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Identify Your Learning Event

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

  • Identify an organization, group, or cause you want to support with a learning event powered by Trailhead.
  • Discover how you can make an impact by teaching a learning event.

Introduction

Everyone wants to make an impact, to give back, and make a difference. But how do you start? It can feel overwhelming, and even people with great skills and good intentions can be unsure about where to begin. Oftentimes, the first step is the hardest part.

One of the most powerful ways to help others is to teach people what you know. You don’t have to be a teacher or professional trainer to make an impact. Anyone can teach in a classroom, a conference room, a schoolroom, a Google hangout, or even your local coffee shop. 

In this module, you learn how to host a learning event powered by Trailhead. You get specific techniques, best practices, and downloadable samples and guides.

Learning Events with Trailhead

Trailhead is the fun way to learn Salesforce. It’s gamified—you learn new skills while earning badges. Trailhead was originally designed to be a self-guided learning tool, enabling people to learn at their own pace, on their own schedule, and at any location.

But as it turns out, Trailhead also works for in-person and virtual learning events. People are coming together to learn new skills, earn badges, and connect with each other at learning events hosted by Salesforce and people in the community. 

People in a conference room with laptops listening to an instructor.

Because Trailhead is a free online platform, you can assign specific badges as prework before your event or homework after your learning event. And because Trailhead is available for anyone, it’s a key part of how you can multiply the impact of your learning event. And multiplying is a good thing.

Be a Multiplier

When you multiply something, the return is greater than the effort you expended. 

Now think about that in the context of empowering others through learning events. Let’s say you host a study group for Salesforce and 10 friends show up. That’s 10 people you’ve reached. Good job.

1 organizer helps 10 people = 10 people

Astro teaching a class to 10 friends with a chalkboard reading, “BAM: Be a Multiplier.”

Now, let’s say those 10 people go out, and each of them helps 10 other people. See how the impact starts to multiply?

10 people each help 10 people = 100 people

The effect is cumulative over time, and the more people who become involved and start sharing, the more people you can reach—to the tune of millions. This is how a movement begins and how you can make a big difference in the lives of others. 

So how do you begin?

Start by Identifying a Group to Help

Many different types of groups may benefit from a learning event powered by Trailhead. Here are just a few types of groups.

  • Your favorite local nonprofit organization
  • A local middle or high school (ages 13–18)
  • Your alma mater or local university
  • Your team or department at work
  • A group in your local community

Let’s look at two examples in more detail.

Two Examples of Groups

School Groups

Host a workshop powered by Trailhead for students at your local middle or high school (ages 13–18). In the workshop, you can give students hands-on experience coding or building apps on the Salesforce Platform. 

Or host a workshop at your local college or university—as a guest speaker in the classroom, at a Salesforce Student Group meeting, or alumni event. (Note: if you are an educator be sure to check out the Trailhead for Students program for additional resources and support).

Want to make the workshop great? Add a career panel discussion. Recruit a few folks you know who use Salesforce for their jobs (administrators, developers, salespeople, and so on) for the panel. Serve as the moderator and ask one to two questions to start, then open it up for questions from the students. This helps the students learn what kinds of jobs are available when they build Salesforce skills.

Learning Event
Trailhead High School Workshop
What You Need
Instructor
Volunteers (1:5 ratio, volunteer to students)
Conference room
Projector
Wi-Fi
Laptop for instructor
Laptop for each student
Career panel (three volunteers who use Salesforce in their careers)
Audience
Ages 13–18
Duration
2–3 hours
Note

For events targeting attendees under age 18, parent/guardian consent may be required, and there may be additional requirements around social sharing, photographs, and signups. Work directly with the school or organization on any events targeting attendees under age 18. 

Your Team at the Office

If your company is using Salesforce, offer a lunch-and-learn session to teach something you’ve learned to do in Salesforce. Book a conference room and have people bring their own lunches (or expense lunch for the team, if that’s an option).

Learning Event
Lunch and learn
What You Need
Instructor
Conference room
Projector
Wi-Fi
Laptop for instructor
Trail Tracker (leaderboard)
Audience
Adults
Duration
1 hour

Small Steps, Big Impact

The smallest step forward can lead to big change. Just by starting this module, you’ve taken the first step toward making an impact. Ready to start multiplying? Tweet what you just learned, then head to the next unit.

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