building leadership capability within disability support ... · building leadership capability is a...

Leadership development:

2010 grant funding outcomes

Building leadership capability

within disability support services

www.disabilityworkforce.co.nz 2

Executive summary

Background

Workforce training contributes to safe and high quality care for disabled people (Ministry of Health, 2009). Building a skilled workforce to support people with disabilities requires good leadership, organisational commitment and a workforce training infrastructure. Building leadership capability is a key action included in the Disability Support Services Workforce Action Plan (Ministry of Health, 2009). Increased leadership capability will also contribute to disability support work being perceived as a desirable career choice. Te Pou‟s Disability Workforce Development (DWD) service was contracted in January 2010 to implement the leadership development grant on behalf of the Ministry of Health.1 The grant aims to build leadership capability within disability support services (DSS) funded by the Ministry of Health. This report describes leadership development grant recipients and summarises the outcomes from funded learning activities in 2010. Learning activities include training, mentoring, support and other leadership development initiatives which occurred between January and December 2010. Information contained in this report is based on successful leadership development grant applications and final reports for funded learning activities.

Key findings

In 2010, 625 individuals from 17 organisations received leadership development grant funding. Key activities included leadership development (38 per cent), and mentoring and support (34 per cent). Nine per cent were also completing formal leadership or management qualifications, such as the certificates in applied or health leadership. Other activities included behavioural support, facilitation and team building. Individual recipients were most likely to be co-ordinators (22 per cent), support workers (20 per cent), team leaders (19 per cent), and service managers (15 per cent). Over half had six or more years of experience working in DSS. Sixty per cent had a tertiary level education. Fifteen per cent were identified by services as Māori, five per cent Pacific, and three per cent Asian. Learning activity participation has directly and positively impacted on the leadership abilities of grant recipients. This has contributed to better support and outcomes for DSS consumers by enhancing service delivery and quality, through workforce and organisational development. The multiple levels of outcomes associated with grant funding are summarised in Figure 1.

Workforce development (e.g., staff skills, motivation, understanding, improved team functioning and supportive work environments

Participated in learning

activity

Increased leadership

ability

Better service delivery and

quality

Better support and outcomes

for DSS consumers

Organisational development (e.g., learning and information sharing

cultures, clear expectations and understanding, shared language)

Figure 1. Impact of leadership development learning activity participation on consumers.

1 More information about Te Pou and the organisational strategic framework is available http://www.tepou.co.nz/page/957-about-

us+strategic-framework


Leadership development participants have gained staff management and development skills, and increased confidence. This has helped build a more effective, motivated and satisfied workforce. Learning activity participation has also enabled networking, collaboration and the sharing of ideas. Building the leadership capability within DSS has contributed to organisational development. Leadership development has supported learning and information-sharing cultures, clear communication of expectations and understanding through the use of shared language, knowledge and frameworks. Ultimately, leadership development has contributed to better outcomes for DSS consumers by improving service delivery, quality and responsiveness, through workforce and organisational development. A key factor that supported successful training completion was organisational support. Common barriers included resignation, course cancellation, sickness/illness, and other personal commitments.

Conclusion

A range of learning activities contributed to building leadership capability within DSS. Key activities included leadership training and formally recognised programmes, as well as mentoring and support. Those activities which supported networking, collaboration and the sharing of ideas were perceived as particularly beneficial. To support future leadership development within DSS, grant funding should continue to be promoted to front-line leaders and managers. The leadership development grant addresses a key workforce training barrier of funding. Organisational support was also identified as important to successful training completion. The support provided by services should be acknowledged and further encouraged. Means of assisting organisational workforce training should be explored. Work is currently being undertaken by DWD looking at workforce training infrastructure development support. Opportunities for improving the quality of information collected to assist future planning and decision making have been identified. As a result, grant funding report templates have been reviewed and simplified. Furthermore, an annual review on the impact of leadership development grant funding will be undertaken. Several factors should be taken into account when interpreting report findings. The findings are largely based on self-reported data received from organisations, and may not necessarily reflect the views of individual participants. Furthermore, the outcomes of different learning activities have not been compared and will likely vary. The impact of leadership development activities on individual participants will also differ. In addition, outcomes reported by services were guided by questions included in grant application forms and final report templates. Nevertheless, organisations could report and describe other key outcomes. Despite limitations, this report describes the 625 individuals from 17 organisations who received leadership development grant funding in 2010. Available evidence on the impact of learning activity participation is also summarised. Findings indicate grant funding has resulted in positive outcomes in a number of areas. Results show the value of leadership development not only to individual participants, but also to the disability workforce, organisations and consumers. This reiterates the importance of continued leadership development grant funding for DSS.


