Workforce Development Approach Research Articles

"Healthy Kids"-A capacity building approach for the early childhood education and care sector.

Queensland children have a higher level of developmental vulnerability compared to the Australian average. This paper reports on Healthy Kids-a capacity building strategy for the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector targeting communities experiencing socio-economic and child development vulnerabilities. These communities may face additional barriers when engaging and participating in health promotion models. This paper reports on the development, key components and principles of a capacity building model referred to as Healthy Kids, that strategically responds to these barriers and supports these communities. The development of the Healthy Kids model emerged through a quality improvement process that included an environmental scan, and review of existing capacity building, health promotion, and workforce development approaches. It also involved consultation and engagement with the ECEC sector. Evidence indicates Healthy Kids to be an innovative health promotion model focussed on building capacity through a workforce development strategy for the ECEC sector in a way that is accessible, low cost, and sustainable. SO WHAT?: This paper shares a model for building capacity through the establishment of localised cross-sector communities of practice across a large geographic region with a centralised coordinating hub. The hub and spoke model has facilitated community ownership to grow and be sustained over time. This model offers opportunities for partnerships, transferability, and contextualisation for those interested in contemporary health promotion, capacity building, and workforce development. The model offers an approach for those willing to step outside traditional boundaries to work across sectors and settings to achieve sustainable knowledge and skills, processes and resources that enables a collective commitment to improving health outcomes.

Public Health Learning Agenda for Systems Change Toolkit: National Pilot Evaluation Results.

There have been multiple calls in the United States for public health workforce development approaches that expand practitioner skill sets to respond to profound inequities and improve population health more effectively. However, most workforce models address individual competencies that instead focus on collective approaches to systems change. In response to this opportunity, the HRSA-funded Regional Public Health Training Centers (PHTCs) and the University of Illinois Chicago Policy, Practice, and Prevention Research Center (P3RC) released Creating a Learning Agenda for Systems Change: A Toolkit for Building an Adaptive Public Health Workforce (the Toolkit) in December 2020. We later supplemented the Toolkit with additional learning activities to launch the Learning Agenda Toolkit Pilot Test (Toolkit Pilot). From June to August 2021, 24 diverse teams piloted the Toolkit. Teams completed a multistep process simulating the development of a learning agenda aimed at addressing community health issues and impacting systems change. We conducted an evaluation process to assess the usability and impact of the Toolkit Pilot to inform its improvement and future implementation. An evaluation subcommittee analyzed worksheets completed by the Pilot Teams that are aligned to the Learning Agenda steps and conducted and analyzed 12 key informant interviews using concepts from the Toolkit Pilot Logic Model. Evaluation results suggest that most Pilot Teams found that the Toolkit Pilot offered a step-by-step process toward a clear vision that produced a concrete product on how to address community challenges through learning and systems change. Pilot Teams noted that the Toolkit Pilot provided exposure to and a unique focus on systems thinking; however, prior knowledge of systems thinking and systems change was important. Building readiness for systems change and having more time, resources, and technical assistance would be needed for future versions of the Learning Agenda Toolkit.

The Role of Social Work in Confronting the Farmer Suicide Crisis: Best Practice Recommendations and a Call to Action

ABSTRACT Although estimates of prevalence vary, suicide rates among farmers are high and pose an important challenge for mental health policy and practice. The lack of mental health resources in many rural communities is a significant barrier to improving farmer mental health outcomes. The current paper will review (1) current findings related to the psychosocial functioning of agriculturalists including rates of suicide and common mental health concerns within this population; (2) describe stressors and risk factors associated with mental health symptoms in rural and agricultural communities; and (3) discuss barriers associated with accessing mental health treatment. This article also includes recommendations for increasing the cultural competence of social work practitioners working with rural communities. Finally, existing research on using technology and workforce development approaches for increasing access to mental health in rural communities is presented and recommendations for future research are explored.

A quantitative evaluation of a regional Positive Behavioural Support workforce development approach.

