Section 2. Designing a Training Session

• What types of training exist?

• What do you train people to do?

• Why should you design a training session?

• Who should design your training session?

Training takes many forms in community organizations. It may involve developing a particular skill, learning new information, practicing a procedure, understanding a policy, strengthening professional judgment, or learning how to respond to situations participants are likely to encounter.

This section focuses on designing organized learning experiences in which people learn individually or together. A training may last less than an hour, several hours, several days, or continue over a longer period through multiple sessions, online learning, coaching, supervised practice, or other approaches.

The emphasis here is on the design of the training: identifying the need, understanding the intended learners, developing objectives, choosing and organizing content, selecting appropriate learning methods, and planning how learning will be assessed. The next section addresses the delivery of the training session itself.

The steps in this section are intended as a framework rather than a requirement that every training use the same design. A brief internal technology update may require a much simpler process than a multi-day program preparing people for complex community or professional responsibilities.

What types of training exist?

Training can be delivered through many formats. The appropriate format depends on what participants need to learn, where they are located, available technology, accessibility, time, resources, and how much practice or interaction is necessary.

Common approaches include:

• Instructor-led courses and workshops
• College, university, professional-association, government, nonprofit, or other continuing-education programs
• Live virtual training
• Self-paced online learning
• Blended or hybrid learning combining in-person and online components
• Internships, practicums, and other supervised experiential learning
• On-the-job training and guided practice
• Orientation and onboarding
• Peer learning and communities of practice
• Coaching and mentoring
• Simulations and scenario-based learning
• Tutorials and demonstrations
• Self-directed learning supported by appropriate resources
• Conferences, institutes, retreats, and professional meetings

These approaches can also be combined. A participant might complete an online module, attend a workshop, practice a skill in a simulation, receive coaching, and later use a job aid while applying the skill in real work.

What do you train people to do?

Training topics are nearly unlimited, but community and nonprofit organizations can think about them in several broad categories.

Cross-cutting skills and responsibilities

These are competencies that may be useful across many types of organizations:

• Communication
• Facilitation and collaboration
• Conflict resolution and de-escalation
• Digital tools and information systems
• Cybersecurity and data protection
• Accessibility and effective communication
• Cultural humility and culturally responsive practice
• Nondiscrimination, harassment prevention, and respectful workplace practices
• Ethics and professional boundaries
• Leadership and supervision
• Safety and emergency procedures
• Documentation and records management

Mission- or role-specific training

Organizations may also need training connected directly with their mission, programs, professional responsibilities, or service model.

Examples might include:

• A crisis-support organization trains staff and volunteers in its approved response procedures, confidentiality, boundaries, recognizing urgent safety concerns, referral, escalation, and emergency protocols.
• A community resource program trains staff in current eligibility rules and referral procedures for the programs with which it works.
• A health organization trains staff to work with current insurance, public-benefit, referral, and health-care systems relevant to its services.
• A recovery-support organization trains facilitators to use its approved group-facilitation approach and to recognize when a concern should be referred to qualified professional staff.
• A youth organization trains staff and volunteers in safeguarding, professional boundaries, emergency procedures, and the program model used in activities with young people.

The important question is not how many subjects your organization could teach. It is which learning needs are connected with your mission, responsibilities, risks, goals, and the people you intend to train.

Why should you design a training session?

Training should be developed because there is a learning need, not simply because training seems like a useful activity.

Before designing a new session, determine whether the problem actually involves missing knowledge, skill, or judgment. Training will not necessarily solve problems caused primarily by unclear policy, inadequate staffing, inaccessible technology, lack of equipment, conflicting expectations, ineffective supervision, or organizational processes that make correct performance difficult.

A training need may exist within your organization. For example:

• Staff conducting field work may need training in safety, de-escalation, or emergency procedures based on the actual risks of their work.
• Volunteers serving as advocates for children may need substantial preparation in safeguarding, confidentiality, boundaries, court or agency procedures, and the limits of their role.
• Staff using a new records system may need training in both the technology and associated privacy or security requirements.

