Teaching a Level One Course

[Maj Alfred]

Hello all
We have a number of new memebrs in my squadron so I had the idea to teach a New Members Course, Similar to a UCC or SLS or CLC. After a fair bit of googling. I cant seem to find any PPTs on new members courses. I do remember seeing some a number of years ago but at the moment im stuck. If anyone has seen a PPT or can point me in the direction of a ppt that I can use even edit/update that would be great. Thanks so much for your time.

[jeders]

There aren't any powerpoints, but all of the Level 1 information can be found at https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/members/cap-university/level-1-orientation/. I think though that the better way to run it would be as a group discussion and mentoring session after they have completed the online portion.

[dwb]

New members should complete the online Foundations course before you do the in-person portion of the orientation.

The instructors guide is on the page jeders linked to, but here is a direct URL: https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/P050004_AD5B97E7BC733.pdf

My basic flow for orientation is as follows:

- Ask some questions about their background, what brought them to CAP, and what they hope to do
- Talk a little about my background and things I've done, and what I have gotten out of CAP
- Go through each section of the instructors guide (which follows the same flow as the Foundations course), and highlight things I think are important. I tailor this to the audience -- for example, if they're prior military, I don't need to describe why we salute. I always cover core values, cadet protection, and risk management thoroughly regardless of audience's background.
- Talk about expectations and how you get out of it what you put in to it
- Have the new member complete the plan of action, and talk about which duties and specialty tracks might be most appropriate. Sometimes this is obvious, sometimes it's not.
- Make the intros to their OJT trainer and provide concrete next steps with deadlines (GES and FEMA courses for ES-inclined, meeting a local IP for pilots, etc.)

Once you complete the in-person portion, you record it in the "Mentor Input" section of Learning Management System. You only input the completion of Foundations; once you do this, their membership record should also show completion of cadet protection and they should be pending Level I completion, which their commander can approve.

Recording Level I completion is non-intuitive in eServices, with multiple places to do things and it's not clear where you should put what. Just record Foundations completion in the mentor input then have commander approve Level I.

IMO, a good orientation is critical. Gets everyone started on the right foot and it's the first step to prevent people from becoming disengaged. Good luck!

[EMT-83]

Good stuff here. Level One gets pushed off as being completed on-line, with little to no mentoring. Probably the most pencil-whipped training in all of CAP.

[Maj Alfred]

Thank you all for the info! I knew there was a reason I couldn't find anything on line. @DWB I will be 100%  Plagiarizing you outline lol. Thanks all again

[TheSkyHornet]

Good stuff here. Level One gets pushed off as being completed on-line, with little to no mentoring. Probably the most pencil-whipped training in all of CAP.

And a point to add to that is the fact that you're telling a brand-new person who's already lost in the void since walking in the door that they need to go home and take an online test with minimal guidance.

The link posted above for the guide is a good start, as well as the link off the same page to CAPP 151 Respect on Display and an intro to Customs & Courtesies. https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/P151_9028588D89DD2.pdf

We train senior members a bit abnormal in this organization when they first join. If you compare it to cadets, they are put through a more long-term version of a basic recruit indoctrination. They get the general knowledge, basic drill, etc. We somewhat skip that with seniors and get into the membership, duties, responsibilities, and administrative stuff. We rush seniors because we know we have jobs that need to be filled and that we have certain policies with require training sign-offs before they can really do anything (e.g., Cadet Protection). And we rarely go back to train/retrain drill and courtesies. Seniors should know it just the same. Make sure they learn it early. It will enhance their "military" professionalism in the unit and at those PDO events and training weekends, as well as their relationship with cadets should they work around them.

Kudos to Capt Alfred for the effort and vision. I'd like to see that initiative more than just doing the one-on-one training, signing off, and forgetting about that individual.

Training is lifelong, not a one and done deal