Research suggests that providing staff with input in relation to Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) can have beneficial outcomes. Much of this research, however, fails to take account of systemic issues and does not include a control group. We used a non-randomised, controlled group design to evaluate accredited PBS programmes, delivered as part of a systemic, regional and workforce development approach. We compared outcomes of those attending the programmes (n=240) with a control group (n=54), pre- and post-intervention and at 3-months follow-up. The programme and its wider impact were rated positively. Significant intervention effects were found for staff practice and retention, but not for staff knowledge and attributions, or behaviours that challenge and quality of life of those being supported. The results are discussed in the context of the study limitations and restrictions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The use of an implementation science theoretical framework to inform the development of a region wide Positive Behavioural Support Workforce Development approach.

Concern about the poor care of some people with an intellectual disability has highlighted the need for systemic, large-scale interventions to develop a skilled workforce. We outline how an implementation science theoretical model informed the development of a region-wide Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) Workforce Development (WFD) approach. We provide an example of the application of the model in practice and demonstrate how this enabled us to understand the competencies and development needs of the workforce; engage effectively with stakeholders; and develop, deliver and evaluate a PBS WFD model. The application of the model helped us to identify, prioritise, and address the multiple and complex factors that were relevant to the implementation of the PBS WFD approach.

In-service nurse mentoring in 2020, the year of the nurse and the midwife: learning from Bihar, India

ABSTRACT In-service nurse mentoring is increasingly seen as a way to strengthen the quality of health care in rural areas, where healthworkers are scarce. Despite this, the evidence base for designing large-scale programs remains relatively thin. In this capacity-building article, we reflect on the limited evidence that exists and introduce features of the world’s largest program, run by CARE-India since 2015. Detail on the mechanics of large-scale programs is often missing from empirical research studies, but is a crucial aspect of organizational learning and development. Moreover, by focusing on the complex ways in which capacity-building is being institutionalized through an embedded model of in-service mentorship, this article bridges research and practice. We point to a number of areas that require further research as well as considerations for program managers designing comparable workforce strengthening programs. With careful planning and cross-national policy learning, we propose that in-service nurse mentoring may offer a cost-effective and appropriate workforce development approach in a variety of settings.

"Look, all our hard work is paying off": A qualitative evaluation of a system-wide, workforce development model to promote positive behavioural support.

Positive behavioural support (PBS) has been identified as a means of improving the quality of life and support of people with an intellectual disability. This qualitative study explored the views of service providers about a regional PBS programme, that was underpinned by a workforce development approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior staff (n=42), from organizations which provided services to people with an intellectual disability, about their views about, and perceived impact of, the PBS programme, Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Two themes were identified: "It's what PBS is about, isn't it?" emphasized the importance of the programme being systemic- and evidence-based; "Macro to micro" highlighted the different points in the systems of care at which the programme was seen to impact. We discuss the results in the context of the study limitations.

Improving Pediatrician's Behavioral Health Competencies Through the Project ECHO Teleconsultation Model.

Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a teleconsultation model for enhancing the treatment of underserved patients in primary care. Previous behavioral health (BH) adaptations of Project ECHO have primarily focused on adults or specific diagnoses and have relied on self-reported outcomes. The purpose of this pilot was to adapt Project ECHO to support pediatric primary care providers in addressing common BH needs and to conduct an initial evaluation of its effectiveness. Overall, participants reported high levels of satisfaction and a statistically significant improvement in their overall knowledge and skills (P = 0.001). Participation was also associated with a reduction in the use of psychotropic polypharmacy. This pilot adds to a growing body of literature suggesting that Project ECHO is a promising workforce development approach to build competencies for the management of BH issues in primary care.

Results and Recommendations From a National Public Health Workforce Development Systems Assessment Conducted in the United States

Multiple public health workforce development assessments report individual worker knowledge and skill-based training needs. These assessments do not capture practitioners’ in-depth perceptions of complex public health challenges and whether workforce development approaches address these issues. To address this gap, the Public Health Learning Network—a national coalition of 10 Regional Public Health Training Centers located at United States accredited schools of public health, their partners, and the National Network of Public Health Institutes—conducted a public health workforce development assessment using a two-phased mixed-method design to explore systems-level gaps and opportunities for improving workforce development effectiveness. Phase 1 included a content analysis of major public health workforce development reports and peer-reviewed literature. Phase 2 included primary qualitative data collection of key informant interviews and focus groups via conference call with 43 participants representing 41 public health organizations at the local, state, and national levels. Results included a wide range of challenges with an emphasis on major systems changes, the shift in public health’s role to more effectively build community collective capacity, limited staff capacity and capability, and the need for more flexible and integrated training funding. Public health workforce development approaches recommended to address these challenges included improving pedagogical approaches toward more integrated, multimodal training delivered over time; increasing workforce capacity to address complex challenges such as racism and housing; and facilitating public health workforce development system coordination and alignment. Public Health Learning Network’s workforce assessment also identified opportunities for conceptualizing the definition and delivery of training toward ongoing learning.