A need may also be identified by a particular community or professional group. For example, a disability-led organization might work with health-care providers to develop training on accessible communication and the barriers people with disabilities experience in health-care settings.

Training may also address a broader community need. An organization might offer financial-literacy education, digital-skills training, language learning, community leadership development, first-aid education, or another program requested or needed by community members.

Designing a training specifically for your needs may also allow you to:

• Address a need that existing training does not adequately cover. A customized course can focus on your organization's policies, community context, technology, program model, or learning objectives.
• Share useful organizational knowledge. Staff, volunteers, community members, or partners may have practical experience that can strengthen learning when it is accurate, ethical, and consistent with required standards.
• Develop training-design and facilitation skills within the organization. People with relevant subject knowledge or lived experience can participate meaningfully in design, review, or facilitation with appropriate support.
• Support continuing professional development. Designing and delivering training can help staff and volunteers deepen their expertise and share what they have learned.

Who should design your training session?

There is no ideal number of people for every training-design team. A simple session may be developed effectively by one or two people, while a complex program may require a broader group.

Include the people whose expertise or perspective is necessary to produce accurate, useful, accessible training.

Depending on the subject, a design group might include:

• Subject-matter experts. People who understand the technical, professional, policy, or community content being taught.
• Instructional or training expertise. People who understand how to develop learning objectives, select methods, design assessments, and organize accessible learning experiences.
• Intended learners. People similar to those who will participate can identify confusing assumptions, barriers, unnecessary complexity, missing context, or content that does not fit the realities learners face.
• People with relevant lived experience. Where the training concerns a community or issue that directly affects people, their knowledge may be necessary to make the training accurate and useful.
• Future facilitators or trainers. People expected to deliver the session should understand the material and can help identify practical delivery needs.
• Accessibility, language, technology, safety, legal, or other specialists. Include these perspectives when the training requires them.

Design participation so everyone has a meaningful opportunity to contribute. Age, formal education, organizational position, communication style, disability, or professional status should not determine whose ideas are taken seriously.

Methods such as written feedback, smaller-group discussion, individual review, anonymous comments, or facilitated turn-taking can help prevent organizational hierarchy or more dominant speakers from controlling the design process.

Designing a training session

Learn about the people you will be training

Begin with the intended learners. Don't design primarily around assumptions based on labels such as "young people," "immigrants," "professionals," "people with disabilities," or another broad demographic category.

Instead, gather information that will actually affect the training.

Questions might include:

• Who is expected to participate, and what roles or responsibilities bring them to the training?
• What do they already know or know how to do?
• What prerequisite knowledge, certification, experience, or preparation is necessary?
• What language or communication access is needed?
• What accessibility needs should be planned for?
• What technology will participants have access to?
• Are participants likely to have very different levels of prior knowledge or experience?
• What situations will they need to handle after the training?
• What concerns or questions do they already have about the topic?
• What organizational, professional, cultural, or community context affects how the material will be applied?

Collect only information that has a clear purpose. Personal information such as religion, political beliefs, disability, immigration status, or other sensitive characteristics should not be gathered simply because it might be interesting. If information is necessary to make the training accessible or relevant, explain why it is being requested and handle it appropriately.

Consider power relationships as well. Some participants may be reluctant to question a supervisor, expert, professor, government official, or other person perceived as having greater authority. Rather than assuming this reluctance comes from a participant's culture or demographic group, design the environment so questions and disagreement can be expressed safely and respectfully.

Determine the needs of your intended learners

Training design involves at least two kinds of need:

First, what must participants learn? Identify the knowledge, skill, judgment, or behavior needed after the training and compare it with what learners already know.

For example, a program preparing college students to provide peer sexual-health education might identify needs such as accurate information about contraception and sexually transmitted infections, inclusive and respectful communication, confidentiality and boundaries, approved referral resources, and clear understanding of when a concern must be referred to qualified staff.

