Parachute’s Brain Waves Coordinator Manual

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Welcome to Brain Waves Thank you for your commitment to Brain Waves – the most fun you can have with

neuroscience! This manual contains everything you need to start a Brain Waves program in your area. It includes email templates, recruitment strategies, and budgeting information. Some of these sections may be useful for your volunteers. It’s okay to start small, or with a bang – it all depends on how much time and energy you can devote to the program, and the number of volunteers involved. Regardless of how big or small your Brain Waves program is we are confident your team can experience huge success in spreading injury prevention messages in your community.

Brain Waves is a fun and educational program for students in Grades 4 to 6. Students learn about the structure and function of the nervous system through experiments and interactive lessons, and about the importance of protecting the brain and spinal cord from injury. Through the efforts of people like you, we have been able to reach thousands of students across Canada with our message of brain and spinal cord injury prevention.

Your efforts will give kids the knowledge they need to protect their brains and bodies. Have fun and thanks again for helping to keep Canada’s kids safe. Contact Information:

Parachute, Brain Waves Coordinator 150 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 300 Toronto, ON M4P 1E8 E: brainwaves@parachutecanada.org

Parachute T: 647-776-5100 E: info@parachutecanada.org

Table of Contents Brain Waves Timeline ......................................................................................................................... 2 School Recruitment ............................................................................................................................. 3 Volunteer Recruitment ........................................................................................................................ 3 Budgeting for Brain Waves ................................................................................................................. 5 Brain Waves Materials Check List ...................................................................................................... 6 A Guide to Helmet Fitting .................................................................................................................... 7 Helmet FAQ’s ...................................................................................................................................... 8 Brain Waves Evaluation ...................................................................................................................... 9 Appendix ........................................................................................................................................... 10

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Brain Waves Timeline September to December

• Parachute connects with new and former sites across the country; • Site Coordinator begins recruitment and follow up with schools and volunteers; • Coordinator training takes place in October/November;

If applicable: • Contact school boards for approval to visit classrooms; • Apply for recognition as a Student Club on campus; • Host information meeting(s) for interested volunteers.

January to February

• Funding is distributed to sites by Parachute; • Continue volunteer recruitment if interested schools exceed volunteer base; • Finalize the number of classrooms and volunteers participating in Brain Waves; • Host training session(s) to teach volunteers how to deliver Brain Waves; • Match volunteers to schools; • Distribute materials to Brain Waves volunteers.

March to June

• Presentations!; • Ensure volunteers arrive for presentations and collect evaluation surveys.

Completion of presentations

• Bask in your success!; • Complete volunteer and coordinator surveys; • Identify next year’s Site Coordinator and goals.

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School Recruitment

In 2015, 600+ community groups and elementary school classrooms received a Brain Waves presentation. Sites bring Brain Waves to Public, Catholic, and Independent schools, and community center’s and children’s groups. Below are some recruitment and promotional techniques. Please see Appendix for templates.

• School Boards, Schools, and Principals – Some districts require approval before external programs can take place in their schools. Connecting with the school board can be effective for district-wide distribution and promotion. However, some Coordinators have found direct contact with schools and teachers to be more effective.

• Children’s groups and community center’s – A variety of individuals have contacted

us interested in Brain Waves. Be creative and connect with other groups you think may benefit from a Brain Waves presentation.

• Waiting list – A Brain Waves wait-list is carried into the following year when requests

from previous years cannot be met. Prioritize wait-listed requests for presentations.

• Previous schools – Previous recipients of Brain Waves have often said they want presentations again. Remember, teachers have a new group of students every year. Principals are also great connections for helping promote through school listservs.

• Local media – Connect with local newspapers and news groups for Brain Waves

promotion through their media. Follow up with interested teachers in a timely fashion. Thank them for their interest in Brain Waves and make it clear that presentation availability will be dependent on volunteer and schedule availability. Connect with teachers to get classroom details and share this knowledge with the scheduled presenters:

• Potential presentation dates and times • Classroom size (# of students) • Allergies, special needs, special instructions • Address of school

Volunteer Recruitment

In 2008, Brain Waves reached 5,000 students, in 2013 it reached 19,000 students, and in 2015 it reached 30,000 students across Canada. It is delivered by over 800 trained and engaged university student volunteers, from diverse academic fields, including neuroscience and medicine, and physical education and kinesiology. The success of Brain Waves is possible because of energetic and passionate volunteers, like you and your presenters. To attract volunteers, highlight the value of the Brain Waves experience, such as building leadership skills, community outreach, resume building, networking, and experience teaching,

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in return for minimal time commitment. Below are some volunteer recruitment techniques. Please see Appendix for templates.

