It’s hard to believe that the launch of The Family History Guide website was less than three years ago. We’ve come a long ways in that time, but there is still much to do. You are likely familiar with our mission statement:

” … to greatly increase the number of people actively involved in family history worldwide, and to make everyone’s family history journey easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable.”

Let’s look at the first part of the statement for a moment. To boost the worldwide number of people involved in family history, we need a group of enthusiastic trainers who can carry the message of The Family History Guide and introduce others to it in their areas. That’s where Regional Trainers come into the picture.

What Is a Regional Trainer?

Simply put, a Regional Trainer is a volunteer who promotes The Family History Guide and trains others in how to use it effectively. Each Regional Trainer is assigned a Geo, or geographic area for training coverage. Within that Geo, he or she does overview and other training with The Family History Guide, as well as finding and mentoring other people who can assist with local training.

Local trainers may include LDS consultants, members of genealogical societies, community or school instructors, etc., who are willing to present The Family History Guide in their cities or local areas.

As of this writing, there are over 40 Regional Trainers in the United States, Australia, and Africa, with more to be added soon.

The Regional Trainer Website

Just recently we introduced a new section to The Family History Guide website—the Regional Trainer pages. Below are links to each of the pages, and brief descriptions.

• Home Page – Provides links to the other pages and a contact link for info on becoming a Regional Trainer
• What Is a Regional Trainer – Explains the role and responsibilities of Regional Trainers in more detail, including qualifications, training opportunities, and Geo management.
• What We Offer – Describes how The Family History Guide Association supports Regional Trainers in their efforts. Examples include training support, a downloadable Regional Trainers Guide, and a Community Forum where Regional Trainers can exchange ideas and collaborate.
• Find a Regional Trainer or Event – Contains links to three sub-pages: Regional Trainer Map, Regional Trainer Contact List, and Upcoming Events. The Regional Trainer Map is a clickable Google map with pins that mark the location and info for each Regional Trainer. Geo areas appear as brown borders on the map (under development). The Regional Trainer Contact List has a list of Regional Trainers with their Geos and contact forms. The Upcoming Events page provides a calendar of all training events for The Family History Guide.
• New Trainers – Shows a checklist of things to do and know for Regional Trainers to get comfortable in their roles.
• Resources and Links – Provides links to the Course Catalog, Training Tips page, and Media page in The Family History Guide. It also points to a number of specialized documents for Regional Trainers that are available on a shared drive with restricted access.
• Certifications – Explains the training Certifications for The Family History Guide. These involve a number of activities, training sessions, and a learning quiz. Regional Trainers are encouraged to earn their Overview Certification as soon as reasonably possible.

There are links to these items at the top of each Regional Trainer page, for easy navigation.

If you’re interested in becoming a Regional Trainer or would like more information about the program, feel free to visit the website pages or contact us here.