Afterschool club playworker

tiff

Anyone else set up an after school club and work as a play worker? I just found out I have the job I was interviewed for this morning. Our school has had a breakfast club for the last couple of years and the afterschool club will be starting after half term in November.

Any tips/advice as I have not done this before? Is there a forum for playworkers? I couldnt find anything when I did a search.

tiff

bump

anyone?

tiff

Another bump in case anyone else can help

DaisyFlower

Will it be ran as a business or a charity?

tiff

Not sure Daisy, I think as a charity.

smellslikemarmite

I used to be a playworker at an After School Club.

I did really enjoy it, you have to be fun and bubbly all the time while still teaching the kids that you're in charge, but bear in mind a lot of these kids are stuck in the Afterschool Club til mum or dad finishes work which can be quite late in the afternoon, some of them will get a bit tired or feel a wee bit neglected.

Although - watch your back, because kids can be horrible people and their parents generally think that the sun shines out their backsides. Find out about methods of discipline, what's acceptable and what's not, and make sure you're all consistent. I had a very unfortunate incident where the parents who ran the club (lots of them!) fabricated stories of abuse, claiming I force fed a child and made one other child sit on a bench as punishment for 45 minutes. They did it just to get rid of me for the sheer reason that they didn't like me, because I brought up lots of issues that they didn't particularly want to fix. And if they offer you free first aid training, take it!

If you want any more advice then PM me

tiff

Sounds like you were better off out of there smellslikemarmite. I am doing some training courses in Sept. I think my worst fear is something like you experienced, abuse allegations.

Being fun and bubbly all the time will be a challenge! lol

scooterwife

I work in an after school club ( also a charity) and really enjoy it.
However I will also say make sure that you know what is expected with discipline and make sure everyone does the same.

Are you in charge, or working for a manager, or a parents committee?

The main thing is to make sure that everyone feels comfortable and able to talk to playworkers if they want to, and also free to join in or not, depending what mood they're in.

There is a playworkers forum at www.nurserynurseforum.co.uk but its not a very big one! Haven't found any others yet.
For ideas for activities, games etc have a look round some of the sites for brownies, cubs etc and also some of the american sites are very good.

Try these:
www.makingfriends.com/
www.dadcando.com/
www.things2make.com/
www.guidinguk.com/
The last one is a guiding site as that is my background, but lots of ideas there that are general.

You'll also find that you have an 'Out Of School Co-ordinator' ( or at least we have!) who can help with day to day things and also funding for things if you are a charity.

I find that kids usually like to make things, even if they start off moaning.
They also like to regress a bit so you'll find that older ones love playdough:rotfl: and also 'gloop' (cornflour & water) which is very messy and quite therapeutic, and also if you're the one in charge of the messy activity, you can't be expected to do anything else can you;)

Hope you enjoy it:D

scooterwife

sorry, didn't realise last post had got quite that long! (it helps if you can talk the back legs off a donkey as well!)

scooterwife

The other obvious thing is to ask them what THEY want to do - within reason obviously,
ours also like card making using the embosser (older ones only though) I get them ready first for little ones
and Hama beads
and glass painting (you need somewhere to put these to dry)

scooterwife

Hello Tiff, I've just noticed you're online now, are you in charge or 'just' a playworker?