Looking For Some Words Of Wisdom (10 Minutes Worth!)

[Pimms o'clock?]

I have been short listed for this post and have to give a 10 minute presentation, and I quote "Please explain your vision as to how you would manage Children's services across 2 Children's Centres. What would be your priorities and what outcomes would you plan to have achieved in the first 12 months."

 

I know that I would like to make sure that the CC's would be well and truly on the map so to speak, one already exists and the second is to be developed; and that even "hard to reach" families feel fully at home with what is on offer - that the individual needs and support that each family wants and needs is there for them. And I would like to think that I would have mechanisms in place to ensure effective communications between health, education, emplyment support etc and families.

 

But how do I present all of this in 10 minutes? Do I just pour it all out or would you be inclined to go for power point or flip chart. I'm not sure if I am thinking "only 10 minutes" or "what can I fill 10 minutes with."

 

I think I am starting to get rabbit in the head lights syndrome now and any advice would be greatfully received, maybe I should reach for the valium!

[Pimms o'clock?]

Looks like I should have put this in the Children's Centre section, but now I don't know how to do this or how to move it. Is anyone able to help please?

 

Thank you

[Beau]

I've moved it for you - I hope you get some repllies!

[Pimms o'clock?]

I wonder if anyone does have any suggesitons to help me?

 

Thank you

[HappyMaz]

I am by no means any authority on what goes on in Children's Centres, but perhaps you could write a presentation around how you might support one family? You could make up a family with a scenario/history and show how your services could address their needs. You'd need to be careful to avoid stereotyping and oversimplifying, but it might be a way of demonstrating your aspirations for the kind of services you believe are important. More of a personal manifesto, I guess.

 

I know there are children's centres people on here, and I'm sure they'll come along soon with words of wisdom. I think this might be a quiet time for people who work all year - maybe they're all off on holiday now the children are back at school!

 

Good luck!

 

Maz

[Guest]

I have to admit that I work across 3 Children's Centres! And I had to do a similar presentation for my interview - but had a little longer time to present it!

 

I homed in on the importance of developing services that families actually want. So, lots of talk about consulataion - both with current service users and others in the community. I mentioned briefly how I would go about this, e.g. talking to families in established groups, at Health Visitor clinics, outside the school gates and even in the local market!

 

I then talked about reviewing what was working well, what not so well and why. Finally saying that I would only then create an action / business plan for the coming year/s.

 

Hope that helps, and 'good luck' with the interview.

Gruffalo2

[Guest]

Hello

I work in childrens centre so a few ideas might be-

How you would target/engage with certain groups for example (single parents, fathers, families with special/additional needs,refugees,childminders)Perhaps you could choose one group and show how you would engage with them

We are trying to work more closely with childminders so are thinking of a social evening to get to know them, inviting them to a sensory session with their minded children,putting on EYFS training for them and a few other ideas too! Hope that helps a little and good luck with your presentation. I think I would do a powerpoint presentation but thats just my personal choice!!

[Pimms o'clock?]

Thank you for your thoughts. It is really all about meeting the needs of individuals within the community and establishing need with face to face contact too. I have until early next week so over the weekend I shall be preparing a power point and "rehearsing". Its so helpful to have a virtual chat with others who are or have been in a similar situation.

[Guest]

This might sound like a very 'wakky' idea, but I think you could win a lot of points of you got away from the 'death by Powerpoint' type of presentation! I always think that anything that makes you stand out from the crowd during an interview cannot be bad.

 

I have remembered a course I went on a while ago where we had to draw a picture of a CC. Our group drew a tree. The roots were all the things like 'working with professionals, consultation, financial plannings etc. The trunk was relationships. We said only then would the branches start to grow. They were the groups, and activities offered by the Centre. These also then led to growing fruit which was the 5 ECM outcomes.

 

It strikes me that nurturing the roots and trunk is where any CC has to start, so you could talk about that being your aims for the first year etc.

 

Hope you don't think I am too crazy.

Gruffalo2

[Pimms o'clock?]

No I certainly don't think you are "wacky" Gruffalo2! and thanks so much for stimulating my thought process. Its a bit like bricks and mortar, together they stick together firmly but on their own then they either fall apart or are floppy.

 

I think you have just set me on a winning course or at least inspired me so thank you so much.

Edited September 11, 2009 by BMG

[Guest Wolfie]

This might sound like a very 'wakky' idea, but I think you could win a lot of points of you got away from the 'death by Powerpoint' type of presentation! I always think that anything that makes you stand out from the crowd during an interview cannot be bad.

 

I have remembered a course I went on a while ago where we had to draw a picture of a CC. Our group drew a tree. The roots were all the things like 'working with professionals, consultation, financial plannings etc. The trunk was relationships. We said only then would the branches start to grow. They were the groups, and activities offered by the Centre. These also then led to growing fruit which was the 5 ECM outcomes.

