London Borough of Islington - Bespoke training program to support the implementation of the Fairer Together Program
We were commissioned to deliver a six-day training programme to Housing staff to support the commitment to new ways of working under the Fairer Together Program.
Training Overview
Day 1 and 2:
Effective Working - Supporting staff to develop effective working skills to support clients covering key topics relating to supporting adults/families to achieve positive outcomes and promote well-being.
The two days covered:
- Team Identity- role and purpose
- Effective communication
- Building trust
- Boundaries
- Working with complex needs
- Identifying need and support networks
Day 3:
Level 3 Principles of Safeguarding - providing tools and knowledge to make a difference to a vulnerable person’s life. The course supported staff to identify and report abuse and build knowledge about know how they could safeguard themselves in everyday work. Staff were required to complete a short assessment based on the topics covered throughout the day.
The day covered:
- Safeguarding legislation and guidance
- Indictors of abuse or neglect
- Making judgements
- Communication
- Roles and responsibilities
- Sharing of information
- Dealing with and reporting of allegations and complaints
Day 4 and 5:
Trauma Informed Practice - supporting staff to develop their understanding of trauma and building skills to support children, young people and families with a trauma informed approach.
The day covered:
- An understanding of Adverse Childhood Experiences – what they are and the impact?
- What is meant by the term “trauma” and how it affects the nervous system
- How trauma symptoms may present
- Exploring the four principles of TIP – Recognise, Respond, avoid Re traumatisation and building Resilience.
- Learning about tools and techniques to support understanding of trauma and how to respond
- The principles of self-regulation and exercises that can promote this
- How we manage the impact of supporting traumatised clients on our own well-being
- Exploring how trauma affects staff specifically considering compassion fatigue, secondary and vicarious stress
- Considering how to build resilience in ourselves and our team
- Developing practice skills and techniques to be able to come alongside the client in a trauma informed way
Day 6:
Motivational Interviewing - providing staff with knowledge and awareness of how to use motivational interviewing as a technique. Learners considered the cycle of change and how to work with ambivalence.
The day covered:
- Learning the core skills needed to have a motivational conversation
- Provision of skills and tools for use with individuals and families
- Gaining knowledge of theoretical underpinnings of Motivational Interviewing and behaviour change
- Reflecting on current practice
- Applying principles of behaviour change in practice- working with resistance and ambivalence
Learners Feedback
“I am more knowledgeable about safeguarding”.
“I feel more confident to report”.
“Be more aware of the signs that are not obvious”.
“Pass on disclosures to relevant teams not to try and resolve. Understand when to pass on”.
“I will be more aware and cognizant of the ways in which abuse may be revealed.”.
"Prepare better for interviews/seeing people"
"I will use the learning by putting into practice when meeting residents/tenants face to face at events and when responding to emails"
“Put into practice all the modules on the course to meet the needs of service users”.
“Build a better rapport with clients”
“I developed more skills and techniques that I can apply on my interviews with tenants”
“Conduct interviews with a more holistic approach”
“Be more aware of outside factors which are barriers for peoples change”
“I will ask more open questions to applicants in the future and actively listen to those comments”.