Strategic Workforce Development

Companies have now realized that human resource is the most crucial resource, whose capabilities have to be consciously developed to sustain organizational competitive advantage. The workforce development is a continuous process of developing knowledge and skills of employees. Recent research literature suggests thatthe human resource aspects should be included as an integral part of strategy formulation and execution. The workforce development process should be aligned with organizational strategic objectives in a way to ensure the best performance of employees. This insight has stressed the importance of developing strategic workforce development approach. The strategic workforce development ensures that employees have right knowledge and skills. Right knowledge and skills means the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve better organizational performance and sustainable competitive advantages. The inability to integrate human resource aspects into strategic value chain may create a failure trap (Gupta, Smith, and Shalley, 2006). This paper aims to explore conceptual development and process of strategic workforce development.

Developing proficient aesthetic practitioners using a workforce development approach

In a move towards protecting the public, Health Education England has developed and consulted on qualification requirements for practitioners providing non-surgical cosmetic procedures. While some feel the resulting standards have not gone far enough to regulate the industry through ensuring that only professionally registered practitioners, accountable for their practice, undertake invasive treatments, it is likely that the proposed qualification requirements will be published in the near future. This article explores the limitations of the proposed qualification requirements based on an educational approach and contends that a workforce development strategy is more appropriate, by explaining how this approach is being used to create the necessary infrastructure to develop and assure proficient aesthetic practitioners.

Creating an Evidence Base to Support the Development of a Holistic Approach to Working with Children and Young People in Derbyshire: A Local Authority Case Study on the Integration of Social Pedagogy in Children and Young People’s Services

Improving outcomes, particularly those relating to educational attainment for children in care, remains a ubiquitous challenge for local government. Some European countries use social pedagogy as a conceptual framework to improve the outcomes for children. As part of its aspiration to embed a holistic mind-set for staff and carers working with children, Derbyshire County Council has practiced social pedagogy within its children’s residential homes since 2010, resulting in positive changes for staff and young people. In 2013 the University of Derby was commissioned to scope the content of the Council’s workforce development approach, to explore the idea that social pedagogy is a promising approach, not just in children’s homes but also in wider services. The scoping project included surveys and interviews with a range of children’s services workers, including those from social work, child and family support, residential and fostering services. The research identified that, where social pedagogy underpins the activities offered to vulnerable children and those in residential care settings, the outcomes for these groups are improved. There is a growing appetite for a programme of workforce development in social pedagogy, however any such programme should be inclusive and offered at different levels. Furthermore, the principles and concepts should be embedded in the existing roles of a range of practitioners working with children and young people. Ongoing research with Derbyshire’s children’s services workforce will contribute to a growing body of evidence, which supports the development and application of social pedagogy to improve the experiences of children and young people in the county.

Assisted Living Technology in social care: workforce development implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to look at the implications of the increasing use of Assisted Living Technology in the social care sector and to assess the implications for the workforce in terms of job roles, skills, knowledge, training, and support. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed methods approach was used, through a quantitative electronic survey of staff working in social care (as well as some health care) organisations in England, and three qualitative case studies of local authorities. Findings – The research shows that the organisations involved in delivering Assisted Living Technology, the types of Assisted Living Technology being introduced, and the way in which it is being delivered, have implications for job roles and the skills and knowledge needed by staff. The associated training and workforce development similarly varies across the social care sector; it is ad hoc, disparate, and provided primarily by individual employers or by suppliers and manufacturers. Research limitations/implications – There is a need for a standardised Assisted Living Technology workforce development approach which can be used across the social care sector. Practical implications – The varied nature of Assisted Living Technology providers and delivery models presents a challenge to the development and implementation of a standardised programme of workforce development. Originality/value – This paper presents the results of new empirical research arising from a quantitative and qualitative study of the workforce development implications of Assisted Living Technology in the English social care sector.

PharmD or Needs Based Education: Which Comes First?