Table of Contents Executive summary ..................................................................................................... 2

Background .............................................................................................................. 6

Method ................................................................................................................... 7

Grant applications ................................................................................................... 7

Final reports .......................................................................................................... 7

Analyses ............................................................................................................... 8

Findings ................................................................................................................. 10

Anticipated outcomes .............................................................................................. 14

Impact on participants ............................................................................................. 15

Impact on the workforce .......................................................................................... 16

Impact on services .................................................................................................. 17

Benefit for consumers .............................................................................................. 18

Successful completion ............................................................................................. 18

Summary ................................................................................................................ 19

Learning activities and participants ............................................................................. 19

Impact of learning activities ...................................................................................... 19

Future data collection ............................................................................................. 20

Limitations ........................................................................................................... 20

Appendix A: Application and final report questions ............................................................. 22

Appendix B: Leadership development stories ..................................................................... 23

Supported Individualised Lifestyle Choices (SILC) Ltd ......................................................... 23

Benefits to SILC managers from 2010 leadership development grant ...................................... 23

Creative Abilities ................................................................................................... 25

Abano Rehabilitation ............................................................................................... 26

Appendix C: Revised 2011 leadership development report ..................................................... 27

Leadership development grant – final report ................................................................... 27

References .............................................................................................................. 30


List of figures Figure 1. Impact of leadership development learning activity participation on consumers. ................ 2

Figure 2. Gender of participants, N = 625. ........................................................................ 10

Figure 3. Ethnicity of participants, N = 625. ...................................................................... 10

Figure 4. Highest level of education, N = 625. .................................................................... 11

Figure 5. Age of participants, N = 625. ............................................................................. 11

Figure 6. Years in disability support services, N = 625. .......................................................... 12

Figure 7. Current role of participants in leadership development activities, N = 625. ..................... 12

Figure 8. Type of leaning activity, N = 625. ....................................................................... 13

Figure 9. Impact of leadership development learning activity participation on consumers. ............... 19

List of tables Table 1. Leadership Development Grants Administered in 2010 ................................................ 6

Table 2. Kilpatrick Model of Training Evaluation .................................................................. 7

Table 3. Current Role Categorisation Framework ................................................................. 8

Table 4. Learning Activity Categorisation Framework ............................................................ 9

Table 5. Participant Details and Outcome-Related Questions in Application Forms ......................... 22

Table 6. Outcome-Related Questions Included in Final Reports ................................................ 22


Background

Workforce training contributes to safe and high quality care for disabled people (Ministry of Health, 2009). A key objective in the Disability Support Services Workforce Action Plan (Ministry of Health, 2009) is building a competent workforce through training and development, and improving the accessibility and sustainability of training for disability support workers. Building a skilled workforce to support disabled people requires good leadership, organisational commitment and a workforce training infrastructure. Building leadership capability is a key action included in the workforce action plan (Ministry of Health, 2009). This will contribute to work in the disability sector being perceived as a desirable career choice.

Grant funding

Te Pou‟s Disability Workforce Development (DWD) service was contracted in January 2010 to administer the leadership development grant on behalf of the Ministry of Health. The grant aims to build leadership capability within disability support services (DSS) funded by the Ministry of Health. The grant is available for DSS staff employed in, or who have the potential to move into, leadership roles. Grant details are summarised in Table 1.

Table 1. Leadership Development Grants Administered in 2010

Grant Purpose Dates available in 2010

Leadership development grant≠

Leadership development grants for Ministry of Health approved leadership development programmes

February 2010 Grants were also available October/November 2010 for training in the 2011 academic year

Note. ≠ For criteria see http://www.disabilityworkforce.co.nz/page/37-grant-funding+leadership-development-grants#criteria. Grants administered in 2010 also include applications received in late 2009 which were taken over from the Ministry of Health.

Objective This report describes grant recipients and summarises the outcomes of leadership development activities funded in 2010. Learning activities include training, mentoring, support and other initiatives. The specific aims of the report were:

to describe funded learning activities and individual participants in 2010

to review the impact of funded learning activities in 2010 on individual participants, organisations, and consumers

to make recommendations about future data collection for evaluating leadership development grant outcomes.

http://www.disabilityworkforce.co.nz/page/37-grant-funding+leadership-development-grants#criteria

http://www.disabilityworkforce.co.nz/page/37-grant-funding+leadership-development-grants#criteria


Method

Key sources of information used in this report described further below, include:

successful leadership development grant applications

final reports for funded learning activities. Questions included in leadership development application forms and final reports were based on the Kirkpatrick model of training evaluation. The model focuses on four outcome levels as summarised in Table 2. Table 2. Kirkpatrick Model of Training Evaluation

Level Outcome Details

Level 1 Reaction Participants‟ reactions to the training programme, such as weaknesses, strengths and satisfaction. For example, are participants satisfied with what they have learned? Is the training relevant to their work? Will the training be useful to their role?

