Self-Paced Learning Module Descriptions
(Includes participant’s books)
- VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT: This course teaches the basics of volunteer management and leadership including recruitment, interviews and placement, motivation, leadership and team building, and evaluation and retention. This course also features a wealth of information on recruitment and selection of volunteers and the various types of leadership styles and roles that comprise neighborhood watch.
- STRATEGIC PLANNING: This curriculum focuses on the key elements of developing a strategic plan for both the neighborhood watch leaders and each one of their watch groups. The course will also teach the process of strategic planning, how to conduct neighborhood assessments and prioritize initiatives, and how to build realistic and actionable plans.
- FORMING SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS: In this course, participants will learn skills to reach out to other civic, social and service organizations in an effort to expand their partnership activities. Participants will also learn about memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and when such documents may be appropriate or necessary. In the final section of this training, potential partners are presented that local neighborhood watch groups may want to join forces with on specific projects.
- PLANNING AND CONDUCTING EFFECTIVE MEETINGS: This course provides instruction on a wide range of topics relating specifically to the planning and conducting of meetings. Participants will develop skills in arranging meeting logistics, developing agendas, facilitating the meeting, managing disagreements, and post-meeting follow-up activities.
- OBSERVATION SKILLS: This course teaches law enforcement liaisons and neighborhood watch leaders how to instruct citizens on various aspects of observation, such as what to observe, how to observe it, and observation specifics concerning both individuals and the surroundings.
- REPORTING SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES: This curriculum presents information on how to properly report suspicious activities, as well as what to report and when. Course participants will receive in-depth instruction on a variety of reporting activities, and after viewing the course, they will be able to specifically advise citizens on the appropriate who, what, why, and how of reporting.
- TARGET HARDENING: In this course, participants learn a specific methodology on how to evaluate homes for security and general information on how to work with the public to make our neighborhoods more safe and secure. From evaluating locks to assessing alarms, participants will receive a wealth of information on home security that they will be able to present to other neighborhood watch leaders and volunteers.
