Leader Training

This is a four-stage process. As a volunteer course leader, you are on the front line of our mission to help people affected by eating disorders. These people need course leaders with the necessary skills, experience, and gifts to facilitate our accredited course - leaders who are up for the challenge to deliver this unique and deeply helpful course. 

The booking process aims to achieve the following:

• Gather personal and contact info

• Ascertain how and why you want to run the tastelife community course

• Learn about your skills, experience and gifts

• Collect references and confirm DBS check to ensure we are creating a safe environment for all 

• Ask you to affirm that you are sympathetic to the Christian faith, whatever your own background*

• Learn how best we can support you as a leader

• Obtain invoice information and postal information

This process can between 2-6 weeks depending on how quickly correspondence is dealt with by all parties. 

*The course is accredited as suitable for those of all faiths or none. There is supplementary material for those wishing to run the course in a Christian setting.

Supporting Organisation
This is your church, charity, voluntary organisation or workplace which will approve your suitability for the voluntary role of tastelife Course Leader, as well as support you in running the course through the organisation locally once you’ve been trained. This support could include helping pay for your training and resources to run the course or providing a venue, refreshments, photocopying, publicity, input, and encouragement. They may also give or fundraise for tastelife’s work and our ongoing investment in you as a Course Leader.

DBS
You must hold a current DBS through your supporting organisation that will cover you working with children and vulnerable adults. Attach a picture of this to the online booking form, or confirm that your organisation is applying for this for you (this can be obtained free of charge through them). You can attach it later when received. If you do not currently have a DBS we can apply for one for you via thirtyone:eight at a cost to you of £21.50.

At Stage 2 of the booking process, we will ask you to provide the name and email address of two people as follows. 

Personal Reference
This person must have known you for at least two years and can supply a personal reference in support of your application. We’ll ask you to supply their:

• name

• email

• contact number

Professional Reference
This person needs to have known you for at least two years and can be any of the following:

• a current or previous employer

• an organisation you have worked for as a volunteer

• a trust, board, or committee member you have worked alongside

• a client, customer or supplier if you are self-employed.

It’s always best to train with another person willing to help you run the course so you have someone to support the practical and emotional challenges that inevitably arise. Having said this, some Course Leaders have trained alone and then gone on to find others to help them so please get in touch and talk this through with us if you would like to train.

Once trained you’ll have:

• Access to an array of resources in a special Leaders’ Area of the website that we are constantly expanding and updating to help you run your course - whether on or offline

• The support of our Network Team to help answer queries and questions. They send out a regular Leaders’ Newsletter packed with updates and ideas and is currently running regular Zooms with Course Leaders across the UK to share best practice and encouragement

• An invitation to join our annual ‘Gathering’ event to update, share experience and network with other supporters

• Our commitment to helping you succeed in bringing the tastelife course to those in need in your community.

• An invitation to leaders’ events where you can network with other leaders, receive updates on the course materials and content, and receive further training.

Thanks to the voluntary giving of tastelife supporters we are able to subsidise training fees:

Online Training and Manual

• £295 per person churches/charity volunteers

• £450 per person standard and public sector organisations

Residential Training and Manual

• £495 per person churches/charity volunteers

• £650 per person standard and public sector organisations

The manual is your complete guide to running the tastelife course, including a USB stick with session notes, printable resources and videos. PowerPoints etc.

We believe this to be excellent value for money as the full cost before the subsidy is £817 per trainee (2019/20). We would encourage you to seek the support of your sponsor or local grant-giving bodies to help towards your fees. Please also speak with us if phasing payment would be helpful, as we will do all we can to help your training.

 Advance payment of the training fee is required and will be invoiced as soon as your application is accepted. Payment of a £50 deposit, or the fee in full, secures your place. If you would like to pay the remaining balance in instalments, please contact marie.dove@tastelifeuk.org who will send you an agreed payment plan.

Are there any ongoing costs?

We expect leaders to run one tastelife course per year. If a leader hasn’t run a course for over 18 months, we invite you back for refresher training at a cost of £50.

Some tastelife events may have a ticket price but we endeavour to offer leaders a reduced or free place. Therefore any ongoing costs are minimal and optional.

Notes Pack - £40 inc p&p

The USB supplied with the course manual includes session notes for each participant. Alternatively, you can order a printed 'course notes pack’ for 12 people plus 2 leaders, comprising of:

• handouts

• leader notes

• participant notes

• laminated takeaways for each session.

Merchandise

• tastelife ‘Start-up Box’ £40 inc p&p - a selection of tastelife booklets, leaflets, postcards, mugs, pens, keyrings and wristbands. You can also purchase these items separately.

• Clothing:

  •   tastelife t-shirt/polo - £20 incl p&p 

  •   tastelife hoodie - £30 inc p&p

Complete and submit the online training request form using the link below. You’ll then receive an email with a link to your personalised application form. If you have any queries please contact our Key Trainer marie.dove@tastelifeuk.org , 07979 426806.