Getting to Grips with Participation
Ian Light Award Scheme 2008/09
Getting to Grips with Participation:
Initial Training for Service Users and Carers who want to get Involved
Report on Project Outcomes, March 2009
(Download WORD version)
Liz Lefroy (Glyndŵr University) email Liz
Pam Hutton (Havering College) email Pam
- Report
- Appendix A - Induction training session
- Appendix B - Role Play Scenarios
- Appendix C - Summary of workshop held on 29 April 2009
- Appendix D - Expenditure
The project was initially designed to ‘build on the work and experience of both colleges in providing induction training' for service users and carers and devise a new induction training package following consultations with service users and carers from both colleges. It was hoped to share the package with other involvement projects via the DUCIE network.
However, in the light of the journey which we have undertaken with service users and carers in discussing what is needed in terms of preparation/training for participation and involvement activities, it now seems appropriate to revise the initial title of this project (see above). The main conclusion of the process of consultation that we have undertaken at Glyndŵr University and Havering College is that ‘Getting to Grips with Participation' is not solely an activity or challenge for service users and carers, but for all those involved in the BA Social Work.
Project Aims
The project aims were based upon the knowledge and experience Pam and Liz had in enabling the participation of service users and carers in the BA Social Work degree in England and Wales. The aims acknowledged that service users and carers often wish/need to develop new skills (making presentations, interviewing, participating in meetings, etc.) in order to engage meaningfully in what is a complex and often fairly rigid higher education structure. Some tangible outcomes were anticipated:
a) Development of a book of ‘readings' to support service user and carer learning
b) Training materials to support the running of training days for service users and carers
c) Administrative documents (such as an induction checklist)
d) An evaluation process.
Process
The two planned visits (Liz to visit Pam at Havering College and Pam to visit Liz at Glyndŵr University occurred (though not at the times suggested!). Liz's visit to Havering College came first and included a meeting with the team of social work lecturers, a meeting with 3 members of the service user and carer group and extensive discussions with Pam. Pam's visit included a meeting with Outside In (the service user and carer group at Glyndŵr University), a presentation by Pam to first year students and discussions with Liz. In between these visits we have communicated by email, phone and at a DUCIE meeting.
What we learnt
The two Colleges already had induction processes which tended to reflect the backgrounds of Liz and Pam. Levin (2004), drawing on consultations with service users and carers, has highlighted the need for adequate training and support and Glyndŵr University and Havering College had made provision for both in their respective programmes. However, Liz's academic background led Glyndŵr University to give greater emphasis to training, whereas Pam's service user background had led Havering to prioritise support.
Liz and Pam had both previously come to the same conclusion that service users and carers were not the only stakeholders who had training needs around participation. For example, at Glyndŵr University, students are ‘told' about participation during their induction week by Outside In and Pam talks to students during induction week and had delivered workshops on participation to practice assessors and lecturers at Havering.
Lecturers and practitioners are expected to know about participation and often are viewed by participation workers as cooperative, pro-active, defensive or obstructive to participation, depending on their responses. A ‘light bulb' moment occurred during the meeting with service users and carers, when both Liz and Pam realised that the most effective way of meeting the need was to provide a training package which could be delivered jointly to service users, carers, lecturers, practice teachers and students. We both realised that it would deliver a more powerful message if we no longer treated them as separate issues but gave all the stakeholders the opportunity to train together.
Liz drew on her experience of running interviewing training days for service users and carers; practitioners, lecturers and students and it was decided to develop a ‘What is Participation?' induction day for these same groups of people - the partners in the BA Social Work.
Outcome
In terms of the anticipated outcomes, a book of readings has been developed, a module, Participation in Social Work Education, is available to service users and carers involved at Glyndwr University and an induction checklist is in use. The main outcome, however, is a half day training session which was piloted at Glyndŵr University on 29th April 2009. Pam returned to contribute her particular expertise in role play! 19 partners attended: representatives of all those involved in the degree; students, practitioners, lecturers, service users and carers. Some were new to participation, and some have had lots of experience. (See Appendix A for an outline of the day). Both institutions benefited from sharing the documents they had developed to underpin their induction processes.