• Advertise for volunteers through posters, bulletin boards, social media (e.g. Facebook), Student Club listservs, e-bulletins, and local newspapers. Include a contact-by deadline, sign-up list, and contact information.

• Participate in September orientation events at your university or college. Through your

Student Government, determine when and how Brain Waves can be involved.

• Make an announcement in a related course. Ask the course professor if you can make an announcement to introduce Brain Waves. Provide details about the program, a sign up list, and your contact information.

• Get professors on board! Brain Waves began with a university professor promoting

Brain Waves to her students. Several university departments across Canada have offered bonus marks to students who volunteer, some have even made Brain Waves a mandatory component of the curriculum.

Departments to target: Education Physical Health and Education/Kinesiology Psychology Neuroscience Nursing Any of the Sciences We even have volunteers with History and Engineering backgrounds.

Training Volunteers for Brain Waves Part of your role as a Coordinator is to prepare your volunteers to deliver Brain Waves presentations. All Brain Waves volunteers must attend a training session to receive an overview of what their roles, expectations and responsibilities are. Topics of discussion include Brain Waves activities, teaching methods, the Instructor Manual, material distribution and content, and a question and answer session. Feel free to hold as many sessions as you feel necessary for your team. For more information, please refer to the resources on the Brain Waves website. Ensure Instructor Manuals, Activity Booklets, and Jello Brain recipe are available for volunteer reference during training and presentations. A Volunteer “To Do” list can be found in the Appendix. Feel free to modify or delete items as necessary for your team.

Matching Volunteers to Classrooms After confirming the number of volunteers committed to your Brain Waves team, try your best to match classroom requests and volunteers based on schedule, availability and location.

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Typically, two volunteers are required for every presentation. Confirm the match with the volunteers and teachers, and have volunteers confirm with their classrooms. Share date, time, location, and classroom details in a carbon copy email to the teacher and volunteers.

Budgeting for Brain Waves Brain Waves booklets, manuals, brain molds, and evaluation materials are provided by Parachute. Materials for in-class activities need to be purchased by your team (please see Materials Check List). Consider seeking local grocers or suppliers for donations and discounts on the materials you need to purchase. Remember to keep all your receipts so Parachute can reimburse you. Depending on your team needs, additional costs may include:

- Transportation (transit fare, mileage) - Rental space for training sessions and/or material storage - Payment to become an official club at the University/College - Photocopying

Every expense made towards Brain Waves should be documented. Keep receipts for…

- Transit fare - Photocopying - Material purchases - Room and storage rentals - Anything else related!

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Brain Waves Materials Check List Please ensure you have these materials for your Brain Waves presentation(s). Many of these resources can be found online on Parachute’s Brain Waves webpage. Provided by Parachute:

Received Item Quantity Student Activity booklets (one per student, additional

if applicable/necessary)

Volunteer Instructor Manual(s)

Jello Brain Mold

Online link to Teacher survey

Hard copies of Student surveys

Items to purchase and prepare:

Received Item Quantity Ingredients for Jello Brain Mold (see recipe)

A tray for the Jello Brain

Plastic wrap to cover the Jello Brain

Pieces of paper for Neuron and Blind Spot activities

Balloon for Balloon Head activity

Scented product for Olfactory Adaptation activity

Flavours for taste experiment (e.g. sugar, salt, lemon, coffee)

Cotton Swabs for taste and touch activities

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A Guide to Helmet Fitting

A properly fitted helmet touches the front, back, top, and all sides of your head. The goal is to achieve a fit that is snug, level, and stable to resist violent shakes and hard hits. Incorrect helmet fitting reduces the helmet’s ability to protect the head in a crash. Follow the “2V1” approach.

