We've got CCWT; thank god for that - without it we haven't got much else (Anton).
Each of the participants in this study attended short course industry-specific training and/or workshops that are conducted by the Centre for Community Welfare Training (Registered Training Organisation under the umbrella of ACWA - the New South Wales non-government peak body for community organisations working with vulnerable children, young people and their families). Courses and workshops are offered via an annual Training Calendar and are conducted across a range of city and regional centres throughout New South Wales. Industry-specific training enables practitioners to self-select training that is current and relevant to their specific practice needs. Training and workshops range from single day seminars or workshops, to extended accredited training requiring ongoing or repeated attendance over a period of time.
In-house training, as well as that offered via CCWT through the ACWA calendar and YAPA (Youth Action – the state peak body for young people and youth services in New South Wales), identified and attended by the youth workers in this study included case-management training, dealing with vicarious trauma, challenging behaviours, group work, cultural learning, working with LGBTQ youth, team building, leadership, and management skills. The range of training available over time is extensive and updated regularly to reflect industry needs in that Anton remarked that "… a lot of the CCWT training - I don't even put it on my CV anymore because I
just can't keep track”. Some services and programs organised for the training to be made available in-house - Nick reporting that practitioners in his program were able to access three or four training programs each year that were provided for anyone who is interested across the whole service. Melinda reported for her program that “it’s really a matter of choice because it’s not a mandatory training. It’s in-house training and it’s optional …” and “they’re regular … so you can go to them as many times as you need to”.
Identifying training needs early, and often as needs arise, would be of benefit for youth workers, particularly as a number of practitioners noted that whilst the issue or client-cohort specific training was of great value – they recognised that earlier access to some training would have allowed them to develop skills and knowledge to better support them in their practice with young people, and the communities within which they work.
… another great one I did was indigenous cultural learning respect training. It was very upsetting that it took them three years to give me that training. I wish I’d had it when I started in the community, but just to learn the way in which—it’s very hard to explain this - the pecking order of each family … I never understood any of that - the way in which I presented myself to them, and how I could gain their respect. I never knew to call the elders “aunties” and “uncles” … I used to just call them by their first names and had no idea that I was actually being disrespectful … I was just very lucky that I did gain their respect before I did the training. But yeah, it was absolutely an amazing training. (Melinda).
Jess spoke of her work with a particular client where the issue presented was beyond her realm of personal or professional experience and knowledge. Subsequently, having identified that training pertinent to the issue would benefit her practice she attended the relevant training in the following months. Whilst she was able to use and reflect on her experience of working with this particular client, she acknowledged that until she attended the training she was uncertain about her ability or effectiveness around this particular issue.
I was talking about this case, not using names, and then we watched a video and it was young people being interviewed and then I saw him on the screen and I freaked out ‘cause I thought “Oh gosh – I hope no one makes the connection” ‘cause I told the story quite specifically in training but didn’t mention names - anyway and they were asking whether [if] anyone who’s a worker who’s not necessarily from the similar background - can they be helpful too? And I was like “Here is the moment of truth - I’m
either going to be humiliated in public, or what ... and he said ‘Well yeah actually. At my old youth centre, my youth worker … she was really helpful” (Jess).
Whilst an unusual feedback loop, Jess received affirmation that although uncertain, she had been able to provide appropriate and helpful support and assistance, and was able to reflect upon the experience in a supportive learning environment – sharing experiences with other practitioners, and further building on her skills and knowledge to support her practice.
So I think you go, you need to develop skills, and there’s some awesome training out there … obviously someone identified it as an important thing to know … (Jess).
Youth work practitioners attend training for a number of reasons – primarily for support and renewal in relation to their current practice, and to acquire new skills and knowledge relevant to their specific role and context. Still, after many years of experience Anton believed that “the training is really important, and I really love the short course trainings that I've done” and that regardless of the knowledge and skills that practitioners may already carry, revisiting that which may already be known can lead to a state whereby new training has “revitalized your understanding of things”.
I remember going to a strengths-based thing where - obviously everyone always tries to be strengths-based - but when you really get to enact and operationalise that stuff you realise how little your desires mean in that context. So I think some of that extra training did help,, in that sense to break down some of those concepts … [such as] “I've got to get kids to be this, or to do this … (Anton).
The pursuit of new skills and new knowledge was important for Nick in his search to “find a modality that fits the practice”. With the support of the youth service for which he works, Nick located and identified a method, and the associated training, that would provide a more relevant framework to inform and support his practice in this specific context, with this specific cohort
… a kind of short term intervention - psychodynamic oriented, that’s helping me conceptualise the way it works so when I work purely in a counselling role I look at it as short term, and doing as much as possible – what you can do today, ‘cause young people relate to psychotherapy / counselling in a very different way to adults (Nick).
Melinda and Jess shared their training experiences as they currently transitioned into staff management roles. Melinda, whilst seemingly a reluctant delegate, emerged through a testing period with greater confidence and a new set of skills after attending training for new managers
… I learned a lot from that … being able to manage a team. I’ve never done that before. It was always just me by myself, being managed, so it was very difficult for me to go into that position ... it was very hard to get feedback - to me it felt like criticism. So I just learned how to do that positively … and a little self- management (Melinda).
In contrast, Jess specifically sought out her current role “’cause I needed to be challenged in a new way” and this role meant that she would have staff to work with and manage.
My main thing now is that I’m working on developing my skills in management of staff as well … so a lot of my training since I got here is oriented to team building and leadership and coaching and management styles ... so that’s brand new to me (Jess)
providing her with the challenge that she was seeking, and using this to learn new skills and further develop her knowledge.