Evaluation and next steps
The half day session will be offered at Glyndŵr University and Havering College as a starting point for those wishing to get involved in participation. It is also proposed that the session be tailored to different vocational degrees (e.g. nursing, occupational therapy) in the two institutions as required.
The sessions will be evaluated for content, but there also needs to be evaluation of student, lecturer, service user, carer and practitioner attitudes to and understanding of participation.
Working in a pair
One of the main focuses of the Ian Light project is the need to work in a pair. In this respect, the project has been overwhelmingly successful. For Liz, it has reduced her sense of isolation. Meeting with Pam has provided much needed opportunities to discuss the highs and lows of the job. Travelling to Havering College was enlightening and highlighted some of the strengths and weaknesses of the participation work at Glyndŵr University. For Pam it also provided an opportunity to share the stresses and strains engendered by being a loan voice in a team full of social worker/academics. Discussions with Liz gave her renewed energy for the task of ensuring genuine user and carer participation in Havering's revalidation review which was going on in parallel with the work for the Award.
Both Liz and Pam knew when choosing to work together that it would be challenging as they lived and worked so far apart but the potential benefits outweighed the disadvantages. It was an ambitious project to undertake on a limited budget, considering the geographical limitations and it proved difficult to make time as both participants work loads are quite heavy. That seems to be a hazard of working in involvement initiatives. However, although the project was not completed within the original time constraints Liz and Pam believe that the benefits of their work are sufficient to compensate for the tardiness of its completion.
Most of the preparation work was completed fairly quickly but the delivery of the training will take place in the next few months. It is hoped that completion will generate the material for an article to share the findings from the project.
Reference
Levin E: ‘Involving service users and carers in social work education', 2004, SCIE (London)
INDUCTION TRAINING SESSION
What is Participation?
Target Group:
Service users, carers, practitioners, lecturers and students.
Prior knowledge assumed
Participants may have varying knowledge and experience of participation at a cognitive and/or experiential level from the perspective of their own peer group
Session Aims:
To provide an opportunity to:
Debate the question ‘What is social work' and begin to develop a shared understanding
Explore the question ‘Why should students listen to service users and carers?
Discuss differing perspectives of what participation means for the BA social work
Develop understanding of the social work degree and what the opportunities for participation are
Identify and experience some of the barriers to participation within higher education and within the BA Social Work in particular
Set individual goals in terms of participation
SESSION PLAN (LL &PH evaluative comments in italics)
TIME | CONTENT | METHOD | MATERIALS |
1st hour:
| Introduction: Aims of the session Establish ground rules - confidentiality, inclusive language etc. Ice breaker - What participation means to me.
| Tutor presentation Group discussion Each participant to come up with one sentence which starts, "For me, participation is ..." Share ideas. - (make notes) | Pens Paper |
What is social work? - Challenge groups to come up with a definition | Separate groups of students, lecturers, etc: Discussion and feedback | Handout available to those who want it. | |
The BA social work - an introduction - We omitted this section on the day as we had placed it later in the session - it would work better placed here. | Ask students, lecturers and practitioners to share their knowledge and insights about the course. | Flipchart and pens | |
Short Break |
| ||
2nd hour:
| Roles and labelling Comment - in future sessions we plan to offer blank labels for participants to complete themselves. What do the labels signify/mean?
| Offer pre-written labels for people to choose from: service user, carer, lecturer, social worker, student Ask students what the label ‘social worker' means, etc. | Sticky labels |
| Different perspectives - participation and feelings, attitudes, etc. Comment - not all groups comfortable with role play - give alternative suggestions, e.g. feedback points discussed. | Experiential Exercise: Role Plays followed by discussion and reflection | Role play scenarios |
Short Break - one coffee break was sufficient. |
| ||
| What does participation mean in relation to the BA Social Work for each group? - omitted. This had already been discussed Are there any barriers to your participation in the BA that you know about at the moment? Identify one thing you have learnt from another person in the room today - this was a positive conclusion to the session Group Feedback Closing comments and evaluation | Group work - mixed groups
|
|
Role play scenarios
Student focussed role play
A service user is coming to speak to your class today.
One of you has found service user input challenging and even upsetting in the past because it has touched on some deep issues and you are anxious about what you might hear today.