1. Adjust the fitting band or foam pads – “2”. Some helmets come with a fitting ring or band. Set the band to its largest setting while you adjust the straps and buckles. Only after the straps have been adjusted and secured should the band be tightened. If tightening the band causes extreme discomfort, and loosening it produces an incorrect fit, you may need to choose another helmet style.

If the helmet does not have a ring or band, it will come with foam pads. Foam pads can be added or removed on all sides of the helmet. Make sure the pads touch your head evenly, without being too tight. If the helmet does not come with a fitting ring or foam pads, contact the manufacturer and get another helmet.

Once the helmet is snug, ensure the front visor sits about two finger widths above the eyebrows, or just above the frame of your glasses. If you walk into a wall, the helmet should hit the wall before your nose.

2. Adjust the side straps – “V”. Fasten the chin buckle and look at the side straps.

Adjust the side straps so they form a “V” underneath the earlobes, and sit behind the jaw line.

3. Adjust the chin buckle – “1”. The buckle should be tight enough that only one finger

fits between the strap and the underside of the chin. Opening your mouth wide should cause your jaw to pull on the chinstrap. Tighten the fitting band (from Step 1).

Please see Which Helmet for Which Activity and 2V1 Helmet Fitting pamphlets for more information. You may request these resources for your Brain Waves presentations.

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Helmet FAQ’s

• How long can I keep my helmet for? It is recommended that helmets be replaced after 3 to 5 years from the date of purchase, or if it does not fit you any more. Helmets are made of a special material that breaks down over time and will not work as well if they are old. Also, over time your helmet may have been poked or hit by objects that will affect how it works.

• Can I put stickers on my helmet? Do not modify or remove original parts of your helmet (unless it is meant to be removed, like visors on bicycle helmets or cages on hockey helmets). Remember, the shiny plastic part (the “shell”) on the helmet is made of a special material. Stickers can react with the plastic causing it to be less effective, and too many stickers can prevent the helmet from sliding across the ground in a collision.

• Can I wear my hockey helmet when I ride my bike? Most helmets are Single USE. This means the helmet is only certified for one activity. Baseball helmets are an example of a single use helmet. You can only use your helmet for different activities if it is certified as a Multi-use helmet. The helmet certification sticker will tell you which activities your helmet is certified for. If your helmet is not certified as Multi-use, you cannot use it for different activities.

• If I have a crash, can I reuse my helmet?

This depends on the type of crash you experienced, and the type of helmet you have. Single impact helmets, like a bicycle helmet, means the helmet will protect you against one crash before it has to be replaced. Multiple impact helmets, like hockey or football helmets, can handle many hits before having to be replaced. However, any helmet that experiences a violent impact should be thrown away, even if the damage is not obvious. Don’t forget that you should replace your helmet after 3 to 5 years.

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Brain Waves Evaluation Evaluation is an important part of the Brain Waves program. We need feedback from students, teachers, volunteers, and coordinators to determine what we are doing well, and where we can improve. The links to the surveys can be found on the Brain Waves site. Students Hard copy pre and post surveys will be provided to your Brain Waves team by Parachute. Distribute the surveys along with presentation materials. Volunteers must have enough pre and post surveys for each student they are presenting to. Before the Brain Waves presentation, students should complete a pre-survey. Post-surveys should be completed after the presentation. Student feedback will help us to understand if and how Brain Waves is making a difference in children’s understanding of brains and injury prevention. Teachers and Principals Teachers should complete an online survey after the Brain Waves presentation. Teacher feedback is just as important as student feedback. Their feedback gives us insight to how we can improve the Brain Waves content. Please ensure teachers receive the online survey link after their Brain Waves presentation. Volunteer Presenters Volunteers should complete an online survey at the end of the Brain Waves year. Volunteer feedback is important for us to learn more about who is making Brain Waves possible, what we can do to improve the training process and delivery of the program, and how we can grow Brain Waves to reach more communities. Please provide your volunteers with the online survey link. Coordinators Coordinator (your) feedback is important for us to highlight the successes and challenges of delivering Brain Waves in your community. This survey should be completed at the end of the Brain Waves year. Your comments will directly impact the changes we make for the following year.

