In Service Training

3rd October: CRED Awareness

SEELB Youth Section: In Service Training

COMMUNITY RELATIONS, EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY:

POLICY AWARENESS

Ardnabannon OEC

3rd October 2011

1. AIM AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

1.1 Aim:

To familiarise the Youth Work staff team with the Department of Education’s Community Relations, Equality and Diversity (CRED) Policy and support them to explore the implications of this policy for their practice.

1.2 Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the training event participants will have:

·  Critically reflected upon their own attitudes

·  Examined how their attitudes affect their practice

·  Been made aware of the background to the CRED policy

·  Increased understanding of the Department of Education’s CRED policy

·  Reflected upon the implications of the CRED policy for their work

2. PROGRAMME

9:30 Arrivals, registration (Tea and Coffee will be served)

9:45 Welcome – Arlene Kee (Head of Youth Section)

10:00 CRED – Introduction “How Our Attitudes Underpin Our Work”

10:15 Workshop #1

1.  Group A – Practice Examples (New Common Room)

2.  Group B – Uncovering Hidden Attitudes (ICT Suite)

3.  Group C – Recognising Prejudice (Common Room)

10:45 Workshop #2

1.  Group C – Practice Examples (New Common Room)

2.  Group A – Uncovering Hidden Attitudes (ICT Suite)

3.  Group B – Recognising Prejudice (Common Room)

11:15 COFFEE

11:30 Workshop #3

1.  Group B – Practice Examples (New Common Room)

2.  Group C – Uncovering Hidden Attitudes (ICT Suite)

3.  Group A – Recognising Prejudice (Common Room)

12:15 Plenary

12:30 LUNCH

1:30 CRED Policy

2:00 Workshop #4 – Implications For Practice (in Divisions/Disciplines)

2:30 Plenary

3:00 Practice Guidelines

3:30 Policy and Practice: Questions and Answers

4:00 Review and Evaluation

3. REGISTERED ATTENDEES

NAME / POSITION
1.  Winston Ward / Senior Youth Worker II
2.  Laura Stewart / Youth Support Worker
3.  Stephanie Scates / Youth Support Worker
4.  David Logan / Youth Worker In Charge; Cregagh YC
5.  Robbie Rea / Youth Worker In Charge; Brooklands YC
6.  Mary McGrath / Senior Youth Worker II
7.  Colin Dudgeon / Youth Support Worker in Charge
8.  Stuart Moles / Youth Support Worker In Charge; Ardcarnet YC
9.  Michael Robinson / Senior Youth Worker III
10.  Narene Burns / Senior Youth Worker II
11.  Paul Fitzsimons / Youth Support Worker
12.  Denise Walsh / Youth Support Worker
13.  Dan McHugh / Youth Officer: Down/Ards
14.  Jonathan McKim / Area Youth Worker I
15.  Julie Ann Bell / Youth Support Worker in Charge
16.  Sean Lagan / Centre Based Youth Worker
17.  Angela Quirk / Senior Youth Worker II
18.  Gina McDonald / Youth Worker, Area Based
19.  Clare McClean / Assistant Youth Support Worker, Outreach
20.  Ronan McHugh / Centre Based Youth Worker I
21.  Barry Fagan / Centre Based Youth Worker I
22.  Monica Meehan / Youth Officer: Lisburn/Castlereagh
23.  Monika Lubasinska / Youth Support Worker: Lisburn BME Project
24.  Ronan McHugh / Youth Support Worker: Lisburn BME Project
25.  Peter Parke / Senior Youth Worker II
26.  Ruth Griffin / Area Youth Worker
27.  Margy Faloon / Youth Support Worker in Charge
28.  Mandy Jones / Youth Support Worker in Charge
29.  Alison Dunlop / Youth Officer: North Down
30.  Donna Weir / SYW “Learning To Live Together”
31.  Eamon Bogues / AAO “Learning To Live Together”
32.  Arlene Kee / Head Of Youth
33.  Siobain Byrne / Deputy Head of Youth
34.  Matt Milliken / AAO Community Relations, Equality & Diversity
35.  Trevor Quinn / Senior Warden
36.  Martin Leinster / Deputy Warden AOEC
37.  Kevin Quigley / Centre Based Youth Worker: Lisburn YMCA*
38.  Geoff Philips / Centre Based Youth Worker: Bangor YMCA*
39.  Dennis Paisley / Centre Based Youth Worker: Old Warren Partnership*

* Voluntary Sector

4. EVALUATION

At the conclusion of the training event all participants were asked to complete an evaluation questionnaire. The event was attended by a total of 39 youth officers, outdoor staff and youth workers from the statutory and voluntary sectors.