Level 2 Learning What participants learned from the training, for example, knowledge, skills or attitudes. This should reflect the objectives of the learning programme.

Level 3 Behaviour Whether the training programme has changed behaviour in practice. For example, whether the training has had a positive effect on job performance (using specific examples). The transfer of learning is affected by both „training‟ and „workplace‟ factors.

Level 4 Results Whether the training has contributed to improvements at an organisational level. For example, work quality, reduced staff turnover, greater job satisfaction, and service delivery.

Note. Source: http://www.southalabama.edu/coe/bset/johnson/660lectures/Kirk1.doc. See also (Arthur, Bennett, Edens, & Bell, 2003; Strother, 2002).

Grant applications

Organisations applying for leadership development grant funding provided information about individual participants and the anticipated outcomes of learning activities. Relevant questions are attached in Appendix A.

Final reports

Organisations who received leadership development grant funding in 2010 were required to submit a final report following learning activity completion. Outcome-related questions included in the final report are summarised in Appendix A.

http://www.southalabama.edu/coe/bset/johnson/660lectures/Kirk1.doc


Analyses

Scope Leadership development activities which occurred between January and December 2010 were investigated. Analyses were carried out on organisations that were successful in obtaining grant funding. Data screening Prior to data analysis, all 17 leadership development grant final reports were received. Data screening was also carried out. Some data was incomplete and limited the analyses which could be performed on participant characteristics, such as participant location. Analyses Qualitative analyses were performed to identify key themes emerging from open-ended questions. Quantitative analyses were carried out using Excel. The number of responses included in each analysis varies due to a small amount of missing data. Categorisation framework A categorisation framework was developed to code current role and learning activities (see Tables 3 and 4). The framework was based on key themes that emerged. Table 3. Current Role Categorisation Framework

Role Examples

Service manager Community services manager

Co-ordinator Service co-ordinator, residential support co-ordinator,

supported independent living co-ordinator, employment co-ordinator Administrator Administration roles, office managers, accountants, finance roles

Team leader Team leaders and managers

House manager House manager Human resources Human resources manager or consultant Trainer Nurse educators, teachers, trainers

Evaluation or quality Researchers, evaluators and quality managers

Clinical Nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists

Support worker Community support workers, senior support workers

Behavioural specialist Behavioural specialists

Other specialist Communication or vocational specialist

Other service delivery Advisors, consultants, needs assessors

Other General, national, regional or operations managers


Table 4. Learning Activity Categorisation Framework

Learning activity type Examples

Leadership development Leadership development and training programmes

Mentoring and support Coaching, supervision training, mentoring, on-the-job support

Management Change management, project development, team management

Conflict Conflict management, challenging behaviours, assertiveness

Team building Team building event

Facilitation Facilitation training, train the trainer

Community development Community development programme

Planning Personal planning

Cultural Cultural training, cultural competencies

Cert in Applied Leadership Certificate in Applied Leadership

Cert in Business New Zealand Certificate in Business

NZIM New Zealand Institute of Management courses

Cert in Health Leadership Certificate in Health Leadership

Dip in Human Resources Diploma in Human Resources

Post-grad Dip Post graduate diploma

Brain injury Level 2 Brain Injury

Behavioural support Applied behaviour analysis

Other


Findings

In total, 625 individuals from 17 organisations received leadership development grant funding in 2010. About half (47 per cent) were from three organisations, including CCS Disability Action, Supported Individualised Lifestyle Choices (SILC) and Community Care Trust. As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, individual recipients were most likely to be female (75 per cent) and New Zealand European/Other (71 per cent; 15 per cent Māori).

Figure 2. Gender of participants, N = 625.

Figure 3. Ethnicity of participants, N = 625.

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As illustrated in Figures 4-6, more than half the recipients had a tertiary level education prior to training (60 per cent), were aged between 41 and 60 (51 per cent), and had 6+ years of experience working in DSS (57 per cent).

Figure 4. Highest level of education, N = 625.

Figure 5. Age of participants, N = 625.

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Figure 6. Years in disability support services, N = 625.

The role of individual recipients is illustrated in Figure 7. Participants were most commonly co-ordinators (22 per cent), support workers (20 per cent), team leaders (19 per cent) and service managers (15 per cent). Other recipients primarily included managers in national, regional, general and operational roles.

Figure 7. Current role of participants in leadership development activities, N = 625.

Summarised in Figure 8 are the types of leadership development activities funded in 2010. In total, 38 per cent of participants were involved in leadership development activities and 34 per cent in mentoring and/or support programmes. In addition, nine per cent were completing formally recognised leadership or management qualifications.2

2 Formal qualifications include Certificates in Applied Leadership, Business, and Health Leadership, as well as post-graduate diplomas.

