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Bookbug Session Leader Training

Find course details, dates for upcoming training and how to sign up below.

Bookbug Session Leader training is for those who plan to deliver Bookbug Sessions (free song, rhyme and story sessions) in libraries or other community venues with groups of children (0–5 years) with their mums, dads or carers. Our interactive training is a balance of practical exercises and researched-based theory about book sharing, music and child development, followed by a short online course.

Our training is interactive and everyone will be asked to participate. You’ll be doing songs and rhymes in the group, but you won’t be asked to sing on your own.

Current training dates open for registration

In-person Bookbug Session Leader training sessions - 10am-4pm

Online Bookbug Session Leader training sessions - 9:30am-1pm

More dates will be released on a rolling basis throughout the year. Sign up for our regular Working with Bookbug newsletter to be notified as training dates are added. April to June training dates will be released at noon on Monday 3 February 2025.

If you see a training session is full you can still follow the link to join the waitlist and you'll be offered a spot if there is a cancellation.

When you click on 'Register for a training course' you will be taken through a short form, complete this and click 'Next'. You will be directed to a new page with all the training dates, this time with links attached to book or join the waitlist of a specific session.

Register for a training course

A maximum of two places are available for each workplace e.g. per library, nursery etc. Please get in touch to discuss your options if you have more than two people needing Bookbug Session Leader training.

Course details

In this course, you will:

  • Build your understanding of the importance of songs, rhymes and stories for both children and families
  • Learn how to plan a Bookbug Session, selecting appropriate songs, rhymes and a story
  • Consider how to make Bookbug Sessions welcoming, accessible and inclusive
  • Practise singing, rhyming and reading aloud
  • Identify ways to encourage families to sing, read and rhyme at home as part of their everyday routines

Cost

Training is funded by the Scottish Government and Creative’s Scotland Youth Music Initiative at no cost to participants.

If you are considering booking onto training it is important you understand you are committing to attending. We regularly have wait lists and cancellations greatly impact how many practitioners we can train across the year.

We have a small amount of ring-fenced funding to support participants in accessing Bookbug Session Leader training. Please contact our Early Years Delivery Manager at [email protected] if you would like to discuss financial help with travel and/or accommodation.

Eligibility

To be eligible for fully funded training you need to:

  • Be affiliated with an organisation, either as a staff member or volunteer, which will support the leader to run Bookbug Sessions
  • Plan to deliver regular Bookbug Sessions
  • Plan to deliver Bookbug Sessions to groups of children (0–5 years old), where possible with their parents or carers.
  • Agree to abide by the Bookbug Session Leader Agreement
  • Be over 16
  • Plan to start leading Bookbug Sessions within two months of the training course

Format

In-person

Our lively in-person training is a hands-on, all-day session covering theory and practice. This course is comprised of:

  • A 6 hour in-person training session
  • A small amount of preparation work to be completed which will be sent two weeks before the session.
  • After attending the training, you will receive login details for our Bookbug Portal.
  • There is a short follow up course to be completed, the Bookbug Session Leader Agreement, which will activate your Bookbug Session Leader membership.
  • You will be required to complete a short ‘refresher’ course annually to continue your membership

Online

Our interactive online trainer-led sessions combine theory and practical work. This course is comprised of:

  • 2 x 3.5 hour live interactive sessions, taking place online using either Zoom or MS Teams, a week apart. Attendance is required at both to complete the training. There will be comfort breaks throughout each session
  • A small amount of preparation work to be completed which will be sent two weeks before the session
  • After attending the training, you will receive login details for our Bookbug Portal
  • There is a short follow-up course to be completed, the Bookbug Session Leader Agreement, which will activate your Bookbug Session Leader membership
  • You will be required to complete a short ‘refresher’ course annually to continue your membership

In our online training course, you need to:

  • Have a computer, laptop or tablet that connects to the internet with working audio, camera and microphone. A mobile phone is not suitable due to the format of the training. The training is interactive and everyone will be asked to participate.
  • Be registered individually on the training course and participate on your own individual device
  • Be able to access Zoom or Microsoft Teams (depending on the platform of the session you registered for)

Contact us

If you have any questions or you need additional support with the registration process, please contact the Bookbug team at [email protected] or call 0131 524 0160 (press option 1 for Early Years and Bookbug).