Three Five Day Sessions
Train the Trainer
This course is 15 days in length, offered in 3 phases of 5 days each. Sessions are designed for a maximum of 14 participants. Train the Trainer runs in different locations throughout the year. The cost is $6,000 per person plus GST.
Low arousal approaches are research-based and have been clinically tested by Studio III Training Systems, European leaders in the field of behaviour management.
Studio 3 Training Systems is a highly specialized research based training organization, which provides high quality and specialized behaviour management training. Over 70% of our work is in the field of learning disabilities and autism, however, in recent years ‘low arousal’ behaviour management training has been developed specifically for staff working with people with an acquired brain injury, older adults, people with mental health problems and children/young people with emotional behavioural difficulties.
Behaviour of concern is an area of worry for carers, educators, therapists, and support staff and often represent a significant challenge to services leading to a breakdown of placement and injuries to care staff and the service users. However, research shows us that many incidents of behaviour of concern can be relatively easily managed by well trained and experienced staff.
Research also shows us that confident, well trained staff know when to intervene or withdraw, that they can often quickly defuse situations before they become critical and that positive management of situations using person centred, non-punishment and non-aversive based approaches often leads to a reduction in incidents involving physical and verbal aggression over a longer period of time.
The Training the Trainer Plan
High Quality Trainers
Many of our competitors use cascade training approaches to train people to be trainers in less than five working days, some in only three. Once trained, many of these trainers are ill equipped to help their colleagues in challenging situations and often have extreme difficulty developing problem solving approaches.
At Studio 3, we decided that our philosophy is to train high quality trainers who are capable of delivering both behaviour management training and providing the ‘state of the art’ knowledge about the development of specialized behaviour management plans.
Ten years ago, we piloted a trainer scheme and over half of those who entered did not successfully complete the programme. It is our belief that Studio 3 trainers have to behaviourally demonstrate both the ability to deliver training and relate theoretical knowledge to everyday work settings.
There are two aspects to Studio 3’s ‘Training the Trainer’ plan. The first is the completion of the 3 five day intensive training weeks as described in Detail and Delivery Section.
During this time, trainees will be expected to achieve competency in delivering all aspects of the course to the point where they can be formally assessed in the last week of the course.
The second component of the plan requires trainees to attend Trainers Events to maintain their continuing professional development. These are normally one-day workshops which cover teaching the various elements of the course as well as other topics which contribute to a broader knowledge base on behaviour management. It is important to achieve this level of knowledge so that the trainer can become a valuable in-house resource, not only to deliver training but supporting staff in other aspects of behaviour management.
What Kind of People Make Good Trainers?
Based on our experience, professional qualifications are not in themselves prerequisites for successful outcomes. Successful candidates have included: clinical psychologists, qualified and unqualified nursing staff, service managers, staff from residential children’s homes and care assistants. The following section represents a person specification that will aim to provide services with an outline of what can make a successful trainer.
Essential Skills
- Commitment to a non-aversive approach to behaviour management
- The ability to role-play people who present with challenges
- A minimum of five years of practical experience of working with people who present with challenges
- Computer literacy
- The ability to respond to constructive criticism
- The ability to present to a room full of people
- A commitment to completing the training
- Empathy and a sense of humour
- Good health record
- Honesty
It’s Not Just Training
Studio 3 is not the only organization that provides training in the management of behavior of concern, but we are the leaders in our field. The three-day course creates strong emotional reactions amongst course participants and trainers have to be able to manage this. The trainer’s role is to assist and facilitate change in attitude as much as behavior management skills. Training is not just teaching; it’s about learning too.
An often heard expression is: “it’s one thing talking about it.” Well, it’s not just about reading a manual and becoming a trainer. Trainers have to literally perform, in front of people, and demonstrate that they are highly proficient in and passionate about their subject area. It is also important to Studio 3 that trainers develop their individual training style. There are many ways to deliver the course as past course participants who have met different tutors will have already seen. This is because it’s not just about what a trainer says, it’s also about the way the trainer presents the course.