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Figure 8. Type of leaning activity, N = 625. Leadership development activities included:

Catapult leadership training

In-house leadership development training programmes

Managing teams for success

Motivating individuals and teams

Practical skills for first time leaders

Stepping up to lead practical course for middle management employees

Leadership training sessions including practical workplace exercises

Transition to leadership course. Mentoring and support programmes included:

Managers as coaches

Professional mentoring and workplace coaching skills

Coaching and mentoring skills

Coaching and mentoring and safeguards and vulnerabilities

Supervision skills for health professionals

How to make the most of your supervision. Management training included:

Advanced practical skills for team leaders and service managers

Change management and project development

Managing your team for success.

Several leadership development initiatives are described in more detail in Appendix B, including:

Supported Individualised Lifestyle Choices – Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) tailored leadership training that included areas on individual and team motivation and practical skills for first time leaders

Creative Abilities – two-day Catapult leadership programme

Abano Rehabilitation – three-day staff leadership and supervision training.

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Anticipated outcomes

The anticipated impact of leadership development activities was gathered in grant application forms. Key themes which emerged from service responses are listed below in relation to workforce development, service quality and consumer outcomes. Workforce development The anticipated impact of leadership development activities on workforce development, included:

addressing individual workforce development needs

generating strong, effective and skilled leaders

improving staff satisfaction, job motivation, and performance

positively influencing team functioning. Service quality Increased leadership capability was expected to contribute to service quality:

through improved workforce development, innovative thinking and practice

by fostering enhanced problem-solving skills among managers

by supporting innovative thinking and practice

through increased consistency in service delivery

by having shared frameworks and knowledge bases. Consumers Training was expected to result in better service delivery and outcomes for consumers:

by assisting staff in becoming more supportive and responsive to consumer needs

by improving communication at both service and consumer levels

by creating an environment in which consumers felt empowered.


Impact on participants

Organisations were asked to describe the impact of leadership development activities following their completion. Key themes which emerged across different types of leadership development activities are described below. Overall feedback indicates that various leadership activities were perceived as useful and relevant by individual participants, and supported the development of new knowledge and skills. Learning activity reactions Individual participants generally found the leadership development activities were insightful, useful, helpful, practical and relevant to their daily practice. For example, several participants of one leadership initiative for evaluators indicated the training was really positive and worthwhile, and that there were immediate benefits from implementing new skills.

Increased knowledge and skills Participants gained leadership skills, including staff management and development skills. There were some notable shifts in leaders‟ attitudes as they became more empathetic and understanding of their team members. For example, a number of participants indicated they were working towards creating an optimal balance between people and tasks. Confidence Services reported a notable increase in the confidence of participants‟ leadership abilities, their problem-solving skills, greater professionalism, and ability to provide focused supervision. This is illustrated in feedback from multiple leadership development programmes.

I am able to speak with ease and confidence to staff and I am also able to be assertive where I need to be. As my knowledge and leadership skill grows, I started to be more confident and not afraid of taking the heat for some difficult projects.

The training has resulted in participants becoming more skilled and effective leaders. As a result, leaders and managers are more assertive, innovative and professional as they increasingly interact and engage with the people they lead. Networking and sharing ideas with others The opportunity to network, collaborate, support and learn from other each other was appreciated by participants. Feedback included phrases like “great to work with other people from different sectors”, “working together” and collaborating to “become great leaders”.


Impact on the workforce

The application of knowledge, attitudes and skills learnt as a result of leadership development activities was investigated. Key themes which emerged based on service feedback indicated the training had been used to support workforce skill development, improve shared understandings, team functioning, staff motivation, and supportive work environments. Thus, a key outcome of leadership development activities was improved workforce development. Skills transference As leaders connected and responded to their workforce‟s needs, services reported an increase in skills being transferred to daily practice. For example, in team meetings leaders implemented their learning, and transferred the knowledge and skills they had gained. Increased understanding The implementation of some knowledge and skills has led to greater understandings within teams. For example, coaching has led to greater focus and structure as team members progressively share a common language and knowledge. It has led to increased understanding and shared points of reference within teams. Furthermore, feedback from one leadership programme indicates:

Managers have become more aware of the importance of coaching their staff and the benefits gained from coaching.

Group dynamics and team development Some training activities have been applied to improve team functioning. For example, the team development training equipped managers with the skills to understand and address issues related to group dynamics and team development. Managers have gained a greater appreciation of the diversity and differences among team members. Furthermore, the use of conflict resolution skills has resulted in more effective team functioning. For example, one organisation indicated the application of knowledge and skills learned from a leadership certificate had made a positive difference to their teams‟ functioning. Motivating staff Participation in learning activities has equipped some people with skills and an increased awareness of the need to motivate and set clear expectations for staff. Participants have invested time in understanding and motivating individual team members. This has positively impacted on team performance and service delivery.

