Our online Ask Me course is delivered over two 3-hour sessions via Zoom and learners will need to attend both sessions.
Is this course right for me?
Online learning is new to many of us and we may have questions about whether it will work for us. Follow the drop down menu below for more information or if your question isn’t answered, please contact us at [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can’t do all the Zoom workshops?
The course is designed to be completed in order so you will need to complete earlier modules before moving on and you will not normally be considered to have completed a module without doing both the workshop and self study.
We ask that where possible, you only register for a course if you are confident you will be able to attend all of the scheduled Zoom workshops.
We appreciate things can come up unexpectedly. Where this happens we will be as flexible as we can and if we are able to offer you an alternative workshop time, we will do so. Sometimes this may not be possible and the co-ordinator will then discuss with you what your options are.
Access to the ongoing support (facebook groups, peer support, meet ups, newsletters) will depend on successful completion of the course.
What will I need to take part?
A suitable device – You will need access to device that can open PDFs, open emails, run Zoom and use a camera and microphone so that you can be seen and heard. This could be a mobile, tablet, laptop or PC.
An internet connection – You will need an internet connection that is able to manage video conferencing software like Zoom. If you are planning to use mobile data in a poor reception area, be located far away from a WiFi router or know that your internet can be temperamental, you may wish to check this ahead of time.
Privacy – You will need a quiet, private space for the Zoom workshops. For your privacy and the privacy of other attendees we ask that you make sure the conversation cannot be overheard by others in your home as best you can e.g. using headphones or going to a quiet room. Please note, the course is for over 18s so we ask that children are not present for the Zoom workshops as you may not feel all conversations are appropriate for them to hear.
How much reading is involved?
Whilst we’ve tried to use as many videos and audio recordings as we can, this course may be difficult for those who are not confident in reading English. We hope to be able to offer a low or no reading option in the future but in the interim, some people may prefer to wait for a suitable face to face course.
To judge the level of reading needed you could look at one of our self-study modules here
How IT literate do I need to be?
Whilst we can provide some basic technology support, the course will require that you are able to open emails and PDFs, use an internet browser and follow links to videos and articles and attend a Zoom workshop using a microphone and camera.
If there is enough interest, we can run a “check the tech” Zoom session before the course so that people can get a feel for Zoom and practice basic functions before the course.
Is this course suitable for survivors?
Absolutely! Anyone can participate in the Ask Me scheme whether they are a survivor or not and many participants are survivors themselves. However there are some things you may want to consider before proceeding.
If you are currently experiencing abuse you may wish to think about whether it is safe for you to do the course now. For example, if you live with someone who is abusing you, or that person might find out, would this put you at risk? If you are currently experiencing abuse, please get in touch with us before registering. Additionally, please know that help and support is available through our 24 hour Live Fear Free helpline.
Even if your abuse is historic and you are safe now, you might want to consider how you might feel on a course discussing abuse. Whilst we have done everything we can to make the course as safe and supportive as possible, the course is not a therapeutic or support course and for some people, it may not be the right time for them to participate.
Is this course suitable for my current or desired job role?
Please be mindful that Ask Me is a community based initiative and aims to help us identify what we can do as community members to help end abuse, rather than informing our job role. Other Welsh Women’s Aid training is available for you in your professional role, please visit our Training Area to find our more.
You are of course welcome to use what you’ve learned in your workplace or career as appropriate. However Ask Me is not intended to give you the skills to hold any particular job role, is not intended as an endorsement or demonstration of competency to employers and does not replace or supercede any workplace training that you may be required to attend as part of your role.
To maintain the community focus and to ensure a diversity of voices in the room, we will normally limit any individual organisation to 2 places per course and ask that those attending have an interest in activism in their communities to help end violence against women and girls.
(Please note – There is a similarly named scheme called “ask and act” for public sector workers which is wholly separate and more information about that scheme can be found in the Training Area.)
I have another question
For any other questions about Ask Me online, or if you’d like to discuss any of the above further, please email us at [email protected]