Second, what conditions are necessary for people to participate? Consider:

• Schedule and time
• Transportation
• Caregiving responsibilities
• Disability access
• Language and communication access
• Technology and internet access
• Location
• Registration or participation costs
• Meals or other practical needs for longer sessions
• Whether participation should be compensated or supported with a stipend or reimbursement

Useful planning questions include:

• How complex is the intended learning?
• How much time is realistically available?
• What prerequisite knowledge or skills are necessary?
• Can participants obtain those prerequisites before the session?
• Does the audience include people with substantially different levels of experience?
• Would optional introductory or advanced material help address those differences?
• What methods will best support the particular learning objectives?
• What barriers might prevent participation or learning?
• Does the training qualify for continuing-education credit or another credential, and what requirements would apply?

Do not divide participants into fixed "visual," "auditory," "kinesthetic," or similar learning-style categories. People differ in prior knowledge, experience, access needs, language, familiarity with technology, and preferences, but instructional methods should be selected primarily because they fit the content and learning objectives.

Continuing education credit

Some professional audiences may value continuing-education credit because licenses, certifications, or professional organizations require ongoing learning.

Requirements vary considerably by profession and credentialing body. Before advertising continuing-education credit:

• Determine what type of credit the intended participants actually need
• Identify which licensing, certifying, or professional body recognizes the credit
• Confirm provider, instructor, assessment, attendance, recordkeeping, and documentation requirements
• Partner with an approved provider when necessary
• State accurately what participants will receive

Do not use "CEU" as a generic promise of professional credit without understanding what it means in the relevant field. A certificate of attendance, professional continuing-education credit, and an accredited Continuing Education Unit may have different requirements and may not be interchangeable.

Find out what learners need

Depending on the scale of the training, needs can be identified through:

• Interviews or conversations with intended learners
• Discussions with supervisors, community partners, or others who observe the work
• Surveys
• Knowledge or skill assessments
• Review of existing performance, program, quality, safety, or evaluation data
• Focus groups
• Observation
• Review of legal, regulatory, contractual, certification, or professional requirements
• Review of research or current professional guidance

When using focus groups or other community-engagement methods, recruit participants whose experience is relevant to the question and avoid treating a small group as representative of an entire racial, ethnic, age, gender, disability, or other population.

Consider the scope of your organization's needs and resources

Training plans need to be realistic. A valuable topic can still be poorly served by a program that exceeds the organization's time, expertise, technology, or financial capacity.

Consider:

• How much funding is available?
• What will design, delivery, evaluation, and follow-up cost?
• What staff or volunteer time will be required?
• What subject-matter expertise is needed?
• What instructional-design expertise is needed?
• What facilities or virtual platforms are required?
• What technology and technical support are needed?
• What accessible formats, captioning, interpretation, or other accommodations should be planned?
• What materials, equipment, simulations, or practice resources are necessary?
• What assessment and evaluation resources are required?
• What follow-up support will participants need after the session?

If available resources are insufficient, options include:

• Narrow the objectives and offer a smaller, well-designed training
• Deliver the training in phases
• Partner with another organization
• Use or adapt an appropriate existing training
• Seek additional expertise or funding
• Delay the training until it can be delivered responsibly

Teaming up with another organization can be particularly useful when organizations share the same learning need but lack enough resources individually.

Develop specific learning objectives

Training objectives should describe what participants should know or be able to do as a result of the learning experience.

Effective objectives are generally:

• Specific. State clearly what participants should learn or demonstrate.
• Measurable or observable. Identify a result that can reasonably be assessed.
• Achievable. Make sure the objective can realistically be accomplished given the participants, prerequisites, format, and available time.
• Relevant. Connect the objective with the training need and what participants will actually need to do afterward.
• Appropriately time-bound. Clarify when participants should be able to demonstrate the intended result.

Example: "By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify three features of communication that may create unnecessary barriers for people with disabilities and revise a sample message using the organization's accessible-communication guidelines."

Less useful: "Participants will become more aware of accessibility."

Example: "After the simulation, participants will be able to demonstrate the organization's required three-step process for responding to an escalating interaction."

Less useful: "Participants will understand de-escalation."

