Lots of training
It is a week of training here at the Centre.
All the training is happening this week for the volunteers that will be helping out on the canoe safari. They get health and safety training as well as hints and tips of how to control a canoe and customer service. We have hired 3 people to manage the canoe safari this year, but as ever, it would be impossible to run if we didn't have volunteer support. The canoe are opening on Saturday 31 March. The charge is still £5 per boat with 3 people per boat.
We will also have a bank of volunteers to run the electric boat as well. This will be new this year. We have an electric boat that seats 8 people (2 wheelchairs) for a guided boat tour - a bit similar to Arundel if you have been there. The training is far more detailed for volunteers as they will have to drive the boat as well as provide a guided tour. The boats also start on Saturday 31 March and there will be a small charge per seat.
In addition, there was a full days training yesterday for managers to go through our new appraisal system that is starting in April. The new system is much shorter than usual but we have to think in more detail about objectives and have a monthly meeting with staff to ensure we are continually achieving the objectives. At the moment I meet with staff all the time but the process needs to start now of formalising them and writing everything down. It will be a very good system once in place.
