Holiday Coach aka MTLH Holiday Instructor
What are Holiday Coach activities?
MTLH organises supported holidays in different parts of Finland in about 40 different holiday destinations. The holidays are all-inclusive and include holiday activities of the holiday destination.
The duration of a holiday period is either five consecutive days or two shorter mini holidays. The holidays are targeted at people of different ages and in different situations in life as well as for families that otherwise would not have the means for going on a holiday. Some of the holidays are organised in cooperation with different social and health organisations.
The MTLH Holiday Coach is a volunteer holiday instructor.
The purpose of Holiday Coach activities is to add to the instructed activities of the holiday destination and to promote the grouping of holidaymakers as well as to offer peer support and increase people’s well-being during their holiday.
The Holiday Coach promotes team spirit, is present for the holidaymakers and uses their own know-how and personality to improve the holiday experience. In addition to the instructed social events during the holiday, the Holiday Coach provides the holidaymakers with an opportunity for peer support in between their mini holidays/after the holiday period by means of Tukinet or another electronic platform.
Who can volunteer as a Holiday Coach?
You can volunteer as a Holiday Coach if
- you want to participate in the creating of a great holiday experience
- you have great people skills, get along with different kinds of people and are interested in close cooperation with people during a supported holiday
- you want to listen to and be available for people
- you have an inspiring attitude and are an ambassador for team spirit
- you have previous experience in group leading activities
- you want toutiliseyour own experience and interests when working as a Holiday Coach
- you can commit and leave your daily life for the duration of the holiday period
What can we offer to a Holiday Coach?
- Diverse and meaningful volunteer activities related to creating a holiday experience
- Two-day long basic training and peer meetings with other Holiday Coaches
- All-inclusive accommodation in the holiday destination, travel expenses (public transport), a daily reward of EUR 50 and insurance
Working as a Holiday Coach
Before the holiday; planning
Working as a Holiday Coach is based on good planning; understanding the activity content of the holiday period and combining this with the role of a Holiday Coach. The holidaymaker’s own skills and interests are the starting point of planning: the activities acknowledge the participants and the holiday environment.
Instructed activities are interactive and flexible.
When starting the planning, the Holiday Coach contacts the designated contact person of the holiday destination. It is recommended to get in touch with the holiday destination about 1.5 months before the holiday.
The contact person provides the Holiday Coach with information about the holiday destination’s holiday activities for groups and other matters to take into consideration. The Holiday Coach and the contact person of the holiday destination exchange thoughts about the content of the holiday and build a functional base for implementing the holiday experience.
The Holiday Coach does not replace the instructed activities of the holiday destination.
During the holiday, the Holiday Coach
- adds to the activities of the holiday destination by, for example, introducing themselves in the information event, organising evening activities and participating in the feedback event.
Presenting Tukinet on mini holidays
- informs the holidaymakers about holiday activities, inspires the groupto take part in holiday activities and participates in group activities
- acts as a contact person between the holiday destination and MTLH
- creates an atmosphere of safety and trust within the group of holidaymakers, increasing interaction within the group
In-between holidays/after the holidays the Holiday coach
- provides feedback to MTLH
- participates to and supports the conversation between holidaymakers on Tukinet or a similar online environment on mini holidays
More information: mia.kalpa@mtlh.fi and liisa.moilanen@mtlh.fi
