Abstract
The Learning Academy's Tiered Training is a comprehensive staff development program designed to integrate Evidence-Based Coaching approaches and practices into the work of the Maricopa County Human Services Department (HSD). This initiative has a profound impact on the lives of the community HSD serves, as it prioritizes practices that view clients through a strengths-based lens and assume that they are the experts in their own lives. The tiered training provides an equitable path for staff to develop their coaching skills, engage in cross-program collaboration, and discover their unique talents. As a result, employees report feeling empowered and satisfied and are better equipped to utilize the tools and strategies learned in the workshops in their case-management roles. In addition, the program has been successfully offered to governmental partners, including the City of Glendale and the AZ Annual Training Expo, promoting collaboration and breaking down intergovernmental silos.
Needs Addressed by the Program
The development of the Learning Academy Tiered Training program was prompted by the need to address issues related to client agency and autonomy, staff equity and inclusion, and staff development within the Human Services Department. The program seeks to provide comprehensive staff development training that focuses on Evidence-Based Coaching practices and encourages staff to view clients through a strengths-based lens. By developing coaching skills, staff can better support clients in achieving their goals, leading to better outcomes for the community HSD serves. Additionally, the program offers an equitable pathway for staff to develop their skills and cross-collaborate across a variety of programs while promoting the discovery of staff talent.
Program Description
The Learning Academy Tiered Training program was developed by the HSD of Maricopa County to provide an equitable pathway for staff development and to implement evidence-based coaching approaches and strategies that improve the lives of the local community. The program's goal is to empower clients and increase their self-agency and autonomy while ensuring that staff receives equitable and inclusive training opportunities that promote their growth and development.
The program's development began with the creation of a comprehensive evidence-based coaching curriculum. The curriculum was developed with a focus on improving client outcomes, and it incorporates the use of strengths-based practices. The HSD team also created a tiered training mapping, which provided a clear pathway for staff members to develop their coaching skill set and cross-collaborate across a variety of programs.
The training was rolled out over a specific time frame, and a train-the-trainer workgroup was established to manage the training program. The workgroup was responsible for ensuring that the curriculum was adapted and updated continually. The HSD team provided management oversight of the workgroup to ensure the program's objectives were being met.
The program's clientele includes the Maricopa County local community, including vulnerable populations such as children, elderly, and individuals with disabilities. The program also benefits HSD staff members who receive training and coaching opportunities to enhance their skills and further their careers.
The intended outcomes of the program are to empower clients, increase their self-agency and autonomy, and promote staff equity and inclusion. The program focuses on continuous staff development and values its impact on the local community. Evidence-based coaching practices are used to promote client success and ensure that staff members are well-trained to provide equitable services to clients.
In conclusion, the Learning Academy Tiered Training program was developed by the HSD to provide an equitable pathway for staff development, promote client agency and autonomy, and ensure staff equity and inclusion. The program's focus on evidence-based coaching approaches and strategies ensures that staff members are well-trained to provide high-quality services to the local community. The program's success depends on its continuous improvement and adaptation to meet the changing needs of the community and staff members.
Responding to Economic Downturn
The Learning Academy Tiered Training program effectively responded to county budget constraints by addressing the issue of employee attrition. By providing comprehensive professional development opportunities, the program aimed to increase employee engagement, satisfaction, and a sense of being valued. This not only helps to retain talented employees but also provides them with the tools and strategies needed to perform their work efficiently, ultimately contributing to the county's economic reality by promoting a culture of continuous improvement and maximizing the potential of its workforce.
Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The Learning Academy Tiered Training program advances diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities within the county by providing an equitable pathway for staff to receive evidence-based coaching-related training and coaching certification on a variety of topics. This program is available to staff of all job titles, educational backgrounds, and programs, promoting staff diversity and inclusion. The evidence-based coaching workshops provide staff with practical approaches, strategies, and tools to increase their knowledge of trauma-informed care, executive function skills, implicit bias, and behavioral economics, ensuring a better understanding of client decision-making. By implementing practices such as motivational interviewing, stages of change, client agency and autonomy, and strengths-based goal setting, clients are worked holistically and with a client-driven mindset, addressing existing racial and socioeconomic disparities.