Supportive work environments The knowledge and skills gained by participants have been used to create positive and supportive work environments in which team members feel valued and motivated to deliver high quality services. For example, feedback from several leadership initiatives indicated:

As a team we have learnt to communicate more openly with one another and to resolve issues before they escalate into unnecessary proportions. As a group we have found meeting, sharing ideas and problem-solving an enormous help, especially those of us newer to the organisation. We believe that between us, we have an extensive knowledge, experience and skills that collectively will benefit the organisation.


Impact on services

Services were asked how they had benefitted from leadership development activities. Three key areas emerged from services‟ feedback, including improved organisational cultures, workforce development, and shared understandings. Improved organisational cultures A key outcome for services was increased leadership capability by creating a bigger pool of trained, competent and confident leaders who felt valued. Services indicated this helped nurture a culture of learning and sharing of information. The improved skills, professionalism, self-management and problem-solving abilities of participants has led to better leadership and conflict management within services. Services have recognised important attitude shifts among participants. For example, challenges encountered in daily practice were now viewed as opportunities for applying new skills and knowledge. Improved workforce development The use of new learning and skills by participants has positively impacted on the workforce and helped create more effective, motivated and supported teams. Increased workforce competency, team and organisational functioning have contributed to improved service delivery and quality. For example, feedback from one leadership programme included:

As far as I am concerned, staff satisfaction has increased among my staff and I spend less time dealing with staff issues and have more time for service users. Lots of time has been saved from devising performance plans and doing performance management for staff.

Shared understandings The use of shared language, knowledge and frameworks has resulted in increased consistency, focus and structure, with services working towards more clearly defined goals. This has been a huge benefit and improved organisational functioning. This is illustrated by the following comments from several management and leadership training programme participants.

Having a common understanding helps both the person supported and the staff member in any challenging or critical situation. Incidents are managed competently and incidents are reduced. We also feel that the level of commitment and motivation within the workplace is enhanced. The tools have offered a collective approach to the management team when managing staff issues and have improved professionalism and overall effectiveness of managers within their roles.


Benefit for consumers

Overall, services indicated that leadership development training contributed to better outcomes for consumers through improved service delivery and quality. This was achieved in part through workforce and organisational development, increased consumer responsiveness and development. Workforce and organisational development As highlighted in the previous section, the training has reportedly benefitted consumers by contributing to the development of sustainable, capable and effective teams delivering quality services. The positive impact this has had is illustrated in the following from several organisations.

Our service users benefit from the knowledge that I pass onto the support staff who then use it in their work… happier staff make for happier service users. …the staff team are now a stronger team and we have all benefitted from the learnings. The service users are also happier and occupied in more appropriate activities which in turn means behaviour [issues] have decreased and therefore maintenance costs of the house have also decreased! I have learnt the importance of leadership, communication, planning and that recruiting the right staff along with effective coaching and encouragement of staff can create the best service possible for the service users.

Increased consumer responsiveness The training has equipped participants with the tools and knowledge to respond more effectively to consumers‟ needs. The heightened awareness of needs has led service leaders to create more responsive work plans. Thus a key benefit of improved organisational capability was the provision of more person-centred support. As one organisation commented:

We are all more aware of our roles and as a result the service users are experiencing a wider range of activities which are more specific to them and their individual interest.

Increased consumer empowerment and capability Some participants of leadership development programmes were themselves consumers. For example, the majority of people who took part in one emerging leaders training programme aimed at developing evaluation skills were consumers from a range of services. The presence of capable and informed consumer evaluators will positively contribute to service provision and quality.

Successful completion

Factors that assisted or hindered successful completion of leadership development activities were investigated. A key factor that encouraged completion was organisational support. Some participants were able to take paid study leave to attend the training and complete assignments. One training provider noted that because the programme was provided in-house this helped course completion as participants were able to study together and support one another.

In total, 36 people did not complete their course. The most common barriers to course completion were resignation (n = 17), course cancellation (n = 8), sickness/illness and other personal reasons (n = 8). In addition, some organisations indicated participants had busy schedules and the training was at times an added pressure. In some cases, participants were unable to attend training as staff members covering their shifts called in sick and no replacements were available. In other instances, resolving unexpected crises at work were prioritised over training attendance. One organisation reported that several participants were unable to attend because of the Canterbury earthquake.


Summary

In summary, this report describes grant funded leadership development activities and participants in 2010; has reviewed the impact of funded activities; and makes recommendations about future data collection.

Learning activities and participants

The development of 625 current or emerging leaders was supported by leadership development grant funding in 2010. In line with grant funding criteria, key types of training included leadership development (38 per cent), and mentoring or support (34 per cent). The characteristics of individual recipients were in line with expectations. The high proportion of female participants reflects DSS workforce characteristics (Jorgensen et al., 2009). The age profile was similar to other surveys of disability services (Jorgensen et al., 2009) and the level of education was slightly higher than the overall intellectual disability workforce (Higgins et al., 2009). Furthermore, the ethnic profile was akin to the characteristics of disabled people aged under 65, who are the target client group for Ministry of Health funded DSS (Statistics New Zealand, 2007).

