Key components TO DELIVER a successful GUM programme
Keeping the GUM programme simple and engaging is hard - yet these are the key components for a successful delivery. Here you will learn more about how to do this.
The STEP framework - Space, task, equipment, people
As you are getting ready to deliver your GUM programme, one component will be essential for you. This is the simple framework called STEP which will help you adjust and adapt activities to involve everyone.
In short, these are the key driving questions you should ask yourself using the STEP Framework:
- SPACE - where is the activity happening?
- TASK - what is happening?
- EQUIPMENT - what is being used?
- PEOPLE - who is involved?
In the following video, Viv Holt from Youth Sport Trust International introduces the STEP framework as a tool to remember the elements of your activity that can be modified to meet the needs of each individual participant and provide a supportive learning environment.
The basics of GUM activities
The basic components of any successful GUM activities are:
- the fun dimension
- the adaptability and an innovative mindset (e.g. using available material and equipment)
- the “people first” principle (listening to their needs, adapting to their ability)
To inspire and support you, we have developed a sample of potential GUM like activities. Don’t start from scratch! Feel free to discover them while browsing a sample of selected activity sheets.
Want to discover more? We invite to:
The use of digital solutions to support and spice up your programme
GUM partners strongly believe that the use of a digital solution can be a great asset for intergenerational activities and your own GUM programme.
We live in a world where most people have a mobile phone and where digital literacy skills have become more and more important. We believe it is worth investing some time thinking about how to make the best use of digital solutions as we can see benefits for all parties: you as a coach and also your participants.
So why should you embed digital solutions in your programme?
- Benefits for you as a coach:
- It could be one way to engage your audience and create stimulating exchanges between the two generations.
- You could use it to prepare your session and get some inspiration
- You could use the app as a way to support the co-creation of activities by your participants
- You could track how people feel about GUM activities and movement practice even outside your scheduled session
- Benefits for the elderly participants and young participants:
- Increased digital literacy - which highly facilitates independent living and keeps the brain active.
These dimensions are certainly important for both GUM age target groups. Yet we anticipate higher impact and resonance for the seniors since improving their digital literacy could help them gain access to healthcare, safety and security, such as through the use of personal monitoring devices.
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- Development of soft skills such as communication, adaptability, teamwork, problem-solving etc..
This will prove even more important for young people benefitting from the GUM programme and in particular young people coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, or in unemployment.
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- More options for leisure, entertainment, physical activity and movement.
- Better self-knowledge through the monitoring of their feelings?
REFLECTION TIME: Now that you know the foreseeable benefits, can you think of one to three ideas on how you could include the use of digital solutions in the planning of your session?
(Hints - How can you include young people in the co-designing of your sessions to help them showcase their use of the app and teach the elderly how to use it? How could you use the self-reflection on moods and feeling features to engage in discussion and create a brave and safe space?)
Are you willing to bring some digital action to your programme of activities? We have developed a manual for you to become a GUM app ambassador. You can download it below.
Monitoring and evaluation
The GUM programme of activities is taking place during a very short period of time. Therefore, the partnership is aware that it is important to set realistic indicators to monitor and evaluate your impact.
How will you monitor the impact of the activity on the participants? In other words, how will you know you have been successful in bringing change to your participants' lives? What behaviours will you monitor closely? It is vital that you engage with these questions.
The proposed elements below are coming from our lived experience but you should feel free to adapt them to your own context. The key message here will be: make sure to plan your monitoring and evaluation!
Suggested checklist of items to monitor and related methods:
- Identify the activities which work most successfully and make comparisons by conducting end-of-session simple questions with participants.
- Monitor motivation and engagement by asking participants how they feel after a session and knowing your retention rate.
- Interviews with groups of participants to gain feedback.
- Explore attitudes of participants through questioning.
List of proposed questions to conduct an evaluation during your session:
- Which activity did you enjoy the most and why?
- At the end of the session, give a mark out of 10 for how much you enjoyed the activities.
- What did you learn and enjoy most about working with older people?
- What did you learn and enjoy most about working with young people?
- How did the activity make you feel?
