In order to continue offering babysitting training to youth and teens, the Canadian Red Cross has adapted its program to a virtual setting and is offering it on a flexible schedule during the pandemic.
The Babysitter’s Course is available to youth aged 11-15 years, and covers everything one might need to know to take care of younger children. This ranges from first aid to leadership qualities, and all of the skills in between.
Because the pandemic has made it impossible to offer the course in-person, like usual, the Canadian Red Cross has instead adapted the program to be delivered online by local youth leaders.
Instead of a full day of learning, the virtual Babysitter’s Course is being broken into three sessions of about two hours each, delivered using a video classroom method.
In Moose Jaw, Red Cross youth leader Carolyn Korte is teaching the course using Zoom, which she finds has been very useful so far. During the course, students are able to interact with Korte, asking questions and learning the material from the babysitters manual with her guidance.
“The kids can mute their mic while I'm instructing and then when they want to ask a question, they sort of wave their hands [for] my attention, and then they can unmute their mics and ask their question,” said Korte. “It’s been working out really well.”
After hosting a course last week and receiving great feedback, Korte is ready to take on more youth interested in the course. She is limiting each run of the course to 12 students at a time.
Korte is planning upcoming course dates based on interest from the community and is offering the next course on May 19-21 with a few spots left. Following that, she will wait for more potential students to express interest before planning more dates.
“If there's lots of interest, I will keep going because normally I offer it several times throughout the year,” said Korte.
She encourages interested youth to consider registering to take the Babysitter’s Course, as it covers lots of useful safety information that kids can use even when they’re not taking care of children.
“It's very worthwhile material to learn, not only for if kids want to babysit others but even for themselves,” said Korte. “There is some basic first aid in there, prevention of injuries, stuff like that, so they can be acquainted with things that will be helpful for themselves.”
The cost to register for the Babysitter’s Course is $40, which includes a copy of the Babysitter’s Manual and any other materials needed for the course, which will be delivered to each registrant.
Following completion of the course, certificates will either be mailed to participants to delivered by Korte herself.
To join an upcoming offering of the Babysitter’s Course in Moose Jaw, contact youth leader Carolyn Korte by emailing her at [email protected], texting her at 1 (306) 630-3320, or calling her at 1 (306) 693-2466.
For more information about the Red Cross Babysitter's Course and its certification, visit the Canadian Red Cross website.