Impact of learning activities

The leadership development activities were expected to address individual learning needs, and contribute to workforce development, improved service quality, and better outcomes for consumers. Overall, the predicted outcomes were met. Learning activity participation has directly impacted on the leadership abilities of grant recipients. This has contributed to better support and outcomes for DSS consumers by enhancing service delivery and quality. The multiple levels of outcomes associated with grant funding are summarised in Figure 9.

Workforce development (e.g., staff skills, motivation, understanding, improved team functioning and supportive work environments

Participated in learning

activity

Increased leadership

ability

Better service delivery and

quality

Better support and outcomes

for DSS consumers

Organisational development (e.g., learning and information sharing

cultures, clear expectations and understanding, shared language)

Figure 9. Impact of leadership development learning activity participation on consumers. Leadership development activities have supported participants in gaining staff management and development skills, and increased confidence. This has helped build a more effective, motivated and satisfied workforce. Learning activity participation has also enabled better networking, collaboration and the sharing of ideas. Leadership development has contributed to organisational development. This includes the development of learning and information sharing cultures, clearer communication of expectations and understanding through the use of shared language, knowledge and frameworks. Ultimately, this review demonstrates that leadership development has contributed to better outcomes for DSS consumers.


Future data collection

Several opportunities were identified for improving information available to assist future planning and decision making. The grant funding report template has been updated and simplified to support quality data collection and future analysis (see Appendix C). A standardised time-frame of three months following training completion will be used in 2011 for the submission of final reports. This will allow greater time for the outcomes of learning activities to be realised. Annual reviews reporting on the impact of the leadership development grant will also be carried out. The development of a centralised database that integrates application form details, contracts, final and other organisational reports would be beneficial. This would support better access to relevant data, review of funding grants, analysis and reporting. Te Pou is currently developing a centralised grant application process and database for this purpose.

Limitations

A number of factors should be taken into account when interpreting report findings. The findings are largely based on self-reported data received from organisations, and may not necessarily reflect the views of individual participants. In addition, the outcomes of different learning activities were not compared and likely vary. The impact on individual participants and groups (for example, Māori and Pacific) from taking part in learning activities may also differ. Data analysed in this report was provided by services and guided by grant application forms and final report templates. Some key outcomes pertinent to leaders, organisations and consumers may not have been captured. Nevertheless, the final report template provides organisations with an opportunity to describe these. A number of factors contributed to key outcomes in this report. While leadership development grant funding addresses a key workforce training barrier of funding (Ministry of Health & University of Auckland, 2004), organisational support was also identified as important.


Conclusion

Findings indicate that grant funding has noticeably enhanced the leadership capability within DSS. It has also contributed to better outcomes for DSS consumers by improving service delivery, quality and responsiveness. This was achieved in part through workforce and organisational development. To support future leadership development within DSS, grant funding should continue to be promoted to front line leaders and managers. A range of leadership development activities appear to be useful. This includes training and formally recognised leadership programmes, as well as mentoring and support. The incorporation of opportunities to network, collaborate and share ideas within training programmes also appears to be beneficial for participants. Organisational support was identified as important to successful course completion. The support provided by services should be acknowledged and further encouraged. Means of supporting organisations with workforce training should also be explored. DWD is currently carrying out work looking at workforce training infrastructure development support. In conclusion, the findings show funded learning activities have resulted in positive outcomes in a number of areas. Results show the value of leadership development opportunities not only to individual participants, but also to the disability workforce, organisations and consumers. This reiterates the importance of continued leadership development grant funding for DSS.


Appendix A

Appendix A: Application and final report questions

Table 5. Participant Details and Outcome-Related Questions in Application Forms

Domain Information collected

Organisation Organisation Organisation region

Participant Name Current work role or position Location Age Gender Ethnicity Highest relevant education Years in DSS

Learning activity Training course details Start date Finish date

Withdrawal Date Reason Service quality impact

How will the learning activity improve the quality of service delivery across the whole organisation?

Service user impact

What are the anticipated outcomes for consumers as a result of your learning activity?

Table 6. Outcome-Related Questions Included in Final Reports

Domain Report question

Applied training How have participants applied the knowledge, attitudes or skills learnt

as a result of the training, course or activity?

Benefit to

consumers

How has the training, course or activity benefited the consumers that

you support? Please provide examples.