Program Cost
The implementation of the Learning Academy Tiered Training program was achieved through the use of existing staff and resources. The program was developed by the Human Services Department team, which includes subject matter experts, trainers, and coaches who have been trained and certified in coaching-related training. These staff members were responsible for creating the evidence-based coaching curriculum, tiered training mapping, and train-the-trainer workgroup.
The program's implementation relied heavily on the existing staff members' knowledge, skills, and experience in the field of coaching and human services. The program's objectives were achieved by leveraging the existing staff's expertise and utilizing their talents to develop and implement the program.
The program's cost was minimized by using existing staff members to develop and implement the program, which eliminated the need to hire external consultants or trainers. Additionally, the program was rolled out over a specific time frame, which allowed the HSD team to manage and oversee the program's implementation without adding extra resources.
Results/Success of the Program
The Learning Academy Tiered Training program has been successful in achieving its objectives of providing an equitable pathway for staff development, promoting client agency and autonomy, and ensuring staff equity and inclusion. The program has been implemented with the development of a comprehensive evidence-based coaching curriculum that was created with a focus on improving client outcomes and incorporating strengths-based practices.
The program has successfully completed 5 webinars covering topics such as Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma Informed Care, Executive Function Skills, Examining our Own Implicit Bias, and Behavioral Economics & The Scarcity Trap. Additionally, 5 in-person workshops were facilitated, including A Coaching Mindset, Stages of Change, Making the Connection, Family-Centered Coaching Tools, and Financial Empowerment.
To ensure that staff members have a clear pathway for professional development, the program has also developed a tiered training mapping that maps out a menu of workshops. The training graph details how to attain a Certificate of Completion, Certificate to Coach, and Certificate to Train. The topics required for certification include Trauma Informed Care, Implicit Bias, Evidence-Based Coaching, Family-Centered Coaching Tools, and Financial Empowerment.
The training has been successfully rolled out over a specific time frame and has been facilitated over five times. The program also established a train-the-trainer workgroup to manage the training program, with six trainers referred or volunteering to receive supplemental support. Management oversight was provided by the HSD team to ensure that the program's objectives were being met. Two trainers have successfully facilitated the in-person 5-day workshop series.
The program's clientele includes the Maricopa County local community, including vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities. The program's success depends on its continuous improvement and adaptation to meet the changing needs of the community and staff members.
The program has successfully empowered clients, increased their self-agency and autonomy, and promoted staff equity and inclusion. The evidence-based coaching practices used by staff members promote client success and ensure that staff members are well-trained to provide equitable services to clients. Staff members have also benefited from the program, receiving training and coaching opportunities to enhance their skills and further their careers.
The Learning Academy Tiered Training program has been successful in meeting its objectives, providing an equitable pathway for staff development, promoting client agency and autonomy, and ensuring staff equity and inclusion. The program's focus on evidence-based coaching approaches and strategies ensures that staff members are well-trained to provide high-quality services to the local community. With its continuous improvement and adaptation to meet the changing needs of the community and staff members, the program will continue to provide excellent service to Maricopa County.
The program has demonstrated its ability to engage and empower employees from different divisions, job titles, programs, and government agencies through the in-person 5 workshop series. Employees report feeling more confident in their abilities to utilize the strategies and tools learned in the workshops with clients, and non-client-facing employees have been able to apply the lessons learned to their interactions with co-workers and supervisors. Additionally, the creation of a train-the-trainer workgroup has allowed employees to provide feedback on staff development and input on departmental initiatives. The program has successfully broken down intergovernmental silos and increased collaboration by offering and facilitating the tiered training curriculum to governmental partners such as the City of Glendale and the AZ Annual Training Expo.
Supplemental Materials