Thirty eight evaluation questionnaires were completed and handed back. The results from these are as follows:

4.1 CRED Policy

The evaluation responses indicated strongly that participants felt much better informed about the CRED policy and the background to the development of the policy. Only one respondent felt that s/he had not increased their understanding of the CRED policy – it is not clear whether this indicated that the training had failed to enlighten her/him or that s/he had already been conversant with the Policy before the training commenced.

Comments

·  I have already read it and the guidelines but will need to read it again to get a better understanding.

·  Good! But time to read over the policy will help.

·  Good information gave an overview of the policy.

·  Clear on the need to expand target groups i.e. not just protestant/catholic.

·  Current examples of practice in this area helped.

·  Great to see what information needs disseminated with staff and volunteers in my area.

·  The group work was great to establish some of my core values.

·  Will need to read further and look forward to next training day in February.

·  More time will need to be committed by each worker to fully investigate the new policy however today’s coverage was very useful.

·  Good, general knowledge in a specific project in the CRED scheme.

·  Workshops and group feedback very useful.

·  Very clear, good pace and a lot of informal and formal delivery.

·  I liked the workshops.

·  Good introduction to the new policy and framework for youth work.

4.2 Reflection on Policy and Own Attitudes

Comments

·  Facilitating live debate gave an opportunity to test my practice and highlighted the need to establish ground rules before embarking at this work.

·  A lot of information and was interactive.

·  Workshop 1, 2 & 3 in helped me to examine my own attitudes and values.

·  Looking at how it will impact the actual work we do helped as did hearing from others’ practice.

·  Practical workshops exploring own perceptions and really good to explore projects which have happened and are currently taking place.

·  The numbers attending added to shared ideas.

·  Group work was useful for exploring issues.

·  It was interesting hearing fellow Professionals’ views of the policy and implications for work.

·  All valuable.

·  Ronan’s presentation helped.

·  Good discussion around training.

·  Good introduction to the policy. Looking forward to further training and development through practice.

·  The implications on the challenges approaching on self – others as well as reinforcement of the good practice already going on taking of CRED.

·  The information that was circulated and disseminated was at a level that was clear and understandable.

·  Still reflecting.

·  Looking at the challenges and opportunities the policy will bring to my practice.

·  Opportunity to release the implications for CRED within youth work practice i.e. Underpin Practice.

·  Group discussion around challenges and opportunities was really useful.

·  The networking allowed for honest and helpful discussion and reflection in the group context.

·  I now have a better understanding of expectations on delivery.

·  I benefited from discussions with colleagues regarding issues brought up through review of the new CRED policy.

·  It was good meeting other youth workers who were able to critically reflect on their practices.

·  It was good to hear the Department of Education’s vision for CRED.

·  I enjoyed socialising with youth workers in a non residential/activity based session.

·  Morning workshops & groupwork sessions – good opportunity to meet other staff.

·  Ned to reflect on challenges and implications for current and future delivery.

·  It helped splitting into own discussions and seeing how we move forward as a team practically and what the implications are.

·  All aspects were extremely beneficial.

4.3 Training Relevance and Quality

Every evaluation returned indicated that the respondents had found the training to have been relevant, well prepared, well paced and that the materials used had been appropriate – there was considerable consistency between these results, with over 2/3 of respondents assigning each of these questions scores in the two highest possible categories.

COMMENTS

·  Well done and thanks.

·  Informative.

·  Because the CRED policy is so wide ranging, the training could easily take up a staff residential conference.

·  More time should be devoted to allowing staff to develop practice and bring it forward.

·  Good session – thank you.

·  The training was very useful.

·  Worthwhile, good to gain an insight into the CRED policy.

·  Thank you.

·  Good job.

·  CRED should be embedded in our work anyway but it was quite new for new members of staff who didn’t deliver Community Relations training required.

·  Very good thank you.

·  Very enjoyable day, well pitched and delivered.

