting trainers are paid a fee based on experience. In some cases the trainer is part of the diocesan staff. In that case the work is usually seen as part of the person’s job. Expenses, such as travel, room, meals, phone, materials, and so on, are in addition to the coordinator and trainer fees.

Human interaction weekend trainer fees

This is usually the first weekend of the program. Trainers with the skills to conduct this workshop receive fees based on experience. There is a need for a senior trainer and a co-trainer or lab intern for every 10 - 12 participants.

Instruments

The diocese covers the cost of participants taking the MBTI and FIRO B.

Other Costs for the Diocese or Participants

1) Participant Manual
Is available on the Shaping the Parish web site. Participants download.

2) Workshop materials
Newsprint (large sheets), masking tape, magic markers (chisel point, dark colors), easels (unless the conference center has useable wall space), name tags and so on.

3) Conference center
If a conference center is used there is the cost of rooms and meals. If the program is conducted in a parish there is the cost of meals and possibly a change for the use of space.

4) Advertising
Creating and distributing brochures. Articles in the diocesan paper.

5) A web site page
Providing your participants with information on the schedule and locations. It also provides a link to the Shaping the Parish site.

6) Participant books — required readings

7) A licensing fee for time the diocese conducts the program
Currently this is $2,000. The fee is used for overall program costs,. It also may be used to provide a coach- consultant to the diocesan program (if needed). The diocese is responsible to send the fee before the program cycle begins.

Program title

The diocese may title the program “Shaping the Parish™ in the Diocese of __”

What the diocese needs to do to make the program successful

Recruit participants
Decide on your budget and how you will finance the program
Arrange for materials to be available at the center, e.g., newsprint (large sheets) masking tape, markers (chisel point, dark colors), nametags, wine, bread, vessels, books for the Daily Office and Eucharist, bell, alb, vestments, hymnals, and hospitality supplies.
Communicate with participants about logistics and handle all registration matters.
Provide copying as needed.

The selection of trainers from within the diocese

Shaping the Parish works with diocesan leaders in identifying and developing potential trainers for the diocesan program. Within a reasonable period of time we want to see people from the diocese serving as the trainers for that diocesan program.

Qualities for we are seeking in potential trainers
1. Willing and able to apply the program’s approach, projects and such to their own parish.

2. Has a passion for developing healthy parish churches

3. Openness to learn, to try new ways learned in the program, to receive feedback on behavior.

4. Demonstrated interest in fields of spiritual practices, emotional and social intelligence, and change theory and practice.

5. Healthy relationship with authority. Is interdependent with those in authority. Able to be in an authority position with flexibility (able to adjust leadership style to fit the situation).

6. Able and willing to get additional training in human intercation, conflict management, group development, educational design, and organization development.

7. Interested in taking on an educational/training role.

8. Has the time and energy to fulfill the role.

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No promises
There are no promises made on either side. The potential trainer may decide “this isn’t for me.” The program leaders may decide “we don’t think there’s a good fit with the needs of the program.”