difficult virtual teaching

[ATempUserName]

Please be kind, I haven't slept and I have generalised anxiety disorder. I didn't know where else to post though and I thought as this board is busy, you might be able to give me some advice and tips.

I work for a MH charity as a MH awareness trainer. So I deliver training internally (to new starts) and externally to organisations of all sizes.

This training can range from a 1 hour webinar, lunch and learn sessions, to half day sessions. It can be virtually or face to face (covid rules allowing obviously). So this is relevant as it shows organisations have a choice in duration and delivery.

I only started at the MH charity 6 weeks ago and in that time I've shadowed my manager and learned about the training materials and how to deliver. I have now delivered 6 sessions myself. two webinars which went fine, 1 internal lunch and learn, which went fine, and 2 half day sessions to organisations that were disasters and has left me wondering what am I doing wrong? Is it me?

All sessions were virtual. For the organisations, the following happened:

I was told 'Hello beautiful / bye beautiful' - I said 'my name is....'
Participants (managers) ranted about their psycho employees - I responded by talking about appropriate language
Participants disclosed their conditions and tried to take over the session by complaining about their employer - I tried repeatedly to steer the conversation back
Participants sat on their phones texting the whole time on screen - I asked if people could put their phones away and got ignored
Participants were audibly typing - I asked people to go on mute and got ignored
Participants saying I have another meeting and dropping out and only coming back at the last slide, missing the entire training
Numbers were meant to be 30 people, for one session I got 3 participants, meaning the activities I had planned and timed for were impacted. It was meant to last 3 hours, it couldn't possibly, even though the organisation had paid for that length.
Participants refusing to answer any questions or engage in any activities despite prompting from me and using silence to give them time.
Participants saying 'you tell us' when I tried activities such as "can anyone tell me of any mental health conditions you are aware of' - I mean they could have at least tried!
These were large multi national organisations who claim to be disability confident.

I have another employer session to do today, another big name, and I haven't slept. I'm really nervous. I don't know what I am doing wrong . How can I get engagement? How can I improve participation? How can I better handle difficult people?

When I run online workshops I keep them to 2 hours with a break. I ask people not check their phones and to try to move to a different place than they usually work if possible. I get them standing up for the first session and do lots of interactive short exercises to change the pace.

Use stories to engage people and capture their imagination. Take them with you on a journey

I stand throughout and try be fully present. I make sure everyone speaks up and feels welcome with a short introductory exercise.

It's so much harder than in person but there's loads of tools that can help.
In th end of the audience don't want to be there's not much you can do.

Here are my top tips:

1. Housekeeping rules
2. You then need to get everyone to speak- there is research that getting everyone to speak in the first 3 minutes breaks down people’s fear of speaking - but it can’t be too personal at the start.

People also love to talk about themselves but make a question with a one word answer and make it clear ‘In one word, how would you describe mental wellness?’
Eg

• Clarity, calmness, peace, resilience etc

1. Then you need to stamp your (organisation’s status claim of being an authority on this subject) - an emotional driven hook is needed (sounds so manipulative and clinical but you need to appeal to why they need to care about this issue, ) so a case study video is good with a classic testimony structure: My life was pants - charity helped - life is better add some statistics about mental health and how in the organisation just by being a little bit aware, together we can make a difference.

Needs to be good quality and edited properly.

Emphasis words like we, together, everyone

1. Then lead your workshop which sounds really great with breakout rooms and feedback etc

Have a plan B video for the end that you can show that’s a filler if you need it. If your charity doesn’t have one Brene Brown might have one which leaves everyone feeling empowered and like they really can be the change.

Also teaching adults can be so hard because someone people are nobs.

I think you sound like you are doing a great job.