·  Really appreciated the inter-active nature of the day.

·  Good pace, well delivered.

·  Mondays at Ardnabannon are great time and location.

·  Morning workshops – excellent.

·  Enjoyable and appropriate. Would have used a guest speaker perhaps.

4.3 Logisitics

There was a very high level of satisfaction with the logisitical arrangements for the day – all participants scored the quality of the food and the venue as being average or above. Well over two-thirds thought the venue and catering to be at the highest or second highest level

4.4 Support Required

·  Technically e.g. How to deal with bruised emotions after contentious debates.

·  Information on the area and breakdown of issues.

·  Part time staff training and also ideas on how to target certain groups i.e. GLBT without setting them up to be ostracised.

·  Outside perspective on how the CRED is working in practice already.

·  Further training on specific areas.

·  Models of work that have been delivered. Funding for necessary activities. Support from Department of Education to continue work and showcase positive and negative experiences.

·  Further training or sharing of ideas and good practice; finding out ways that work in other settings.

·  Further training, in particular for part time staff (mentioned in several responses).

·  Some further resources might be beneficial.

·  Develop and centre policies to implement CRED within centre based activities.

·  Support from other youth workers and youth officers in relation to staff working on the IFI Learning To Live Together Project.

·  Suggested youth interpretations for young leaders and indeed the very essence for young people being delivered with/for.

·  Sharing to further embed the CRED policy.

·  I think training is required to examine how we engage, recruit and work with CRED – but this was a good start.

·  Some more training in the implementations of the policy in my workplace for part time staff.

·  The opportunity to try new pieces of work.

·  Clear strategy for policy roll out. Expectations for capacity building with part time staff, volunteers and young people explored and agreed.

·  Sharing of practice training designed to meet the specific needs. Specified resources and funding would be useful.

·  Resources/training around the Section 75 groups (mentioned in several responses).

·  Detail view of support guidance.

·  Useful resources and contacts.

·  Further discussions and reflection needed in local teams to support staff and the embedding of CRED policy.

APPENDIX 1 – Feedback from Workshops #1-3

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

What are you doing…

AT THE PRESENT / IN THE PAST
Multicultural Programme
Travellers
CNP - Disability and Inclusion
Curragh Project
North Down YMCA and St Comgal’s Sports
Cultural “Themed” Evenings
Colin and Laurel Hill
Creative Arts
Ards Exchange
Project Cork
North and South Wales
Lisburn YMCA
Lok Yin
M@ 7
(Inclusion)
Colin Irish Club
Cedar Foundation
Inclusion Programme
Tor bank Inclusion Project (Brooklands) / Ballynahinch
Summer Sports and Dance Programmes
Phillippino Group
Building Relationships (Brooklands)
Positive Futures
S.A. Exchange (Ards)

What’s preventing you from doing more?

·  Reluctance of groups to engage

·  Communication

·  Promotion of Youth Services

·  Cultural sensitivities

·  Better understanding and respect

·  Training for Youth Workers to promote better understanding

·  Capacity issues

·  Time and patience to promote inclusion, build groups

·  Finances

·  Areas that certain Projects work in

·  Young People resistance/fear/label

·  Safety

·  Should be about Inclusion

·  Confusion about what Inclusion is?

Future Plans…

·  YMCA (Lisburn) Shared Spaces

·  International Project (Colin)

·  Inclusion Project (Rural)

·  Conflict and Power of Works initiative (Ardcarnet)

·  Heritage and History Programme (Brooklands)

·  Mental Health Project

·  Young women’s Photography/Video (Ards)

·  Dance Group (1 Team 1 Dream)

·  Music Group

ON-LINE ATTITUDES QUESTIONNAIRE

https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
APPENDIX 2 - Feedback From Workshop #4

OPPORTUNITIES

·  Be innovative and creative

·  Opportunity for youth and schools to further work together and be complimentary

·  To embrace contemporary themes

·  To develop new links and extend the service

·  To develop the youth worker personally and professionally

·  To explore how young people feel about the changing demography of their communities

·  Opportunity to support young people to gain skills, attitudes and behaviours which supports them to live in a diverse community

·  More diverse range of what we can do and how we do it.

·  Mind set of worker – grasping the opportunity in using positive work

·  Training opportunities and working with others to enhance skills and experience in different areas.