Impact on

participants

Please provide general feedback received from participants as a result of the training, course or activity (e.g., relevance, usefulness,

satisfaction, knowledge gained, attitudes, skills and confidence)

Organisational

impact

Please provide examples of how your organisation overall has

benefitted from the training, course or activity

Successful completion

Did all grant recipients successfully complete their training, course or activity within expected timeframes?

If yes, please provide information on what assisted the trainee to complete the course or training

If no, what were the barriers to completion?


Appendix B: Leadership development stories

Supported Individualised Lifestyle Choices (SILC) Ltd

Benefits to SILC managers from 2010 leadership development grant

10 February 2011

SILC Ltd is a medium-sized provider of disability support services in the Western Bay of Plenty. Any person who is eligible for Ministry of Health Disability Support Services funding is able to access services provided by SILC. Currently 154 people access SILC support, which includes contracts with the Ministry of Health to provide residential support services and supported independent living services. SILC is absolutely committed to being of service to people as opposed to being the designer and provider of certain service types. This has meant they have needed to make a significant shift in the way they think about providing support and innovate within the contracting frameworks that currently exist. As a result of funding, 34 people in middle and senior management roles had the opportunity to attend leadership training in 2010. The training included EMA leadership training tailored to meet their needs, including components such as managing for success, motivating individuals and teams, coaching and mentoring, and two SILC internal leadership development programmes ('Practical skills for first time team leaders' and 'Advanced skills for team leaders and managers'). It was an interesting journey which led to a recognisable strengthening of the organisation. For those who completed the journey and attended a number of training events there is clear evidence there have been significant 'pay-offs' for them and the people they come into contact with. On the whole SILC has noticed the following things happening:

better and clearer communication

more effective and timely reporting

improved commitment to supervision

greater accountability

greater consistency of support provided within teams

increased recognition of training needs within teams.

These improvements have had a positive impact on the people who access support from SILC. Better communication within teams, greater consistency, training and more accountability have meant that people have experienced:

support that is more accountable, inclusive, valuing and empowering

support that ensures they are involved in the 'running' of their own homes

greater focus on participating as members of their own community. In conclusion, simply reflecting on comments made by team leaders and service managers who attended the leadership training is reflective of the benefits gained.

"I have worked for SILC for four years and didn’t realise how much there was to the job until I attended the new Team Leaders Training, I have learnt so much." "I have so much more confidence now." "My team is going to be able to do so much better now that I have these new tools to use." "Everyone should get the opportunity to do this training, you learn so much about yourself."

http://www.silc.co.nz/

http://www.ema.co.nz/


"I thought I was a 'lion' but really I’m more of a 'beaver', bum up and head down and I will do it rather than asking others, no more - it’s going to be about everyone in the team from now on."

Thanks and acknowledgement SILC would like to take this opportunity to thank the Ministry of Health and Te Pou for the funding that made this training available in 2010. While it can sometimes be a challenge to develop objective measures of the impact this training has on organisations like SILC it is easy to provide ongoing anecdotal evidence and stories that support the good work that happens when we empower leaders in this industry.


Creative Abilities

23 September 2010 Creative Abilities has received funding from a Disability Workforce Development leadership development grant. The grant allowed them to undergo leadership training and explore how they can unlock creativity and innovation in their organisation. Creative Abilities' consumers are primarily young adults with physical and/or intellectual impairments. The quality of life for these young men and women depends on the quality of support they receive. The Creative Abilities team forms a vital part of this support mechanism. The performance of the team, however, depends to a great extent on the level of training and support they receive. In mid-2010, 10 members of the Creative Abilities management team attended a two-day workshop run by Catapult Leadership. Specific leadership goals were developed for each manager, who will also have ongoing one hour a month coaching for six months. At the workshop they developed specific strategies and actions for improving team performance, and looked at what makes some conversations hard to have and why. They were provided a framework for how to have these conversations in a way that honours both parties and maximises the chance of a successful outcome and experience. The team went into depth on how they can unlock creativity and innovation in their organisation. The knowledge and ongoing development of the Creative Abilities team has a domino effect on the level of service the consumer ultimately receives. Disability Workforce Development funding has enabled the team's professional development and will ultimately improve the quality of support received by consumers.

http://www.creativeabilities.co.nz/

http://www.disabilityworkforce.co.nz/draft/37-grant-funding+leadership-development-grants

http://www.disabilityworkforce.co.nz/draft/37-grant-funding+leadership-development-grants