Objectives should guide the content and assessment. If an activity or topic does not contribute to an objective or another necessary purpose, consider whether it belongs in the training.

Develop the content of your training session

Once the objectives are clear, identify the content and resources participants need in order to achieve them.

You may:

• Use appropriate existing material
• Develop new material
• Combine existing and original material

Using existing material

Existing materials can save time and bring expertise into your training, but evaluate them carefully.

Ask:

• Is the information current and accurate?
• Does it reflect current law, evidence, professional standards, or organizational policy where relevant?
• Does it address the learning objective?
• Is it appropriate for the intended audience and context?
• Is it accessible?
• Are examples and visuals respectful and relevant?
• Is there commercial or other bias that should be disclosed or addressed?
• Do you have permission or another lawful basis to reproduce, adapt, distribute, or display the material in the way you intend?

Giving credit to the creator does not automatically give an organization permission to copy or adapt copyrighted material. Review the source's license or terms of use and obtain permission when needed. If legal questions are significant, seek appropriate advice.

Developing your own material

Original material can be especially useful when training needs to reflect your organization's specific policies, technology, procedures, community context, or program model.

Use clear language appropriate to the intended learners. Avoid assuming that one reading-grade level is appropriate for every audience. Test materials with intended learners when possible and revise wording that is confusing, unnecessarily technical, or inaccessible.

Visuals, stories, cases, videos, demonstrations, games, and other tools can support learning when they serve a specific purpose. Don't add an activity merely because it appears more entertaining.

Possible instructional methods include:

• Short presentations
• Facilitated discussion
• Demonstrations
• Guided practice
• Role plays
• Simulations
• Case studies
• Problem-solving activities
• Panel or expert discussions
• Peer learning
• Videos and other multimedia
• Interactive digital learning
• Job shadowing or field-based practice
• Coaching
• Job aids, checklists, and reference materials

Match the method to the objective. If participants need factual information, a concise explanation may be sufficient. If they need to perform a skill, provide opportunities to observe, practice, receive feedback, and demonstrate the skill.

Keep content focused and usable

Include enough explanation for participants to understand why a practice works, not only what steps to follow. At the same time, avoid loading the training with theory that participants do not need in order to meet the objectives.

Organize information so participants can identify the most important points. Consider:

• Key-message summaries
• Checklists
• Decision guides
• Quick-reference sheets
• Searchable digital resources
• Links to current policies or further learning

Longer trainings should also include reasonable breaks based on session length, cognitive demands, accessibility, and participant needs.

Decide on a format for your training

Arrange content and activities in a logical sequence. Consider what participants need to understand before they can move to the next topic and where practice or assessment should occur.

Build enough flexibility into the schedule for:

• Questions
• Clarification
• Practice
• Breaks
• Technical problems
• Activities taking more or less time than anticipated

Develop contingency plans for foreseeable disruptions, such as loss of internet access, technology failure, a facilitator becoming unavailable, or an activity not working as planned.

Give participants an agenda or useful description of the training in advance when practical. They should know the schedule, purpose, format, expected preparation, participation requirements, technology needs, and how to request accommodations or language assistance.

Avoid relying on surprise activities when advance information would help people participate safely and effectively. If an activity involves potentially sensitive content, personal disclosure, simulation, recording, physical contact, or another unusual requirement, participants should understand what to expect.

Decide who should run the training and what preparation they need

Trainers may come from within or outside the organization. The right choice depends on the subject, learners, format, frequency, budget, and expertise needed.

Consider:

• Does the trainer have accurate subject-matter knowledge?
• Can the trainer facilitate learning effectively?
• Do they understand the intended participants and context?
• Can they use the selected technology and instructional methods?
• Can they provide or support accessible instruction?
• Can they manage discussion, disagreement, questions, and sensitive material appropriately?
• Does the subject require a particular license, credential, or professional qualification?
• Does the trainer have enough preparation time?
• Are there conflicts of interest or commercial interests that should be disclosed or managed?