Many trainers have told us that it is not an easy course to teach. There are theoretical, practical, emotional and physical elements to the training. However, once mastered, teaching the course is a fulfilling and rewarding experience. Accordingly, we accept people onto the scheme who genuinely believe in our philosophy of care and feel passionately about working within a non-aversive framework and promoting the low-arousal approaches. Once trainees embark on the programme, our tutors will work with them and support them to meet all the criteria to become competent Studio 3 trainers.
What Types of Training are Trainers Expected to Deliver?
Based on our experience, professional qualifications are not in themselves prerequisites for successful outcomes. Successful candidates have included: clinical psychologists, qualified and unqualified nursing staff, service managers, staff from residential children’s homes and care assistants. The following section represents a person specification that will aim to provide services with an outline of what can make a successful trainer.
Essential Skills
- Commitment to a non-aversive approach to behaviour management
- The ability to role-play people who present with challenges
- A minimum of five years of practical experience of working with people who present with challenges
- Computer literacy
- The ability to respond to constructive criticism
- The ability to present to a room full of people
- A commitment to completing the training
- Empathy and a sense of humour
- Good health record
- Honesty
Day 1
The first day of the course explores legal issues. Understanding the nature of violence expressed by people with learning difficulties; your own reactions and tolerances to behaviour of concern; understanding causes of behaviour of concern; an introduction to the low arousal approaches (including interaction, defusion and distraction strategies); an introduction to debriefing (why it is necessary and how to do it) and finally a brief introduction to physical skills.
Studio 3 trainers have been running courses in the management of challenging behaviour for many years and our courses are based on applied research, carried out in places similar to those in which you work, so the courses are down to earth, practical and user friendly. We aim to give you the tools you need to cope with challenging behaviour so that the environment for the clients improves and you enjoy your jobs more, hopefully with less stress.
Day 2
The second day of the course combines gentle physical skills with the knowledge gained on the previous day. Your service and Studio 3 feel very strongly that physical skills are very much the last resort and no matter how gentle they are, we would prefer not to use them at all. However, being practical, there are times when they may be necessary.
Our research has shown us which physical behaviours are most common and the course goes into how to manage these. The physical skills are gentle, simple and easy to learn and they work very well because they are designed to be part of the overall ‘low arousal’ approach to help defuse an incident.
Day 3
The third day of the course allows plenty of time for practicing the ‘low arousal’ approaches and physical skills together.
The last element of the course is learning the “Studio 3 Walk-Around”. This involves learning to walk a client, who is in crisis, around in a supported and safe way, interrupting the sequence of the behaviour, allowing them time to calm down. This technique of using movement to defuse a situation, in a safe and controlled manner, has the added benefit of not employing any form of immobilization, which in itself can be highly arousing and in some cases at cross purposes to the needs of the supported person.
What Types of Training are Trainers Expected to Deliver?
Assessment Process
The training process occurs in 3 clear teaching phases totaling 15 working days.
Phase 1: Introduction to the Program
5 days
This is a full 5 day induction workshop which covers all elements of teaching content and delivery. Candidates are provided with a framework to deliver the programme. At the end of this course, trainees are allocated specific components that they must deliver on phase 2 of the program.
Topics in this phase include:
- Methods of teaching
- Use of audio visual materials
- Teaching physical interventions
- Health and safety issues
- Low arousal approaches.
- Use of role play
- Risk assessment
Phase 2: Training Rehearsal
5 days
In this phase participants practice delivering elements to their peers. The first two days of the training course are practiced in this manner. There is a strong emphasis in this phase about training staff to debate issues pertaining to low arousal approaches and de-escalation. In addition, the lower key physical interventions have to be delivered to the group. Each candidate is then allocated teaching goals in phase 3.
Phase 3: Training Teaching Assessments
5 days
At this stage candidates will be assessed in terms of their competency. Candidates are expected to present the key elements of the course and are assessed on their competency to deliver the full programme. Participants will receive feedback from Studio 3 trainers after completing each session. Trainees will be advised in writing at the end of phase 3 and they will receive one of four grades at this point.
- Pass: they have satisfied the trainer that they can successfully deliver the programme.
- Pass with areas of support: in this situation pairs of candidate will be deemed Passed, but with specific areas of minor improvement which they will have to provide evidence that these are remediate.
- Remedial work required: A candidate may have to repeat phase 3.