http://www.catapultleadership.co.nz/


Abano Rehabilitation

12 August 2010 Abano Rehabilitation has received funding from a Disability Workforce Development leadership development grant, and found it very helpful in building and developing a team across a wide geographical area. The organisation operates 11 residential services for people with brain injuries across six regions from Northland down to Palmerston North, and employs nearly 100 non-clinical rehabilitation coach assistants (RCAs). In 2009 a new position of RCA team leader was created, reporting to the area for the region, and seven people with a range of tertiary qualifications and some experience in staff supervision were appointed to these positions. The leadership development grant was used to fund three full days of formal training in staff leadership and supervision in Auckland, spread over a period of four months. The training was provided by VV Training, in consultation with Abano Rehabilitation‟s senior managers. The RCA team leaders come from a range of different backgrounds (from military and prison services to social work), with a range of different skills and different approaches to staff leadership, so the main emphasis of the training was on learning how to work together, learning from each others‟ experiences and strengths, and supporting each other in the development of the RCA team leader role. The training sessions were noisy affairs that involved a lot of role plays, and in between training days, participants had a lot of homework to do. The outcome has been the development of a team of confident RCA team leaders who continue to work together, learn from each other, and badger senior management to further facilitate the process of mutual support within the team. One of the participants reported:

“As a group we have found meeting, sharing ideas and problem solving an enormous help, especially those of us newer to the organisation. We believe that between us, we have extensive knowledge, experience and skills that collectively will benefit the organisation”.

August 2010 sees the establishment of a monthly phone conference meeting for each of the RCA team leaders to share their experiences with the rest of the team. The meetings will be chaired by a different RCA team leader each month, with a quality administrator and human resources officer joining the meeting for the last 20 minutes. Ideas and suggestions from the meetings will be sent to the senior staff group for consideration.

http://www.abanorehab.co.nz/

http://www.vvtraining.co.nz/

http://www.vvtraining.co.nz/


Appendix C: Revised 2011 leadership development report

Leadership development grant – final report

As part of your Leadership Development Grant funding agreement under section 4.1, you agreed to

provide two reports, a completion report and a final report.

This final report details the outcomes or impact of the funded learning activity in accordance with

section 2.1 of the funding agreement. This template will provide us with the minimum information

required. Any additional information or feedback demonstrating outcomes is welcomed.

Please complete all sections of this report and return via email to your Regional Facilitator within the

timeframe specified in your funding agreement.

Please contact your Regional Facilitator if you have any queries.

1. Organisation details

Organisation name:

Learning activity name:

Report date:

Agreement number:


2. Learning activity outcomes

What was the impact of the learning activity for (a) individual participants, (b) workforce development, (c) your organisation and (d) consumers. Please include specific examples of how the learning has been applied.

(a) Individual participants

For example, usefulness, relevance, confidence, knowledge, skills, problem solving, and networking opportunities.

(b) Workforce development

For example, team functioning, development, motivation and work environments.

(c) Your organisation

For example, organisational learning culture, functioning and communication. (d) Consumers

For example, consumer support, responsiveness and capability.

(e) Other outcomes

Additional information or feedback about the learning activity is welcomed. Please include this below or as an attachment.


3. Successful learning activity completion

What factors supported or hindered successful learning activity completion?

4. Sign off

To the best of my knowledge no untrue statement is contained in this report.

Name:

Title:

Date:


References

Arthur, W., Bennett, W., Edens, P. S., & Bell, S. T. (2003). Effectiveness of training in organizations: A meta-analysis of design and evaluation features. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(2), 234. Retrieved from http://www.mendeley.com/research/effectiveness-of-training-in-organizations-a-metaanalysis-of-design-and-evaluation-features/.

Higgins, N., Evans-Turner, T., Milner, P., Mirfin-Veitch, B., Gates, S., & Collins, A. (2009). Working in residential intellectual disability services, what is it like? Combined agency data. Dunedin: Donald Beasley Institute. Retrieved from http://www.donaldbeasley.org.nz.

Jorgensen, D., Parsons, M., Reid, M. G., Weidenbohm, K., Parsons, J., & Jacobs, S. (2009). The providers' profile of the disability support workforce in New Zealand. Health & Social Care in the Community, 17(4), 396-405. Abstract retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19220491.

Ministry of Health. (2009). Disability Support Services Workforce Action Plan. Wellington: Ministry of Health.

Ministry of Health & University of Auckland. (2004). Disability support services in New Zealand: Part 1, service provider survey. Auckland: University of Auckland. Retrieved from http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagesmh/3696.

Statistics New Zealand. (2007). 2006 Disability Survey. Wellington: Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved from http://www.stats.govt.nz

Strother, J. B. (2002). An assessment of the effectiveness of e-learning in corporate training programs. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 3(1), Article 3.1. 2. Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/viewArticle/83/160.

http://www.mendeley.com/research/effectiveness-of-training-in-organizations-a-metaanalysis-of-design-and-evaluation-features/

http://www.mendeley.com/research/effectiveness-of-training-in-organizations-a-metaanalysis-of-design-and-evaluation-features/

http://www.donaldbeasley.org.nz/research_prj4.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19220491

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagesmh/3696

http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/health/disabilities/DisabilitySurvey2006_HOTP06/Commentary.aspx

http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/viewArticle/83/160

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