Education and training column: Communities of practice.

Abstract

This column describes the key components of a community of practice, with examples from the experience of 1 such group. A community of practice is a potentially useful model for developing and disseminating knowledge about psychiatric rehabilitation and to supplement the short-term training sessions that typically constitute psychiatric rehabilitation workforce development. This description draws from published material on communities of practice and the authors' experience. Communities of practice are receiving increased attention for workforce development, and guidelines do exist for making these communities effective in achieving their aims. The development of such learning communities provides members with a chance for professional development, but also the opportunity to develop greater overall capacity of the mental health system by sharing knowledge and expertise across organizational lines.