S-PLAY – LSP WORKSHOP HOSPITALITY TRAINING SIMULATION

Monte San GiorgioTicino (Switzerland), 19-20 June 2013

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

OUTLINE OF THE EXPERIENCE• Goal of the experience was to provide a fresh – real life – experience

of a LSP workshop• In order to make it more realistic, a roleplay has been designed, as

follows:– a company has to design a learning experience for – young people – aged 16-25 – whose institutionalised learning

experience has been interrupted. They have a difficult socio-economic background, and experienced several failures.

– They are supposed to be prepared to enter the service industry, namely the hospitality sector

– through a maximum six months training (max one month in presence, plus on-the-job training)

– eleven relevant stakeholders are gathered for a LSP session (roles have been chosen by participants according to their interest

• Hereafter the Report of the session

Location: Monte San Giorgio – Ticino, SwitzerlandTime: two half days – 19-20 June 2013The group: 11 persons, managers of small and big hotels, B&B and restaurant owners, psychologist, city tourism office manager, social security officer, journalist, learning designerFacilitators: Elisabetta Frick, Stefano Tardini, Lorenzo Cantoni

THE GOAL

To provide relevant insights/requirements in order to design a successful learning experience for about 20 young people – aged 16-25 – whose institutionalized learning experience has been interrupted. They have a difficult socio-economic background, and experienced several failures. They are supposed to be prepared to enter the service industry, namely the hospitality sector, through a maximum six months training (max one month in presence, plus on-the-job training).

THE METHOD

The core process of the LEGO ® SERIOUS PLAY ® methodology implies four steps: (i) posing the question/challenge, (ii) constructing, (iii) sharing and (iv) reflecting.There are 7 application techniques: building individual models, building shared models, creating a landscape, making connections, building a system, playing emergence & decisions, extracting simple guiding principles. More info at http://www.seriousplay.com/

People (before vs. after) – Contents/Goals – Strategies

People before

People after

Contents / Goals

Strategies

Relevant external agents

Relevant external agents

LLED – LEGO LEARNING EXPERIENCE DESIGN

SKILL BUILDING – WARM-UP

The highest towerAn important issue you experience at workThe ideal boss

WHO ARE THEY RIGHT NOW? 1/4

They see the beautiful world outside but don’t try to reach it because they know that they will fail. They are socially alienated.

They are attracted from negative habits, companies, etc. They go the wrong way.

Some of them are optimistic, some other pessimistic (half-full glass). Their families often don’t help them.

WHO ARE THEY RIGHT NOW? 2/4

They spend the days sleeping, watching tv, drinking beer... They have only negative perspectives.

They are in the dark side of our society but have the beauty inside.They can have different personalities: apathetic, willing, proactive,…

WHO ARE THEY RIGHT NOW? 3/4

They may be motivated by money and be aggressive, don’t have a clear idea of the future, could have mental barriers. They must take the step.

They try to do different things but it’s always just for a small period, then they fail.

They stay in gangs, have no aspirations/ambitions, they are attracted by the sharks. The authority sometimes treat them as «rubbish».

WHO ARE THEY RIGHT NOW? 4/4

Although they share many characteristics, they are all individuals. When they try to go ahead the skeletons move them back.

They stay in gangs, go sometimes to the prison, or to the hospital… All of them have creative ideas but they hadn’t the opportunity to express them.

How should they be end of the training?

HOW SHOULD THEY BE END OF THE TRAINING? 1/4

They have reached the beautiful world and are part of the working class.

They are qualified, able to collaborate, speak with tourists. They do the 4 steps: practical competences, methods, leadership,

personality. At every step they have an examination.

HOW SHOULD THEY BE END OF THE TRAINING? 2/4

They have learned soft skills such as time management, being flexible, friendliness… They have now many perspectives.

They are smiling, they listen to the guests, have a service mentality.They are part of the community, work collaboratively, each of them

has a different role.

HOW SHOULD THEY BE END OF THE TRAINING? 3/4

They wear uniforms, are part of an organisation, have some long-term goals. They are ready to face obstacles.

They have a clear path to follow. They are flexible, are able to do many different things. They are able to

manage new situations and bring new skills into the organisation.

HOW SHOULD THEY BE END OF THE TRAINING? 4/4

They recognize the importance of the relationship with customers.

They work in a futuristic office, design educational software, work all together in a collaborative way.

The shared model

After having attended the course students should have these skills: softs skills, communication, listening, collaboration, reactiveness, flexibility, time management, professional skills (e.g. cooking), IT skills, etc.

Contents and/or strategies in order to help them to grow

Flexibility of the system. Learn using digital media

The skill of self-reflection. Where have I been and where do I want to go?

Be able to smile all the time. Be a concierge but also a plumber. Be a kind of ghost in the hotel. Time management.

Know the city: where to go, the history, bus timetable, main attractions, etc.

Learn how to trust the teacher. Cut away the bonds with the past. Learn theories and technical skills (i.e. cooking).

Ask the right questions to new guests, welcome them, treat them respectfully.

Skiing. Think outside the box.

Be enthusiastic, professionals and efficient at the hotel service desk

In-class training; materials on the website + e-learning; internships in different institutions

IT skills module: learn from basics like sending an e-mail to complex technology related skills.

The increase of self-esteem. The abilities of the student are a treasure for the company.

Watching videos, students’ shadowing, giving feedbacks.

4 steps process: observation, tutoring, practice, assessment.

Dual system: practical competences in the hotels (also abroad), knowledge in the vocational school.

Learners go to small hotels for internship in order to gain experience and move to bigger ones.

Learners must move from one department to the other to learn that the guest is in the middle of the business.

The diagnostic test to find out what the starting point is.

Learn to cooperate, going forward to the future.

The strategy includes different levels and topics, from the basics to the final evaluation

The formative assessment. The student’s mind is always a work in progress.

Learning road starts with basics like boiling eggs, toasting bread, frying the bacon, etc.

Be a good presenter & communicator, be able to present to a variety of different people.

Building a common landscape

«We have some hopless people, with no chance at the moment, but still they have some colors inside. They try to jump over the wall but do not trust themselves.»

«We do some assessment with them and help them to step into a better future. They learn how to use computers, how to move forward, they gain self-confidence.»

«They learn how to move in the hospitality environment, how to prepare beds, about the cities, how to talk to the customers, the importance of the guests. ”

«In the end we have well-educated people willing to meet the expectations of the employers.»

The landscape

Exploring external agents

• Swine flu• The authorities of the city (especially the “finance man”)• Obstacles: e.g. the government person• Media partners (newspapers, television, etc.)

• The four steps for competence• An external mentor • The school which goes beyond the typical system• The «bad past»

• The motivation• The authority (could be EU fundings). • An external supervisor

Which are the most important connections?

The final landscape

- Importance of the diagnostic test: to make sure that we don’t teach them something they already know.

- Students must have competences in cooking, room cleaning, customer relationship and interaction, IT skills, time management. They should be able to work without being visible, trust each other, and trust the teachers. They have to know the main attractions of the city.

- Students should have basic skills in all departments and have experience on all the elements.

CONCLUSIONS 1/2

- The strategies (or learning methods) should be: classes, digital technologies, learning by doing, internship, constant formative assessment, shadowing, self-reflection.

- We want them to reach a better self-esteem and avoid to be attracted from their «bad past». Friends, families, tutors should help.

- We have to inform the media so that prospective students know about this opportunity and also funding agencies know that we are doing a great job.

- The teachers should think out of the box: don’t teach in the ordinary way.

CONCLUSIONS 2/2