 

It strikes me that nurturing the roots and trunk is where any CC has to start, so you could talk about that being your aims for the first year etc.

 

Hope you don't think I am too crazy.

Gruffalo2

 

What a fantastic idea....please can I nick it too?

[Pimms o'clock?]

D-day is nearly here OMG!!!

 

I have used the tree theme and emphasized that I will need to build relationships with the community as first priority. I have used a mixture of power point and partially prepared flip chart (ever tried to draw a tree to use in power point!?)

 

My husband said if I only relied on flip chart they might think it was because I didn't know how to do power point, good point I said; cover all angles I hope.

 

I'm not sure how it will go but am looking forward to using the interview as a learning experience as it is a while since I was interviewed for anything. I suppose the EYPS assessment is something like an interview process with all the things we had to cover.

 

Thank you all and especially Gruffalo2 for inspriration. Thank you, thank you.

[Guest]

Wolfie - of course you can use the idea, alfer all it came from the group I worked with on the course!

 

BMG - funnily enough my first thought was that it was like building bricks (and even wondered about suggesting you used large building blocks!), and then I remembered the tree. I hope the interview goes really really well. Let us know the result - I'll keep a look out for a post.

 

Gruffalo2

[Pimms o'clock?]

i'll ask for feed back what ever the outcome as I feel it was a fairly positive experience. But still fingers crossed, I'll wait and see.

[Guest]

I'm waiting with bated breath ... and crossed fingers.

 

Glad you feel it was positive. Were you told when to expect an answer?

Gruffalo2

[Pimms o'clock?]

Hi gruffalo2

 

All I know is the post is vacant now and they will let me know within the next few days, but as I say I would like feedback either way as I feel it was an enlightening experience; 10 mins presentation and then 45 mins approx questions from 5 people. They only asked about 3-4 questions each which were very relevant and I didn't feel they were trying to "trip me up" at all

[Guest]

My fingers will stay crossed for you then

Gruffalo2

[Pimms o'clock?]

I'll try to stay positive about it but there is another vacancy closer to home so if I fail then it will be a valuable experience and I will try again. Sincere thanks for your support.

[Pimms o'clock?]

I didn't get the job, from the feedback it was that I didn't know the area very well and I wasn't so strong on the budget management side of things.

 

So I should do better with knowing the area for the next one I am going to apply for, its my home town!! And its my fault with the finacial side of things they asked me at the end where I felt I might need help and I, like a fool as I now know, said "understanding the funding streams, where the money comes from and how it is used"

 

But on the plus side the presentation "said it all" was the comment I was given in feedback, so thanks to all for the help and support given, they couldn't fault my commitment to families and early learning.

 

I'm proud of the plus' but feel a fool about the negatives, I should have done my homework on the areas of deprevation it seems and next time someone wants to know what I think I need help with I will keep my mouth shut!

Edited September 16, 2009 by BMG

[Guest]

I'm sorry it didn't work out and good luck with the next one then - presumably it has to be less travelling.

Keep trying, you're number has to come up sometime

Gruffalo2

[Pimms o'clock?]

Hi Gruffalo2

 

The travelling would have been a 50 mile round trip part motorway driving each day, the next one is more like a total of 5 miles there and back. Thanks for the encouragement, I'll keep trying.

Edited September 16, 2009 by BMG

[Guest]

Hello BMG

Sorry to hear your news I have been wondering how you went on .Good luck with your next one though im sure you will feel more confident -fingers crossed for you

[Guest]

I wonder if anyone does have any suggesitons to help me?

 

Thank you

Hi

i run my own preschool and my links with my local CC is absolutly great, this can be a learning curve and a topic for where you could start building a "positive Relationship" you will come across all families and be able to build on the local communities. Just a point as this has proved in good sted for me. Hope this help GOOD LUCK.

[Guest]

I'll try to stay positive about it but there is another vacancy closer to home so if I fail then it will be a valuable experience and I will try again. Sincere thanks for your support.

Hey hunny we never fail we just learn another route, this one obviously wasn't for you and something better will be around the corner positive thinking dosen't have the word fail any where near it, so come on pick your self up and go for the next thing. Think good thoughts and they will come back to you. I know its hard i know first hand i know focus on getting what i want. Have you ever read the Secret (talk about positive thinking) borrow it from the library, a bit heavy going in places but it does make you think differently. Take Care. XXX

[Guest]

Have you applied for this new job?

I didn't get to your earlier post quick enough but in case the new one is similar you ought to consider how you could use your staff and financial resources across both centres e.g. you could spread the cost of your teacher or family support worker or speech and language across two centres rather than one and manage it dependent on need at that particualr time. You might consider creating a senior management team from both centres to share experiences etc. I truly beleive that everything happens for a reason even though we don't know it at the time - so good luck with your other job if you apply

Nikki