4. Fail
Monitoring of Trainers
Each trainer who has successfully completed the assessment process must maintain a personal CPD log in the password protected trainer’s ‘back office’ section of the Studio 3 website. The trainer’s senior manager or training supervisor and senior Studio 3 Trainers use this system to monitor and aid the trainer’s progress on the system.
Trainer’s Charter
Studio 3 actively supports the development of high quality trainers, therefore we set high standards and have high expirations of all trainers. The follow Carter is given to all qualified trainers in our approach as a minimum see of international standards.
- All trainers operate within a Human Rights framework (UN Conventions)
- Trainers are required to evaluate their training and monitor its impact
- Trainers attend profession development training
- Trainers are subject to unannounced audits of their teaching practice
- Trainers will not teach methods which have not been approved by Studio 3 Training Systems
- Trainers support the abolition of prone and supine restraint holds.
- Trainers must demonstrate ‘out of classroom’ teaching time as part of their practice.
- Trainers do not support the use of aversive interventions.
- Trainers support the adoption of low arousal approaches to managing behaviours
- Trainers are expected to operate within a clear ethical framework
- Trainers are expected to encourage and support the reduction of all restrictive practices in their organizations
- Trainers respect the diversity of the people they support and support anti discriminatory practices
- Trainers will teach Studio 3 methods of physical intervention in ‘non matted’ areas that reflect the working environment where methods are applied
- Trainers are expected to coach staff ‘on the ground’ as a matter of best practice
- Trainers have a responsibility to monitor the implementation of Studio 3 approaches
$6000 /per person
plus applicable taxes
Who is the Train the Trainer For
For Educators
The Train the Trainer program is suitable for educators who lead training programs in schools who work with students who exhibit behaviors of concern. Educators can use the Low Arousal Approach to help prevent and de-escalate behavior of concern in the classroom, promoting a safe and positive learning environment for all students. Educators who complete the Train the Trainer program can then train other educators in the use of the approach, helping to promote consistency and effectiveness across the school.
For Professionals
For trainers of health professionals in organizations that wish to improve their institutional programs. Leading health professionals who work in residential care settings, hospitals, or mental health facilities. The Low Arousal Approach can help health professionals to manage behaviors of concern in a safe and non-threatening manner, promoting positive outcomes for the individuals they serve. Health professionals who complete the Train the Trainer program can then train other staff members in the use of the approach, ensuring consistency and effectiveness across the organization.
FAQs for the
Train the Trainer
Low Arousal Approach training, developed over 30 years ago in the UK, has been offered in Canada through Autism Awareness Centre Inc./Studio 3 Canada for 10 years. This training is for professionals in order to deliver the 3 day training course within their organization.
Are there any prerequistes required to become a trainer?
It is recommended that you take the 3 day course before taking Train the Trainer as it is the course you will be teaching once certified.
What are the f0undations for this course?
Train the Trainer is founded upon a clear evidence base of applied psychological research and academic studies. Our trainers will be taught the theoretical and practical rationality behind our methods and approaches, as well as the philosophy which drives our training.
What is the outcome for this course?
At Studio 3, our trainers are given a life-long philosophy, and we hope that our continued support and mentoring enables further learning post training.
Can I offer training services to other organizations outside of my own?
Training may only be offered within your organization that holds the license. Any training requests outside of your training organization must go through Studio 3 Canada.
What are the continuing professional development requirements required in order to retain certification?
In a calendar year, attend 1 out of 4 webinars, up to two hours in length each, with a senior trainer.
Topics will be announced. The cost of a webinar will be $50 or less plus GST. Trainers may also attend,
with approval, other webinars with content that pertains to Low Arousal.
Attend one CPD training in person in a calendar year. This could be a through a number of
opportunities that has appropriate content to Low Arousal. (Ex. interoception, trauma-informed practice)
Post-qualification, attend a Trainer refresher one day course once every 3 years.
Contact Studio III To Learn About Running a Course in Your Region
Learn about running a Train the Trainer or participating one of our 1 day or 3 day courses to start your journey with Low Arousal Approach.
Contact Us
Low Arousal Approach training operates throughout North America as Studio III Canada Inc. and is licensed by Studio III UK.