Ncma imvite- no thanks

[jadavi]

I wonder if the lady who sent me the invite to go back to the regional Ncma meeting soon would be interested in why I definitely will not be going.... Don't want to rant to the wrong person!

[bunyip]

She probably would. I always appreciate feedback from my clients to identify where I can improve, and an NCMA rep should be no different if she's seeking to reflect and improve on her service delivery also.

It would be worth carefully considering the difference between fact, opinion and rant in this case. A rant on the forum is one thing, but may be less appropriate in response to an invitation from a local associate. :thumbsup:

[christine e]

Well I have sent out quite a few invitations to our regional forum (East Midlands) and I would be interested to hear why childminders don't want to attend

[bunyip]

Well I have sent out quite a few invitations to our regional forum (East Midlands) and I would be interested to hear why childminders don't want to attend

Hi Christine.

I've been to an East Midlands forum and found it (mostly) useful. The bits I did not find useful were:-

1. Listening to CMs who only turn up to moan and tell me how long they've been doing the job.
2. The so-called "debate" on renaming NCMA to something comical because of the desperate need of some particularly insecure CMs to be called "professionals". Sorry to be so negative, but this was so transparent a 'done deal' that to call it a "debate" or "consultation" was absolutely risible.

What I found most useful:-

1. The lovely resource pack. :so happy:
2. Meeting and chatting with other CMs. :)

Why I haven't been to recent E Mids forums:-

1. West Bridgford is a pain to get to. This is purely personal, as I rely on public transport - I appreciate it's easy if you drive, so I'm not suggesting you always use the library just for me.
2. The Jubil-lympics theme served as an instant turn-off. It held no interest for me, and I already knew that 2012 would be one big jingoistic festival of contradictions and double standards without the need to contribute even more.

OMG I think that was partly a rant. Maybe I should listen to my own advice sometimes. :rolleyes:
Oh well, hope that helps a little.

:)

[bunyip]

Sorry, Christine, forgot to say -

....I would probably have booked for the forthcoming EMids forum, but I have very little time available due to the amount of my life taken up by the :censored: level 3 diploma.

[christine e]

Hi Christine.

I've been to an East Midlands forum and found it (mostly) useful. The bits I did not find useful were:-

1. Listening to CMs who only turn up to moan and tell me how long they've been doing the job.
2. The so-called "debate" on renaming NCMA to something comical because of the desperate need of some particularly insecure CMs to be called "professionals". Sorry to be so negative, but this was so transparent a 'done deal' that to call it a "debate" or "consultation" was absolutely risible.

What I found most useful:-

1. The lovely resource pack. :so happy:
2. Meeting and chatting with other CMs. :)

Why I haven't been to recent E Mids forums:-

1. West Bridgford is a pain to get to. This is purely personal, as I rely on public transport - I appreciate it's easy if you drive, so I'm not suggesting you always use the library just for me.
2. The Jubil-lympics theme served as an instant turn-off. It held no interest for me, and I already knew that 2012 would be one big jingoistic festival of contradictions and double standards without the need to contribute even more.

OMG I think that was partly a rant. Maybe I should listen to my own advice sometimes. :rolleyes:
Oh well, hope that helps a little.

:)

Well thanks for your honest reply. With the exception of the May forum the last three forums have been held at the library - of course the East Midlands covers quite a few counties but Nottingham is quite central to whole of the region so for now we are holding in Notts but it could be that future forums are in Leics, Derbys, Lincs, Northants. As for the Jubliee/Olympics workshop think it is a case of not being able to please all of the people all of the time but we are open to suggestions as to what you would like to see us put on in the way of workshops so please please give us some ideas.

Cx

[bunyip]

Well thanks for your honest reply. With the exception of the May forum the last three forums have been held at the library - of course the East Midlands covers quite a few counties but Nottingham is quite central to whole of the region so for now we are holding in Notts but it could be that future forums are in Leics, Derbys, Lincs, Northants. As for the Jubliee/Olympics workshop think it is a case of not being able to please all of the people all of the time but we are open to suggestions as to what you would like to see us put on in the way of workshops so please please give us some ideas.

Cx

Thanks for replying. Hope I wasn't too negative. I did try to balance the good with the less good. I do try to promote and stick up for NCMA, especially when they get unreasonably blamed for things - so much so that I've even been accused of being a 'sock puppet' for the NCMA office :laughing: But I still feel entitled to give an opinion when I think NCMA have done something less well than they could've.

No, I certainly wouldn't expect every EMids event to be at my ideal venue, as I appreciate the need to support all the counties.

I'll PM you on specific points, as I don't wish to turn this into an EMids ghetto thread. :)

[jadavi]

Sorry it was prob unprofessional to start this thread like that but I was so mortified and disappointed last year with the regional meeting (prefer not to say where)
The Ofsted person could not attend and instead of filling the space usefully (we all had so much to share !) they ended early.
The main agenda was the image and branding of the Ncma. Hardly of main concern to a new keen child minder!
I felt not at all supported or listened to on matters and questions of child minding as that was not on the agenda! I nearly cried on the way home as I'd been so looking forward to it - I'd only been c Ming for three months and wanted supportive group discussions.
Yes lunch was nice to meet new people but not worth travelling fifty miles for!
Needless to say I changed my insurance this year!
Maybe my expectations were unrealistic but surely the association is set up to support us?

[christine e]

Sorry it was prob unprofessional to start this thread like that but I was so mortified and disappointed last year with the regional meeting (prefer not to say where)
The Ofsted person could not attend and instead of filling the space usefully (we all had so much to share !) they ended early.
The main agenda was the image and branding of the Ncma. Hardly of main concern to a new keen child minder!
I felt not at all supported or listened to on matters and questions of child minding as that was not on the agenda! I nearly cried on the way home as I'd been so looking forward to it - I'd only been c Ming for three months and wanted supportive group discussions.
Yes lunch was nice to meet new people but not worth travelling fifty miles for!
Needless to say I changed my insurance this year!
Maybe my expectations were unrealistic but surely the association is set up to support us?

Out of interest and to help me in the future what didn't happen at the forum that you wanted to happen - did you not get the opportunity to voice your concerns about something? There are 10 different NCMA regions and I'm sure we all run forums slightly different! On another note sometimes I go home feeling like crying and that is because sometimes delegates attending can get quite irate and frighten me. Like I say I would really like to know what you wanted from the forum that you don't feel was delivered. Please pm me if you prefer

Cx

[jadavi]

I would like to have seen an agenda that wasn't so obviously self serving ie shall we open our ranks to nurseries or whatever it was.
It would have been nice to have for example been invited to suggest matters for discussion in advance.
In the absence of a no show of a guest speaker to have the courage to have a free for all debate about the issues around the tables (plenty of those) instead if sending us home early.
When I was organising similar workshops as a manager in my last job I always asked myself
A) what do they need to be told from management perspective
B) how are they feeling and how can we best help them

Maybe start off like we used to with a one minute bell where people introduced themselves and said what they'd like to talk about , someone was scribing and wrote it on board in columns. Bell rang (little tinkly hand bell) and on to rhe next person The most popular topics got covered at the end.
Yes it takes a lot of time but IMO at least half the day should be devoted to what the members want to talk about.
Often not a question of an expert helping them or giving them 'an answer' but them airing an issue like we do on here and being heard. To carry that thru we started the debate on our tables and reported back at the end (as you already do) so the shy ones felt ok to share.
Thanks for being understanding and open to listening - I was worried I'd trigger defensive replies.
happy to pm further but left it on here as I suspect a lot of people felt the same as me.