Training Design Skills keep English Rugby Refs on the ball
A thirst for a more learner-centred approach to training design and development has led the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to seek out fresh methodologies.
The Rugby Football Union aims for excellence in everything it does - after all England are the current Rugby World Champions!
Whilst the RFU's achievements in Elite Rugby and international tournaments regularly grab the headlines in the national press, the work of the organisation at the Community level throughout the country is more clearly reflected in the sporting pages of the local press.
Thanks to recent initiatives an increasing number of teams and players are entering the community game, halting a previous decline. The community game is now bouncing back with 86 new adultteams being formed and over 6,600 new adult players taking part.
The RFU has recognised that excellence in refereeing is a key factor in the retention of players within the game at all levels. In recent years the organisation has therefore dedicated a great deal of time, effort and resources to referee certificate in training and development.
Andy Melrose is a Referee Development Officer at the RFU. He is clearly passionate about the game and the ontribution that well-trained referees make to the health of the game and to the safety of players: "We want to ensure that the game is played in the safest possible environment - so the players canplay next week. We also want to ensure that the players can enjoy the match - so they wantto play next week. We also want referees who are competent and relish what they do."
"These are the reasons why the RFU is committed to the ongoing development of well structured and vibrant training programmes for all match officials."!
From the outset Melrose recognised that it would be essential to win over hearts and minds with these training initiatives. "We work with a large number of volunteers and could not simply dictate. Without goodwill we would lose the benefit of the huge amount of work done by these invaluable people."
The thirst for a more learner-centred approach to training design and development led Andy Melrose to seek out fresh methodologies: "In some ways the outcome was really down to sheer good fortune", he concedes. Andy had previously completed the Delivery Skills Refresher Course in 2002, achieving the TAP® certificate in Training Delivery Skills.
"This seized my interest because it provided well evolved mechanisms for objective assessment of the delivery process, placing due emphasis on delegate participation rather than tutor presentation."
In February 2003 Melrose took the logical next step and enrolled on a further course offered by The Training Foundation leading to the TAP® Certificate in Training Design and Development Skills.
According to Melrose the benefits were immediately apparent once he returned to work: "I found the knowledge and skills provided through participation in the TAP® Training Design and Development course invaluable when upgrading the training process for match officials. I have already redesigned the two major training courses for our referees using much of the TAP® methodology.
There is a clear structure and logic which we have been able to translate into significant positive change."
"Progress has been gradual but we have now filtered the concepts behind the programme into many aspects of our planning and delivery. We are currently producing a new assessment form that will give the trainers even more valuable feedback on their training delivery. "In the long term I hope that all of the Development Officers in the Referee Department and our Regional Trainers will be able to undergo training under the auspices of the TAP® programme."