Staff Orientation and Development -- What's Your Plan?

It is estimated that the Out of School Time (OST) industry suffers staff turnover rates of 80% or more, with 40% considered “acceptable.” This is devastating to the children we serve, who need consistent, caring individuals to connect with each day.  Research has shown that having at least one positive and caring relationship with an adult can buffer children against risk factors in their lives, and in fact, can predict positive outcomes in later life.

Staff retention rates are incredibly low for a number of reasons: low wages, part time employment status, high stress work atmospheres, and an overall lack of respect and recognition all contribute to why youth workers are leaving the field in droves.

So, how can we keep staff in our programs? While significant pay increases and professionalization of our field are key factors, another solution is sometimes overlooked:

Staff Development and Support

We’ve all seen it happen, and most likely, it has happened to you. You are hired to work with youth in an after school program, and on your first day, you are thrown into the program with no orientation or training, AKA “sink or swim.” Your director has a meeting to attend and disappears, you do the best you can in dealing with challenging behaviors, the program routine, parents, and other staff. By the end of your first week, you are looking for another job.

While some programs have a formalized orientation and pre-service training system in place, most have no established routine for new employees and do their best with on the job training.

Research by the Mott Foundation shows that the key to program quality is the level of staff training and development (2001), So, by improving your staff training and support systems, you will not only improve staff retention, but also the quality, consistency, and outcomes of your program.

Orienting New Staff

Staff orientation begins the moment a potential staff member enters your program. The interview and selection process is a time not only for the potential employee to share their strengths and experiences, but also for the hiring manager to share the culture and atmosphere of the program. The more information you can share with a potential employee about your program, staff team, children, and families the better chance that the potential employee will be able to assess how they will fit within your program.

Once you have successfully hired a new team member, consider two levels of orientation: The first level is the obvious one and takes place the fist day of employment. It should cover what a new employee needs to know right away to be successful. In addition to a program tour, introductions, and other necessities, this pre-service training should include basic expectations around youth/staff interactions and behavior guidance. Pairing a new employee with a seasoned veteran is a good way to ease them in to their new position and responsibilities.

Level two of a new employee’s orientation goes a bit deeper, and should happen within the first month of employment, with sooner being optimal. This level also involves more time from the hiring manager and may include other leaders as well, so scheduling this time is sometimes challenging, but well worth it. Level two orientation includes, but is not limited to: Your program/agency’s mission and goals, a detailed review of the job description and expectations, a review of the employee handbook, organizational charts, and your program’s operational protocol. Keep in mind that the items listed here are just a start – as you develop your own site’s list, get suggestions and feedback from your staff team for additional items to cover.

Typically, it takes a new employee a full year to really learn a new position, especially since programs may go through several seasonal changes. Your job as a leader is to support and guide them through that first year and beyond. One way to do this is to meet with your new employee once per month to check in to see how they are doing, and if they need additional support or information to do their job more effectively.

Support for Existing Staff

Alas, let’s not forget about the rest of your staff team. If you want them to stick around for the long term, they need ongoing support, feedback, and training as well. One model of support that was already mentioned, and works well for seasoned staff, is to have monthly one on one meetings with each team member. These meetings, which are in addition to your regular team meetings, should give the employee time to talk about the program strengths, as well as challenges they are facing. This is a good time for goal setting for both parties, as well as plans for upcoming training. Investing some uninterrupted time to discuss things that have come up for both parties will pay off in the form of a happier, better performing, and more invested employee.

Professional Development

Last but certainly not least, a consistent and comprehensive professional development solution is critical to each team member’s and organizational success. Professional development activities can impact program quality on at least two levels. First, and more important, staff development can affect youth outcomes. Secondly, professional development is important because of its potential impact on the sustainability of the school age care workforce. Given the importance of staff development for both higher quality programs and better youth outcomes, it is critical that a proven system is disseminated.

Training should not stop with orientation logistics, procedures, and program activities. Youth professionals are in great need of acquiring specific skills of working successfully with youth. Critical areas include: skills to become a positive role model and mentor, how to respond to challenging situations with a level head and even temper, and how to practice proactive techniques to prevent problem behaviors from occurring in the first place, as well as how to respond in developmentally appropriate ways.

Youth providers who have professional development opportunities report feeling more confident and satisfied with their jobs, and that development improves opportunities for networking, information sharing, and social support. Development can take many forms: It can happen on the job facilitated by a mentor, in a college classroom, in an agency or community training, by reading books and/or trade publications, or even on-line (check out Integriteach.com, which offers an innovative on-line solution for staff development and support). The benefits of this investment will be enjoyed not only by the youth in your program, but also by your managers, who will spend more time improving program outcomes than scrambling to fill vacant positions.

Staff development and support is not about a sink or swim scenario, it’s about investing in the most important resource you have, your team.

Submitted by: Kirsti V. Smith, Instructor, IntegriTeach, www.integriteach.com