Penguin Guides Training 2013/14 Season

Penguin Guides Training2013/14 Season

Agenda • Welcome • About the Little Penguin - Zoe • Penguin Guiding - Terry • Roster - Fam • Q&A • Collect Membership

When Penguin Guiding season will start on Sunday 6 October 2013 and finish on Saturday 5 April 2014 Each shift will start 15 minutes before sunset and lasts 2-3 hours Each volunteer works one shift per fortnight

Where The public part of the breakwater at the end of St Kilda Pier Courtesy of Google Maps

Organisational Structure Organiser Terry Lobert Co-ordinator FamCharko Quartermaster Susie Parker Recruiter Kirsty Wilson • Organiser is responsible for the Penguin Guiding activity. • Co-ordinatormanages the roster and finds new guides. • Recruiter gets publicity for Penguin Guides • Quartermaster sources and provides kit to the Team Leaders. • Team Leader manages their shift and are responsible for: • Handing out kit, providing replacement kit and collecting kit. • Dealing with any issues that their shift has. • Escalating any issues that the shift has to the Organiser. • Requesting additional guides from the Co-ord. Team Leader Team Member Team Member Team Member Team Member

Role The role of the Penguin Guide is to: • Provide information about the penguins • To protect the penguins by encouraging people NOT to: • use their camera or mobile phone flash • use a torch without a red filter (you will have some red cellophane and rubber bands to offer people to cover their torch) • climb on the rocks where the penguins are nesting • bring their dogs past the entrance gate • get too close to the penguins • or engage in any other activity that may cause the penguins harm It is NOT the role of a Penguin Guide to enforce laws or local government by-laws

Handbook The Penguin Guide Handbook contains: • All the information that is given in this presentation • Information about and images of the Little Penguin, which you can refer to when providing information to visitors You can download a PDF version of the handbook from the Earthcare St Kilda website: http://www.earthcarestkilda.org.au/library/penguin-guides/ You should either print this out or download it to your smart phone or tablet and bring it with you to every shift.

Personal Safety & Security • Do your best to encourage people to do the right thing, but your own safety is paramount, only go as far as you feel comfortable and avoid confrontation. • Please advise your Team Leader if you get into any conflict with a visitor. • If you need to contact the police then call the St Kilda station on 9536 2666 – it would be wise to programme this into your mobile phone. If there is an emergency then please call 000. • Remember that you can always leave the breakwater if you feel unsafe. • Ensure that at the end of the shift that you leave together and no one is left behind on their own. If you do stay behind you must remove your fluro vest and stop penguin guiding • There is no secure place to store your valuables, so keep your personal possessions with you at all times. • To avoid any tripping hazard please wear sensible footwear and use your torch to move about. • Any personal injury must be reported to your Team Leader. Your Team Leader has a first aid kit for the team to use.

Personal Comfort • Please dress for the forecast weather conditions. • Please bring plenty of drinking water as there is none on the pier. • There are no toilets on the pier, the nearest are at the Sea Baths (Beachcomber), so be “prepared” for this.

Kit • The penguin guide kit consists of: • Fluoro vest • Torch • Red cellophane and rubber bands • These will be handled out by your team leader on your first shift. • Replacement kit is available from your team leader. • Please bring all your kit to each shift and check that your torch works before you leave home. • If you are unable to continue volunteering as a Penguin Guide please return of all your kit to your team leader on your last shift or to the Eco-centre. Earthcare is a non-profit, voluntary organisation, so we need to reduce replacement costs wherever possible.

A-Frame Penguin Sign • There is an A-Frame sign that announces to the general public that penguin guiding is taking place and advises visitors of the do's and don'ts within the penguin colony. • This sign is to be put out onto the pathway at the beginning of the shift, near the entrance gate (as long as it is not too windy!). • It is stored in the bin corral at the side of the kiosk. • Please remember to return it at the end of the shift. • The sign is heavy, so if you cannot manage it alone, ask another guide to help you.

When it is busy • On a warm summer night it can get very busy and it will be hard to manage a boardwalk overflowing with visitors. • When this situation arises the Team Leader may decide to use the security gate to control numbers using a "one in, one out" system to control numbers.

What to do if you find a sick or injured penguin If you find a sick or injured penguin, please call Zoe Hogg on 0402 164 482.

Parking • A limited number of parking passes have been provided by the council. These were hard to obtain so must not be abused. • You can find the passes in either of the two security coded locked boxes along Pier Road. • Please ensure that the locked box is closed securely and scramble the keypad numbers after use. • Always return the pass immediately after your shift. • Do not take the pass home or use it for other purposes as they are coded and it is vital they are accessible in case of emergency.

Location of Parking Passes

Marina Works • The St Kilda Harbour marina works are in progress and will complete in December • Until then there is a temporary access to the new marina from the end of the boardwalk

Roster • The roster of which guides are on which shift is managed by the Co-ordinator and they will have allocated you to a shift that tries to meet with your preferences. • The Co-ordinator will email you a copy of the roster before the start of the season and will provide updates throughout the season if there any changes that affect you. • If you wish to stop penguin guiding or want to change shifts, then please let your Team Leader know as soon as possible so the Roster can be kept up to date. • Some of your shifts may fall on a Public Holiday and the Team Leader will discuss with you beforehand whether you will be prepared to work on a Public Holiday or not.

Any Questions?

Collect Membership We’ll collect your completed membership forms and $10 membership!

Penguin Guides Training 2013/14 Season