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Workforce Development
What is Workforce Development ? The term ’workforce development’ embraces ’the broad range of strategies that are used to ensure effective practice. These strategies may focus on individuals, organisations or systems’ (Helfgot & Allsop 2002). In other words, workforce development is more than the education and training of individual workers. It also addresses the need for change at organisational and system levels to ensure sustainability
Within a specialist Drug & Alcohol agency, workforce development may focus on such areas as
• strategic and operational planning;
Click here for copy of Drug and Alcohol Issues: An Agenda for Workforce Development in NSW (NSW DET, 2005).
NADA Workforce Development Program The objective of NADA’s Workforce Development Program (WDP) is to build the capacity of the non government drug & alcohol sector. It aims to achieve this through addressing the workforce development needs of its member organisations to enhance their ability to deliver effective services.
The NADA WDP is part of NADA’s Sector Development Portfolio focusing on developing the organisational capacity of member agencies, supporting their collective concerns and enhancing the responsiveness of the system in which NADA operates.
The NADA WDP has been funded since 2004 to coordinate strategies that address the needs of its members at both the organisational level and the level of individual staff (such as professional development and education and training). The program funds a Project Manager, Heidi Becker, and a grants program which allows NGO drug & alcohol agencies and their staff to apply for training and other development opportunities, see Training Grants.
Goals
• Increase opportunities for participation in workforce development activities to improve staff skills and knowledge.
NADA Research Workforce Profile and Skills Audit of NGO Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies (2008) This research report undertaken by Argyle Research builds on the findings of the Training Needs Assessment (2007, below) and specifically aims to:
• Profile the AOD non government sector and workforce
Training Needs Assessment of NGO Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies in NSW (2007) The training needs assessment undertaken by Edwina Deakin (EJD Consulting and Associates) and Anni Gethin (AGA Consulting) documents the workforce development needs of the NADA membership. Specifically, it assesses:
• Current workforce development standards and delivery methods;
Models of Clinical Supervision Report (2007) In 2007, NADA invited members to complete a short questionnaire on clinical supervision to gather information on the types of supervision programs been conducted in the non-government sector in NSW and offer a resource to agencies seeking models of clinical supervision programs to enhance the format of their own program. Thirteen agencies completed the questionnaire and information regarding their clinical supervision programs is presented in the above report. The report summarises the results of the questionnaire, provides a checklist of points to consider when evaluating and recruiting a supervisor and also outlines a benchmarked snap shot model of clinical supervision.
NADA Resources Workforce Development Resource Kit The kit explains what workforce development is and provides a framework and tools for managers to put workforce development practices into their agency. It was produced by the NSW Health Centre for Drug and Alcohol and NADA and addresses:
• Agency and staff workforce development needs The complete kit can be downloaded Resource Kit or just the Case Studies.
Case Management and Referral resource This is a work-based training resource which meets the competency CHCCM3B - Develop, Facilitate and Monitor All Aspects of Case Management. It can be used in a number of ways by both managers and workers and can be part of formal (with a registered training organisation) and informal assessments. The resource, developed for NADA by TAFE NSW Western Institute with funds from the Department of Education and Training, is comprised of four books: Each book plus an information sheet can be downloaded Book 1, Book 2, Book 3, Book4
Assessment and Referral Training Resource This competency-based resource is for managers and workers. It can be used as part of formal assessments with a registered training organisation as well as for examining a worker’s competency in assessing and referring clients. It was developed for NADA with funds from NSW Department of Education and Training and is made up of 4 sections:
Professional Development NADA rolls out a bi-annual traininggrants round open to the NADA Membership. In past years this has included the joint production of a training directory with NSW Heath Workforce Development Program in Hepititis, HIV and Sexual Health. Begining in 2010 the Workforce Development Training Grants Program will provide web based support including links to relevant training organisations. For more information see Training Grants.
Links for Vocational Education and Training Information The Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council is the architect of national training packages which deliver tomorrow's skills to workers in the community services and health sectors today – enabling them not only to do their jobs, but to do them to the best of their ability. The National Training Information Service is the official national register of information on Training Packages, Qualifications, Courses, Units of Competency and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). NSW Community Services and Health Industry Training Advisory Body is the key training and assessment information resource hub for the community services and health sectors, providing advocacy, advice, support and leadership. It is a not for profit association formed from, and made up entirely of people and organisations associated with the industry. It is the authoritative voice on the provision of training for the community services and health industry in New South Wales.
University options A recent list of TAFE and university courses specific to the alcohol and other drugs and mental health fields can be downloaded here. Link to NCETA database/higher ed PDF
NCETA Resources The National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA) is an internationally recognised research centre that works as a catalyst for change in the drug and alcohol field. The promotion of Workforce Development (WFD) principles, research and evaluation of effective practices is NCETA’s core business. Resources and publications developed by NCETA include:
• Clinical Supervision Resource Kit for the Alcohol and Other Drugs Field
Ethics and Evidence Based Practice
• Tips and Tricks for New Players (Latest Edition): guide to becoming familiar with the alcohol and other drugs sector
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Projects
Workforce Development