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Appendix Re: Brain Waves at Name of School Teacher or Principal's Name School Address City, Province Postal Code Date Dear Teacher or Principal's Name, Thank you for your interest in Brain Waves!

Brain Waves (formally Brain Day) is a free neuroscience-based educational program developed by leading neuroscientists at the University of Toronto. While the program was originally developed, in 2005, for students in grades 4-6, the complex neuroscience topics that are covered are adaptable to an older audience.

Five learning modules and injury prevention messages are explored during the half-day presentation. Educational activities, fun experiments, and interactive diagrams engage students to examine how the lobes, synapses, and senses work together. Students will also apply Science, Health, and Physical Education knowledge as they learn about the importance of injury prevention and identify strategies to protect their brain and body. The majority of presentations occur in March, during Brain Awareness Month, but presentations can occur between February and June as well, depending on volunteer and school availability. To book your free presentation, or learn more about the program, please contact us. Our team will be happy to work with you to schedule a Brain Waves presentation for your class or school. We hope to hear from you! Thank you for helping spread the message of injury prevention. Sincerely, Coordinator's Name [Site e.g. Toronto] Brain Day Coordinator Email Address Phone Number

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Sample Email/Letter for Volunteer Recruitment

Subject: Call for Brain Waves volunteers! Are you passionate about making a difference in your community? Do you like working with children? Looking to boost your resume? Then Brain Waves is for you! Brain Waves is an injury prevention program for students in grades 4 to 6. The half day, in-class program promotes brain safety awareness through basic neuroanatomy, interactive activities and injury prevention messages. Students learn about how their brain works and ways to protect it. We are looking to you to help bring Brain Waves to your local school or community group. Experience with anatomy and biology is not a requirement, but volunteers should be comfortable interacting with kids, and enthusiastic about reducing injuries amongst Canadian youth. All we need is your commitment to learn about Brain Waves, and a few hours between March and June to bring the fun to a local classroom or community group. Bring a friend to the session and help us grow this fantastic program! Please contact us by [DATE] if you are interested in volunteering with Brain Waves! Coordinator's Name [Site e.g. Toronto] Brain Waves Coordinator Email Address Phone Number

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Volunteer Recruitment Ideas

Facebook/Twitter

• Ever want to play with brains? Then Brain Waves is for you! We’re looking for volunteers to teach kids about protecting their brain and bodies. Contact us for more info.

• We’re looking for volunteers who like jello, brains and kids! Contact us for more info!

• Call for Brain Waves volunteers! Help us bring injury prevention to [CITY NAME]. Jello,

brains, and kids never worked so well together. Contact us for more info!

• We’re looking for volunteers to spread the message of injury prevention to kids in our community. Share your knowledge of brains and helmets. Contact us for more info.

Keywords: Helmets Brains Sports Kids Children Community School Teaching Jello Brain Mock Script for Course Announcement Hi Everyone, my name is [name]. I am a [PROFESSION, PROGRAM, YEAR OF STUDY] and Coordinator for Brain Waves. Brain Waves is a program for kids in grades 4 to 6, and we teach about injury prevention, the brain, and helmets. We are looking for volunteers to help bring the program schools in [CITY]. Time commitment for volunteer is a training session in January, and presentations can occur anytime between March and June. You can check out our Facebook page, provide your email address on our sign up sheet, or email me for more information. Thank you!

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Volunteer To Do List

Thank you for helping bring important injury prevention messages to students in your community! You are essential to the success of Brain Waves. To help you deliver an action packed day of fun, here is a list of important items that should be reviewed and prepared before you enter the classroom: A minimum of one week before presentation:

o Attend a training session

o Review Instructor Manual

o Review Student Activity Booklet

o Review Training Video

o Coordinate presentation with partner

o Confirm date/time/classroom needs with school/teacher

o Remind teacher to have students bring helmets

The night before your presentation:

o Confirm attendance/time of arrival with partner

o Determine location of school

o Prepare activity materials

o Jello Brain [recipe can be found on the Parachute website]

o Blind Spot strips

o Other materials as necessary

The day of your presentation:

o Arrive 30 minutes before presentation start time

o Bring materials

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o Bring BACK Brain Mold, overhead slides, student surveys