Role-play a brief discussion that you have in the café before the lecture.
Lecturer focussed role play
You are in a team meeting. A service user is coming to speak to some students today. Although you have planned the session, you are worried that the service user's negative experiences of social work will discourage the students.
Role play a discussion about this concern with your colleagues.
Service user/carer focussed role play
One of you is going to interview students for the BA social work for the first time tomorrow. You have met up with some people (friends?) the day before and are talking to them about your anxieties.
Role play the conversation.
Practitioner focussed role play
You are arranging the details for an observation of student practice and need to gain service user feedback about the student's performance.
Role play a brief discussion about this situation with colleagues.
Summary of the Workshop held on 29.4.09
Ground rules agreed
Respect each other and each others' opinions
Be honest
Listen - don't talk over people
No jargon - communicate clearly and in an accessible way
Maintain confidentiality (anything use from the session is reported in general terms)
Session content
1. We started by answering the question ‘What does participation mean to me?' by completing the sentence "For me participation is ...." . The following are some of the responses:
For me, participation is ...
* Hard work, getting the right balance and inclusion of the appropriate target area/group
* Ensuring that there is equality for all
* Being able to make a difference and hopefully improve the ‘system'
* Trying to ensure that people are seen as ‘a person' and not being labelled as ‘service user', ‘carer' or whatever
* For me, participation is understanding and being involved with situations/activities to help others
* Participation is a chance to improve the system in place
* Something I think about every day, in all that I do at work
* A chance to help
* Having an equal say
* Improving services
* Difficult
* A learning journey
* Understanding each other to get the best possible results
2. We then discussed the question What is social work? in small groups. Here are some of the ideas people shared:
- Social work is something that when someone comes in at your vulnerable times to enable you and assign you to live as full and inclusive life as possible
- Social work should be a good working partnership
- Social work is talking, listening and understanding
- Social work is gathering information to enable people to do things for themselves and improve their quality of life
- A social worker is a kind of ‘gatekeeper' for other social services. Sort of safety net. Should be supporting people. Social work depends on person they are working with and for
- Social work is ‘hands on', more than counselling, more than just telling
- Should encompass whole aspects - day-to-day, socialising, 24/7, confidence building, family
- Should NOT be demoralising or demeaning
- Social work is a ‘fight for survival' a ‘strike for change'
- Social work is enabling and empowering people to improve their situations and quality of life, BUT also about trying to protect. Dependant on the person, open to abuse.
Following these discussions we were able to acknowledge the complexity of the task of participating in social work education. No wonder it can be challenging!
3. Labelling: We discussed the influence of roles and labelling on participation and we carried out an exercise to develop our understanding of this. We discussed the stereotypes associated with each label: service user, carer, student, practitioner and lecturer. The exercise demonstrated the fact that we have multiple identities, even though we may have been asked to the session because of a particular identity. People were able to use examples from their own experiences about when labelling is positive (giving access to services, for example) and when labelling can lead to stigma.
4. Role Play: 4 role plays scenarios were discussed and the ideas shared with all participants. Some of the themes that were discussed as a result of the role plays were:
All those involved can feel vulnerable: two examples given were that students may not want to expose their true feelings and thoughts for fear of being judged; and lecturers may have anxieties about handing over responsibility for a session to service users and carers.
Participation takes much thoughtful planning, including issues of accessibility, confidentiality, information sharing, consent, etc.
The importance of acknowledging the difference perspectives we bring to participation was acknowledged.
5. Conclusion: The session was summarised by participants sharing what they had learnt from others in the room during the session. This highlighted the importance of discussing participation together not just in terms of ‘How to do it' but in terms of what it means to everyone involved.
6. Evaluation: Verbal feedback on the day was very positive. All participants were able to describe something they had learnt from the session. A more formal evaluation is being carried out via email.
Expenditure
For visits plus initial meetings with service users/carers
Mileage: £171.78
Hotels: £136.45
Evening Meals: £46.54
Train travel: £53
Room hire: £100.05
Refreshments: £37.45
Service user & Carer Consultation fees: £140
Total £685.27
NB - Pam's 2nd visit costs borne by Glyndŵr University