The DCI Student Training Curriculum document outlines the training topics, assessments, and evaluations that will take place monthly from August 2008 to April 2009. Key events include a summer orientation, student retreat, workshops on partnerships, social justice, advocacy, and leadership development. Throughout the year, students will complete team diagnostics, community issue mappings, training evaluations, and performance assessments. The goal is to provide students with skills and knowledge around community work while building team cohesion and leadership abilities.

1. DCI STUDENT TRAINING CURRICULUM
2008-2009
Training Topics
Assessment
Evaluation
What we will teach…
What we need to know from
students for the next training…
How we will gauge where we are
at…
August
September
October
November
Summer Orientation
DCI Student Retreat
Partnerships
Social Justice 1: Structures of
Inequality
Team Diagnostics
Mapping Partnerships
Community Issues
Brainstorm: Reflecting on SJ
Issues with your volunteers
•
•
•
•
•
December
Reflection & Recognition
Identify Leaders for Next year
•
•
January
February
March
April
Winter Orientation
Social Justice 2: Advocacy &
Activism
Leadership Development
Celebration
Training Eval
Training Eval
Training Eval
Training Eval
Student Performance
Assessments (begin)
Student Performance
Assessment (Continues)
Program Summaries
•
•
End of Year Evaluation
Program Summaries
Identify

2. August – Summer Orientation
Topic
Our Stories
What is DCI?
Policies & Procedures
Team-building
Community Basics
Volunteer Recruitment
Program Ideas
Content/Goal
Students will:
(Students and staff will) express the
reasons/paths that brought them to DCI
Understand the Mission and make-up of DCI
Understand how to work in the DCI offices
Develop a sense of group identity and team
cohesiveness
Gain basic skills in contacting and working
with community members
Learn about a variety of strategies for
recruiting volunteers
Brainstorm event ideas
Activity
Motivation Bubbles
Introduce the Handbook, go over content
Tour of DCI
Team Diagnostics
Community Partner Role Play
(using brochure)
Volunteer Facilitation Exercise
(Update premises to reflect tabling events
and office visits by volunteers)
Program Idea exchange - Brainstorm by
program, then as a group developing
purposeful collaboration between areas

3. September – DCI Student Retreat/MCC Camp
Topic
Opening
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Adjourning (closing)
Content/Goal
Students will:
Identify the role they do/wish to play in DCI
Understand the Forming Stage of team
development
Activity
Group Mandala
Strip of Fabric
Bridge-Building (or similar)
Practice skills in forming teams
Understand the Storming Stage of team
development
Program Mission Statement
Clothespin Tag (High Energy)
Discuss ways to address the challenges of
the storming stage
Understand the Norming Stage of team
development
Brainstorm/Share stories
Develop methods to encourage positive team
norms
Understand the Performing Stage of team
development
Community Mapping
Identify ways to maintain a strong team during
this stage
Understand the Adjourning stage of team
development
Reflection on BFL Activity
Brainstorm ideas for positive adjourning
practices
Team Norms Activity
Blindfold Follow the Leader
Backup Buddies
• Fill out Buddy cards
• Exchange/Assign buddies
• Promise to contact
Passing the Torch
• Begin with end in mind
• Constant process of sharing

4. October – Authentic Community Partnerships
Topic
Collaboration
Community Partnerships
Volunteer Support
Content/Goal
Students will:
Understand the factors of successful
collaboration
Discuss current and future partnerships
Activity
Practice strategies for developing
meaningful partnerships
Understand the elements of positive
volunteer experiences
CBO Checklist (Modified version for
students)
Delegation activity
(Justin & Lindsey’s version of these)
Assess current strategies for supporting
volunteers and develop ideas for new
strategies
Putting them back in the position of
taking direction & orders from someone
(more intensive version of Volunteer
Facilitation)
“Success Factors of Collaboration”
(VISTA Resource Binder)
Anatomy of Community Partnerships

5. November – Social Justice 1: Structures of
Inequality
Topic
Introduction to Open Space
Rules & Intentional
Conversations
Intentional Conversations
Content/Goal
Students will:
Understand the rules and methodology of
Open space & Intentional Conversations
Activity
Possible Topics:
• Causes, Effects & Possible
Solutions of Poverty
• Racism: Not just a Black &
White Issue, Why do these racial
divides exist?
• Justice, Social Justice, Ecojustice
– Where can we find the hope?
Staff members will agree to “chair a
topic” and encourage discussion.
Introduction, explain the rules, post the
topics
Staff plays the role of facilitator, not
participant, so students have the chance
to hash out their ideas together.
Staff will act as the “keeper of the
rules”
At a staff retreat, staff will identify
Concluding the Day
Students will reflect on the personal
impact of the day’s discussions
As a group students will discuss
strategies for using what they’ve learned
today in their programming and daily
lives
Facilitated discussion (Staff)

6. December – Reflection & Recognition
(VISION Student Coordinator)
Topic
Triumphs of the Fall
Semester
Content/Goal
Students will:
Identify and share their successes of the
Fall Semester
Mock Awards
Award and recognize each other as
teammates
Recognition of Volunteers
Students will create recognition pieces
for volunteers/people they have been
working with (i.e. SSC April 08
workshop)
Activity
Group Scrapbook – each person brings
or submits a photo and a story or quote
to go with it. After they share their
story, they add the page to the group
scrapbook.
VISION Student Coordinator will
create award categories and have
people vote
Materials: Space, random craft items,
paper, etc.

7. January – Winter Orientation
Topic
Content/Goal
Students will:
Activity
February – Social Justice 2: Advocacy and Activism
Topic
Introduction
Intentional Conversations
Concluding the Day
Content/Goal
Students will:
Understand the rules and methodology of
Open space & Intentional Conversations
Possible Topics:
• How to contact legis
At a staff retreat, staff will identify
Students will reflect on the personal
impact of the day’s discussions
Activity
Introduction, explain the rules, post the
topics
Staff members will agree to “chair a
topic” and encourage discussion.
Staff plays the role of facilitator, not
participant, so students have the chance
to hash out their ideas together.
Staff will act as the “keeper of the
rules”
Facilitated discussion (Staff)
As a group students will discuss
strategies for using what they’ve learned
today in their programming and daily
lives
March – Leadership Development
Topic
Content/Goal
Students will:
Activity
April – Celebration
Topic
Triumphs of the Winter
Semseter
Mock Awards
Content/Goal
Students will:
Identify and share their successes of the
Fall Semester
Award and recognize each other as
teammates
Activity
Group Scrapbook – each person brings
or submits a photo and a story or quote
to go with it. After they share their
story, they add the page to the group
scrapbook.
VISION Student Coordinator will
create award categories and have
people vote

8. Warm Fuzzies