Pro Bono Design & Management Accelerator

November 14, 2018 1

Session 2

Recruitment, Retention, & Training

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Coach introductions

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Renée J. Schomp Senior Staff Attorney, Pro Bono Consulting

Semhal Gessesse Program Coordinator, Pro Bono Consulting

Logistics - Nuts and bolts

• Thank you to DREDF & Ed Roberts Campus! • Restrooms • Water • Lunch • Snacks

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Mindfulness moment

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Icebreaker: “Yes, and…”

• Theme: Dream Vacation • Start your sentence with “Yes, and…”

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Pro bono accelerator objectives 1. Shared pro bono language 2. Inspiration from peers 3. Role of pro bono in larger civil justice

movement 4. Lens of equity & inclusion 5. Support on concrete action steps towards

organizational change & pro bono design

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Pro bono accelerator roadmap 1. October 10: Volunteerism Overview 2. November 14: Recruitment, Cultivation, & Training 3. December 12: Impact Evaluation & Data Tracking 4. January 9: Placement, Supervision, & Technical

Assistance 5. February 13: Capstone Project Presentations &

Organizational Change Planning

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Ground rules

• Beach ball conversations • One diva, one mic • Make space, take space • Be here now • Confidentiality

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Today’s agenda ... 1. Gain insights into pro bono volunteer

recruitment & retention mechanisms 2. Learn about adult learning best practices for

training pro bono volunteers 3. Discuss power, privilege & cultural humility

training for pro bono volunteers 4. Discuss inspiring pro bono model case studies 5. Meet & work with your law firm thought

partner 6. Continue working on your Capstone Project 11

Pedagogical note:

• Three overarching themes: Recruitment, retention & training.

• At end of each theme, we’ll have individual time to reflect on key take-aways each of you want to consider applying to your own programs.

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Feedback from session #1

• Liked the variation in use of media & pedagogy

• Parts of the session felt rushed

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Grounding pro bono programs in a larger civil justice movement • Anand Giridharadas • Lebron James • Justice Gap

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Reflections on the savior complex 15

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Reflections on the savior complex

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1. Pair Up 2. Discuss reading prompts from Session 2 prep

guide →

Reflections on the savior complex

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1. What are the potential ramifications of a “savior complex” in the context of pro bono volunteer programs?

Reflections on the savior complex

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1. What is one existing or potential way your volunteer recruitment, retention and/or training model could revise or problematize this common narrative?

Volunteer Recruitment 20

Importance of volunteer recruitment • Scale your program • Serve more clients

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PowToon: Where, how, and who to recruit

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Key concepts: Volunteer recruitment • Ground your ask in a short explanation of the

client need & make it clear how the volunteer engagement will help meet that need

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• Grounding in explicit recognition of power, privilege and cultural humility at work in pro bono models

Key concepts: Volunteer recruitment

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• Set clear expectations re: time commitment & other key logistics such as how will you deal with attorneys’ fees, engagement agreement, costs such as photocopying, etc.

Key concepts: Volunteer recruitment

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• Make it clear who can volunteer (e.g., level of expertise needed)

Key concepts: Volunteer recruitment

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• Make it clear what support they’ll receive from you (incl. training & supervision)

Key concepts: Volunteer recruitment

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Key concepts: Volunteer recruitment • Share what skills they will develop (i.e., what’s

in it for them)

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Sample volunteer recruitment language

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Help tackle legal issues tied to poverty in Marin by removing barriers to economic empowerment! Why do pro bono in Marin? Marin County is the 17th wealthiest county in the nation, with an average individual income of $90,500. This high concentration of wealth and the associated high cost of living makes Marin County an increasingly difficult place to reside for those who live near or below the poverty line. The Marin Pro Bono Network seeks to provide equal access to justice for those low-income residents in need of legal services.

Reduce barriers to employment and housing with the Marin Pro Bono Network at Community Court clinic Date: October 10, 2017 Time: 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm, including an introduction and refresher training, Location: St. Vincent de Paul dining hall in San Rafael Training & Supervision: No advanced training is needed! The Community Court model trains pro bono attorneys on the ground. You will spend the first portion of the clinic shadowing other attorneys to prepare you to see clients. There will be an attorney from Legal Aid of Marin present to answer any and all questions that may arise. What to expect: The hearings are held at St. Vincent de Paul of Marin County. The goal of the community court is to enable residents to resolve their current or outstanding minor infractions so that they may have a fresh start, and to increase accessibility to the legal system. Common infractions include jaywalking, sleeping in public parks, etc. Judge Beverly Wood volunteers her time to oversee the court and greatly appreciates the participation of volunteer attorneys. The court is collaborative in nature and all parties share the common goal of resolving the infractions. On the day of the clinic, you will begin by shadowing repeat pro bono attorneys as they meet with clients an advocate on their behalf in the informal hearing process. You will then have the opportunity to meet with a client and represent him/her in the hearing. Representation is only for the hearing itself. You will not be asked to take on any longer-term representation. Ready to help low-income clients in need? Reply to this email to confirm your availability for this volunteer opportunity, or to indicate if you would like to stop receiving emails from the Marin Pro Bono Network.

