| First of all, I want to be clear about the target audience | | | | most of what staff need to learn and do a good job |
| for this article. When I use the term "non-profit" it | | | | professionally can be learned on line too. |
| covers lots of different kinds of organizations from | | | | 2. Set up six computers with internet access. Some |
| Princeton University and the American Heart | | | | agencies who operate group homes are reluctant to |
| Association to small, "mom and pop" non-profits with | | | | put computers into their group homes out of the fear |
| very small budgets. The target audience here is the | | | | that their use will be abused, either by clients or staff. |
| non-profit organization with a budget of a half million to | | | | So, forgetting about the reality of that concern for the |
| $10 million: family service agencies, child care centers, | | | | moment, if you can find space in the agency office for |
| programs for troubled kids and adults with | | | | a small computer lab, you will be good to go. With |
| developmental disabilities, nursing homes, mental health | | | | desktop computers selling for $500 or less today, you |
| centers etc. They rarely will have IT capacity within the | | | | can set up a six station lab for less than $3000; |
| organization and staff may or may not have access | | | | amortize that over a five year life span for those |
| to computers. Some of these technology deficits are | | | | computers and you have an annual cost of $600 or |
| due to money, others are due to attitude, a factor we | | | | less. |
| will discuss later in this article. They have 15 or more | | | | 3. Look for training webinars that are either free or |
| staff. 75% of their budget is consumed by personnel | | | | very low cost. Some training companies will bundle a |
| costs...salaries and benefits. They have very few | | | | series of courses, give you unlimited access to the |
| discretionary funds available for anything, especially | | | | training for one low, up-front payment of less than |
| training and staff development. In-house training which | | | | $500. You can probably even get some customization |
| they do make available to staff is based on | | | | work for your agency's unique needs without breaking |
| requirements of funding or licensing and it is provided | | | | the bank; this might include a test-out feature which |
| by staff who normally wear other "hats". There is no | | | | would add documentation regarding the training |
| dedicated training person, and so consequently, nobody | | | | experience of each participating staff member. |
| has the time to think about other training needs they | | | | 4. If your organization operates on a 24 hour basis, |
| may have, let alone the time to develop and prepare | | | | you can even provide training at non-traditional times, |
| training on other topics. So, that's the organizational | | | | and if you have ever had the challenge of training |
| profile to whom we are addressing these comments. | | | | overnight staff, you know how much of an advantage |
| How can these organizations provide their staff with a | | | | that could be. |
| comprehensive, ongoing training program? It must be a | | | | 5. Web-based training can be for everyone! The more |
| solution that will be: affordable; the envy of their more | | | | you involve, the less expensive it is per person. It's the |
| well-endowed competitors; a solution for staff wanting | | | | democratization of training from the janitor to the CEO. |
| to learn and grow; the impetus for moving the program | | | | Agencies have traditionally made attempts to provide |
| toward ever higher quality levels and it must reduce | | | | middle and upper level staff with training. This has |
| staff turnover by giving staff a reason to stay for a | | | | resulted in a whole lower level that is neglected and |
| few more years. | | | | where there exists little alignment with the mission and |
| Sounds like a tall order, but it can be done by even the | | | | vision of the organization, It is also where there is |
| most cash-strapped organizations. This is how you can | | | | usually the highest turnover. Programs are weaker |
| do it for less that $1000 per year. | | | | because of this. |
| 1. Prepare yourself for the reality that training programs | | | | This is 2009. Times are hard. If there was ever a time |
| in your future will be mostly provided via the internet. | | | | when human service organizations should re-think how |
| The internet is accessible 24 hours a day, no one has | | | | they can afford to provide a comprehensive training |
| to drive a great distance which saves both time and | | | | program for all staff, it is now! Spend some time |
| travel costs, and tuition costs can be small. The attitude | | | | surfing the web and you'll quickly see the range of |
| adjustment here has to do with accepting the idea that | | | | possibilities. You could launch your new staff training |
| the old, face-to-face training model may be a thing of | | | | program within the next 30 days. Dream no longer, you |
| the past. If you can earn an accredited Ph.D on-line, | | | | can do it now. |