The document discusses the author's experience volunteering as an assistant librarian and assistant groundsman. As an assistant librarian, they helped process books, organize systems, and communicate with patrons. They had to learn computer booking and printing systems. As an assistant groundsman, they assisted staff with various tasks and emergencies on the racecourse, using communication skills to coordinate responses and independent thinking to react safely in dangerous situations without direct supervision. Both roles helped them improve organizational, IT, communication, and decision-making skills.

1. RobertTaylor
LO2: Understand the principles of effective communication
P4: Demonstrate a range of effective interpersonal skills
EvaluationofPresentation
I feltthatthe presentationIperformedwasadequate andhadseveral differentformsof
interpersonalskills.Duringmypresentationmyaudience wereevaluatingmyinterpersonal skillsand
markingtheirassetsontoan evaluationsheet. The audience hadto rank myperformance outof 5 (5
beingpoorand 1 beingexcellent)ineightseparate categories,these categoriesincluded:
 Talk naturally
 Standrather than sit,andmove arounda little
 Varythe tone,pitchandvolume of voice Make eye contact withthe audience >op
 Use visual aidswhere appropriatePrepare andstructure the presentationcarefully
 Stay focussedthroughoutthe presentation
 Answeranyquestionhonestlyandconcisely
The audience thenwrote downquestionsthattheyhadregardingmy Presentation.
I usedinterpersonalskillsinmypresentation asIengagedinface to face communicationwithan
audience of peers.InmypresentationIspoke clearlyandtriedtoconveymypointof view towards
the listeners.Althoughhavingacleararid natural voice isan essential interpersonal skill to have ina
presentationthere are manyotherfactorsthataffecthow effective Iamat communication,
informationiscommunicatedwhenperformingapresentationthroughnon-verbal methods suchas
gestures,facial expressionsandbodylanguage.
I receivedconstructivefeedbackfrommypeersbyaccessingtheir individual examinations.Ifound
that the most consistentlycritical featureof the reportswere tovary tone,pitchand volume my
voice.With2 accounts rankingmyvariationof voice at a 5 these are the onlyrank 5 criticismthatI
had received.Theseresultsare alsoconfirmedbyotherassessmentsof myvariation invoice being
lowerthanmy otherinterpersonalskills.Thistellsme thatIneedtoimprove onvariationof voice
througha presentationinfuture.Icanlearnfromthis bypracticingmy presentationmore.
My bestinterpersonal skillsasdecidedbymyevaluatorsare bothtalkingnaturallyandstanding
rather thansitting& movingarounda little.ThissuggeststhatIcan talknaturallyratherthan
missing,crucial wordsorhavinga nervoustone of voice.ThisalsoindicatesthatI'mable to stand
throughouta presentationwithoutfidgetingtoomuchorstandingcompletelystill.These traitsare
highlyvalued inpeople asnoteveryone canconfidentlypresenttoa classwithouthavingaform of
speechimpedimentorbeingnervouswhilsttalkingaboutthe topicof choice.
I personallythoughtthatmymostvaluedtype of interpersonal skill wasthatIkept consistenteye
contact withall of the audience.Duringthe course of mypresentationImade sure thatI had indirect
communicationinthe formof eye contact withthe majority of the audience, thiswas***that I can
bettercommunicate mypointacrosswhilst notjustusingvocal techniques.
In myopinionmyworsttrait wasto stand ratherthan sit,and move arounda little.,movingmyfeet
throughoutthe presentationwithoutmeaningtodoso,this made my presentation lookless
professional.Icanimprove onthisby practicingmore forfuture presentations andrememberingto
keepstill,whenspeakingmylines.

2. RobertTaylor
Evaluationof AssistantLibrarian
In myspare time Idecidedtohelpoutat my local libraryto fulfil the criterianeededin mygoldduke
of Edinburgh volunteeringsection.Iassistedmyschool librarianwithmanyduties suchasprocessing
the booksthroughthe library’sbookingsystem, organisingthe printingandpaymentmethods and
eventhe handlingof the computerbookingsystem.These processestook me a while tograspas I
hadn’tuseddata systemsbefore thisoccasion.
I had to use manydifferentskillstofulfil myrole asanassistantlibrarian. One of which wasthatI
had to excel with organisationalattributesasthe libraryneedsbe kepttidyandordered constantly. I
had to have excellent communicationandinterpersonal skills toperformthisrole as I neededto
conveyimportantinformationtothe mainlibrarianaboutanybookingsmade as-well astalkingto
the customersif theyare bookingacomputer,takingouta book or printing. Iwouldneedto
communicate withthe customers clearlyandbe able tounderstandwhatprocessestheywantme to
performin-ordertofulfiltheirrequirements.
I alsoneededtouse myknowledge of computersystemssothatI wouldbe able totraverse a
bookingsystemas-well asthe printingsystem. ItisimportantthatI use my IT literacyskillsasmost
of mywork as the librarianassistantinvolvesme workingonthe differentprocesses withinthe
librarycomputer. Navigatingthroughall the differentsystemsthattheyhave onthe librarians
account wouldbe impossible forsomeone whohadn’thadexperience withcomputersbefore. This
experience helpedme improve myITskillsasIhadn’tpreviouslyoperatedbookingsystemsbefore
my time volunteering,andithelpedme learnhow to worka librarybookingsystem.
EvaluationofAssistantGroundsman
As an assistantgroundsmanI have to be able to adapt toany situationthatoccurs at the
racecourse.Itis my jobto helpoutwithanytasks and trivialitiesthatneedtobe performedonor
aroundthe course.Thiscan range from helpingthe groundsmanwiththe managingof staff to
assistingthe staff attheirownjobs.I am hiredas a helperforwhoeverneedsme the most.Ioften
have to helpduringemergencysituationstoo,suchaswhena horse getsloose or injuresitself.I
thencoordinate withotherstaff memberstoassistinanywayI can.
I oftenhave touse many personal attributeswhilstworkingasanassistantgroundsman at Bangor-
on-Dee andChesterRacecourse.ItisimportantthatI know whatwork I have to performatthe
racecourse and as a resultIuse mycommunicationskills.Iuse mycommunicationskillstotalkto the
otherstaff membersandcoordinate appropriate responsestoanysituationsthatoccur. This is
especiallyimportantif I amcalledtohelpcatch a loose horse asall staff membersneedtocreate a
barrierwall to catch a horse,especiallyif there isachance that someone couldbe injuredinthe heat
of action.
Anotherimportantskill thatIuse isindependentthinking,whereIhave tobe able tothinkfreely
withoutdistraction.Thisisespeciallyimportantif adangeroussituationoccursasI will have toreact
fastto minimalize anydamage. Ialsohave tomake independentchoice thatmayhave consequences
if there isn’tanysupervisionaroundtoinstructme.Althoughusually Iamable to follow ordersfrom
the staff,I am entrustedwith beingable tomake necessarydecisionsthatwill have positive impacts
on the organisation.