Raising the Bar 2010
As a part of the ongoing process of staff training and development, Klingberg Family Centers [KFC] last week hosted ‘All Staff’ meetings once again, for every employee to attend. The two hour session was offered on multiple dates and times, to accommodate the nearly 400 full time, part time and per diem staff, who together, pursue the agency mission “To help build healing relationships that empower children and families to reach their full potential”.
Steven Girelli, PhD, Vice President of Education, Child Placement and Group Care, opened the meetings by introducing KFC employees to the new agency initiative entitled “Raising the Bar 2010”. The goal of this initiative is to enhance and improve standards of ‘professionalism’ throughout the entire agency, and the ‘All Staff’ meetings were the first step in this process. Dr. Girelli then introduced Cindy Wilson, Director of Training at NEN – New England Network for Child, Youth & Family Services, Inc., who travels nationwide to assist non-profit agencies in this regard. She explained that similar efforts by non-profit organizations nationwide are resulting in whole new standards of professionalism throughout the entire field of ‘youth care’.
The meetings were designed to be interactive, allowing groups of KFC staff from various program-areas, to discuss the qualities of ‘professionalism’, and to examine fictional case-studies in order to identify behaviors and choices consistent with those qualities. After the groups discussed their individual case-studies, a spokesperson then presented the group’s suggestions for improved professional behavior. The commitment level of the KFC staff was easily witnessed by the remarks coming from all of the groups involved. Staff members of Klingberg Family Centers have clearly begun to ‘Raise the Bar’ for the benefit of everyone involved …especially their cherished clients!
