Flo

This case study covers: Issues for trainees – Lacking capability

As a service user, Flo had responded positively to services and over time had been involved in activities and voluntary work with Thames Reach. She was keen to develop her skills in support work and to this end applied for and was accepted onto the GROW programme.

She completed her induction training and joined a team with which she subsequently spent 6 months. During her first weeks with the team she shadowed team members, worked alongside an experienced project worker and met regularly with her supervisor.

An issue of capability

Although Flo had worked some years ago in leisure activities, this was her first experience of working in an office environment and it soon became clear that she needed to develop the disciplines required for this type of work. Therefore, further training with the team and one-to-one sessions with her supervisor followed to enable her to learn these.
When Flo was assigned tasks, she experienced difficulty in planning and prioritising her time. Both her supervisor and the experienced project worker who she worked alongside of encouraged her to talk about any difficulties she was having and to engage in planning tasks with them. Despite this, she was unable, when not directly supervised, to complete a task.
It was clear to those working with her that Flo was experiencing difficulties with the transition from service user to support worker. On meeting clients they quickly identified Flo as a former service user. In other circumstances this may have been positive and an opportunity to motivate others. However, Flo tended to come across as seeking approval and somewhat needy.

All these issues were identified and addressed with Flo both in supervision and in less formal meetings.

Lessons learnt

Solutions and good practice tips:

Ensure that the competency framework is implemented so that trainees understand in which areas they are progressing and in which they need to improve.
Work with the trainee to ensure opportunities are identified for mentoring, formal training, one-to-one training, scenarios and shadowing by which they might develop both the personal and practical skills required of a support worker.
Hold regular structured supervision sessions. Ideally these should be monthly. However, at the start of a traineeship or if the supervisor identifies issues that may benefit from additional formal meetings, fortnightly sessions should be considered.
Monthly briefings about the trainee’s progress should be sent by the placement supervisors to life coaches.
Ensure the life coach is involved in the 6-month review, in which the trainee’s career path is discussed and decisions are made on how the organisation can best support the trainee to progress into the job they are most suited to.
Encourage other team members to work with the trainee to foster a diversity of learning experiences. Ensure feedback on this is given to the supervisor. In this way progress or concerns can be addressed with the trainee using the competency framework.

For some individuals, returning to employment, particularly in support work, which needs a number of diverse skills and personal abilities, may not be achievable. However, by using all the tools available - competencies, supervision, life coaches, training etc - it should be possible to identify the most positive way forward so that trainees are not disadvantaged.