If your organization expects to offer the training repeatedly, a train-the-trainer model may be useful. Internal trainers should receive enough preparation and resources to deliver the content accurately and consistently rather than simply being handed presentation materials.

Ask people outside the design team to review or test the training

People who develop a training can become so familiar with the material that they no longer notice unclear instructions, missing steps, inaccessible materials, or assumptions that will confuse participants.

Before full delivery, consider:

• Subject-matter review
• Accessibility review
• Review by intended learners
• Facilitator review
• Pilot testing
• Usability testing of online or digital materials
• A practice or rehearsal session

Ask reviewers specific questions. Instead of simply asking whether the training is "good," ask whether instructions are clear, examples are realistic, content is accurate, activities support the objectives, technology works, materials are accessible, and the proposed timing is realistic.

Recruit participants

If the training is for your own staff or volunteers, use the organization's normal communication channels and clearly explain whether participation is required or optional.

For training offered to a broader community or professional audience, develop a recruitment strategy appropriate to the intended participants.

Communication might use:

• Email
• Organizational websites
• Online registration platforms
• Partner organizations
• Community networks
• Professional associations
• Social media
• Newsletters
• Schools or universities
• Traditional media where appropriate

Explain the training's objectives, intended audience, prerequisites, schedule, location or virtual platform, accessibility information, cost if any, continuing-education credit if any, and registration process accurately.

Develop a plan to assess learning and evaluate the training

Plan evaluation while the training is being designed. Different questions require different kinds of evidence.

Learner assessment asks whether participants achieved the learning objectives. Depending on the objective, this might involve:

• Knowledge checks
• Pre-training and post-training assessment
• Skill demonstration
• Observed practice
• Scenario or case analysis
• Simulation
• Written or practical assignments
• A project demonstrating application of the material

Match the assessment to the objective. A quiz may show whether someone remembers facts but not whether they can facilitate a meeting, use equipment, respond to a crisis, communicate effectively, or perform another skill.

Training evaluation asks whether the training itself was useful and well designed. Participant feedback may address:

• Relevance
• Clarity
• Accessibility
• Usability of materials
• Facilitation
• Technology
• Opportunities for practice and questions
• Missing or unnecessary content

Participant satisfaction is useful, but it does not by itself show that learning occurred.

When application on the job or in the community matters, consider follow-up after participants have had time to use the learning. Ask whether they are using the new knowledge or skill, what barriers they encounter, what additional support they need, and whether the training contributed to the outcome it was intended to improve.

Plan follow-up support

Learning often needs reinforcement after the formal session ends. Follow-up support may include:

• Job aids
• Updated reference materials
• Coaching
• Supervisor reinforcement
• Peer consultation
• Communities of practice
• Refresher activities
• Follow-up exercises or quizzes
• Office hours or access to a subject-matter expert
• Additional supervised practice

Also examine whether the organization itself supports application. Participants cannot consistently use a new procedure if policies contradict it, supervisors discourage it, technology does not support it, or necessary time and resources are unavailable.

In Summary

Designing a training session begins with identifying a genuine learning need and understanding what participants should be able to know or do as a result. It then requires learning enough about the intended participants to design training that is relevant, accessible, realistic, and appropriate to the context in which the learning will be used.

Strong training uses clear objectives, current and accurate content, appropriate instructional methods, useful practice and feedback, and assessment that matches what participants are expected to learn. It also anticipates accessibility, technology, logistics, copyright, continuing-education requirements, and the resources required to deliver the training responsibly.

Training designers should not rely on demographic stereotypes or fixed learning-style categories to predict how people will learn. Instead, use needs assessment, direct input from intended learners, accessibility planning, and information about actual prior knowledge and responsibilities.

Evaluation should be built into the design from the beginning. Ask not only whether participants liked the training, but whether they achieved the learning objectives and, where relevant, whether they can apply what they learned later.

Finally, training should rarely be viewed as a completely isolated event. Follow-up resources, coaching, peer learning, refresher activities, and an organizational environment that supports the new practice can help turn a well-designed session into lasting learning and improved action.