PharmD or Needs Based Education: Which Comes First?

Achieving professional practice change: From training to workforce development

The traditional approach to increasing the capacity of health and human service professionals to deliver alcohol, tobacco and other drug interventions has been to build relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes through the provision of education and training. However, as a stand alone strategy, education and training is likely to have limited impact. This paper examines not only the features and characteristics of successful training programs and approaches, but also the wider array of systems and structural factors that might act as impediments to the implementation of new knowledge, skills and clinical behaviours. There is a constellation of factors that extend beyond traditional notions of 'training' that fall under the rubric of 'workforce development'. A workforce development approach requires three levels of action-system-wide, capacity building and professional development to ensure effective responses.

A New Era of Federal Involvement in Regional Economic Development? The Case of the Wired Initiative

In November 2005 the US Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration announced a bold new initiative—Workforce Innovations in Regional Economic Development (known as WIRED). In its first iteration the WIRED initiative awarded thirteen three-year regional planning and development grants to assist regions in integrating their workforce and economic development systems to better serve emerging technologies and high employment growth sectors. In this paper I discuss the WIRED initiative as a model for federal involvement in regional economic development. Despite a sound basis in regional development theory, the implementation of WIRED fell short of its original goals that, in many cases, stymied regional attempts at innovation. The difficulties experienced by first-generation WIRED recipients led to a stark revision of the federal WIRED concept and a reversion to more traditional workforce development approaches. To be truly effective, future federal endeavors in regional economic development must overcome the persistent institutional divisions, legal impediments, and political pressures that work contrary to the desired goal of a flexible and competitive regional development strategy.

Strengthening Māori participation in the New Zealand health and disability workforce

Substantial progress has been made in Māori health and disability workforce development in the past 15 years. Key factors in successful programs to increase Māori health workforce recruitment and retention include Māori leadership, mentorship and peer support; and comprehensive support within study programs and in the transitions between school, university and work. The interventions to date provide a strong basis for ongoing action to address inequities in Māori health workforce participation, and are likely to be relevant to health workforce development approaches for other indigenous peoples.

Skills in Australia: Towards Workforce Development and Sustainable Skill Ecosystems

This article argues that there is a need to move beyond narrow ways of thinking about training to incorporate broader notions of ‘workforce development’ and ‘skill ecosystems’. A market-based approach to skills development is contrasted with a social consensus model, which takes a more integrated view of how skills are formed and sustained. However, following a review of Australia’s brief and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to develop something akin to a social consensus approach, we argue that there is much to be gained from a workforce development approach and an understanding of skill formation as occurring in the context of skill ecosystems. To be most effective this approach to skill formation requires the facilitation of networks and nurturing of partnerships among the different agents and agencies concerned with skill development. Recent initiatives in Australia that explicitly adopt a skill ecosystem and workforce development orientation demonstrate the potential of these approaches to overcome many of the problems associated with currently dominant market-based approaches and avoid the pitfalls of social consensus models.

Regulating Coexistence in the New Political-Economy: 
 Cross-Sector Collaboration in a Workforce Development Approach

Private non-profit organizations are increasingly assuming key roles as human service providers within the new political economy. This paper aims to contribute to our understandings of how the participation of nonprofit intermediaries can modify the outcomes of the market and how such participation dynamically relates to policy and regulation. Developing an integrated approach to the question of sectoral difference and cross-sector collaboration, the paper focuses on the challenge of reform and sustainability in a particular social field - Workforce Development - situated at the intersection of law, market, and society. In an era of privatization, welfare-to-work reforms, and a devolution revolution, government agencies must often decide whether to support and cooperate with for-profit or nonprofit intermediaries, and how to structure the relations between them. Often, through newly adopted voucher systems, the choice is left to individual consumers to decide between service providers that vary in organizational form. Focusing on the emerging roles of non-profits as they respond to the changing realities of work and service provision, the paper questions conventional assumptions about divisions between sectors. In particular, the paper analyzes a series of quantitative and qualitative studies on differences in performance among publicly funded vocational training providers. By comparing the complex circumstances in which nonprofit initiatives in a mixed industry produce interventionist and redistributional effects with those in which organizational form seems insignificant, the goal is to provide a better normative understanding of the comparative advantage of different organizational forms in changing social contexts.