Tech tools & tricks!

31 Canva, Wejoinin, & Signup

• Graphic design tool

Canva

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• Simple signup sheets

Wejoinin

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• More complex signup sheets

Signup

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• Write down 2 take-aways from this section

Individual activity

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Volunteer Retention 37

Importance of volunteer retention • Efficiency: Scale your program • Quality: Better client services

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Key concepts: Volunteer retention • Act like a paying client: Hold volunteers

accountable

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Key concepts: Volunteer retention • Maintain regular contact: Communication is

key

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Key concepts: Volunteer retention • Competition & community-building:

Motivating factors for the lawyer brain

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Key concepts: Volunteer retention • Pro bono awards: Hold celebratory events to

highlight pro bono volunteers of the year.

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Key concepts: Volunteer retention • Volunteer spotlight: Highlight stellar

volunteers through your website, e-newsletters, social media posts, certificates of achievement, “gold stars” for their office name plate, and more

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Key concepts: Volunteer retention • Success stories: Maintain communication with

your volunteer pool about client success stories to remind them why they’re investing their time and energy

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Key concepts: Volunteer retention • Photos: Take photos of the pro bono

volunteers and share them with them

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Key concepts: Volunteer retention • Share volunteer reflections: Highlight key

moments from volunteer’s own reflections to amplify the positive impact pro bonos create.

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Key concepts: Volunteer retention • Celebrate the little victories: For long-term

cases, make sure you celebrate during the case timeline, not just at the end of the case

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Key concepts: Volunteer retention • Solicit & give feedback: Incorporate evaluation

forms with every new and existing partnership

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Key concepts: Volunteer retention • Say thank you

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Tech tools & tricks!

50 Zapier, Integromat, & Video Conference

Automate tasks

• Automate your check-ins and reminders

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Video conference

• Use video conference for a personal connection during check-ins

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Finding pro bono inspiration from peers Pro bono case studies

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• Write down 2 take-aways from this section

Individual activity

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Human-Centered Design 59

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1. Pair up 2. Discuss reading prompts

Human-Centered Design

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1. Is your existing pro bono model user-centered as to the pro bono volunteers, the clients and your internal organizational team? What is one example of how it IS and one example of how it is NOT for each of these user groups?

Human-Centered Design

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1. What is one of the seven key areas for improvement in the courts and self-help centers that Hagan’s article raises which could be helpful in an analogous way in your own pro bono model as to volunteer recruitment, retention and/or training?

Human-Centered Design

Volunteer Training 63

Importance of volunteer training • More training = Fewer questions • Leverage existing resources • Use best practices in creating content

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Key concepts

• Create effective trainings for the adult brain • Expand staff capacity to train • Explore the landscape of pro bono training • Cultural humility training

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Power, privilege, & cultural humility • Client-centered service • Emphasize cultural humility in all trainings • Frame these trainings as the beginning of a

lifelong conversation, not a checkbox to be marked

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Adult learning best practices

• EQUIP • Establish learning objectives • Quit lecturing every 20 minutes • Use interactive methods • Include reference material besides slides • Prepare checklists

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Establish learning objectives

• Tangible goals for your program • ACE

• Action - What do you want the trainee to do? • “After the training, the trainee will be

able to…” • Context - When do you want the trainee to

do the action? • Evaluation - How will you measure the

Action? 68

Examples • Trainee will be able to identify the 3 steps in

determining if a worker is an independent contractor under the Dynamex test during a client appointment

• Trainee will be able to explain the 5 steps of the clinic process to a client during the initial intake

• Trainee will be able to locate the 8 resources available to volunteers when they have a question about the appeals process 69

Quit lecturing every 20 minutes • Adult attention span lasts about 20 minutes. • Goal isn’t to cover all the material, but to

empower the learner to act: No point in covering material if it isn’t learned.

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Use interactive methods • TRAIN

• Try-it-out - Practice • Role-play - Helps with practice and

developing empathy • Active demo - Show what the process

looks like in real life • Impromptu symposium - Group

discussion to talk through ideas • Note-taking - Individual work to give

space for trainees to reflect 71

Include reference materials

• Slides - Quick visual cues during the training • Reference materials - Information for trainees

to use during or after the training • It’s more important that you teach them how

to find the information than try to give them all the information at once

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Prepare checklists for the training • Have you planned for all logistical needs

covered? • Is your training content realistic, given the time

constraints?

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Provide resources and materials

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• Include case examples and provide written materials on the day of training as well as for full-scope cases

• Create an in-depth case guide/manual (or use an existing one instead of re-inventing the wheel)

Training delivery & format

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• Trainings in many formats: In-person, online, webinar, etc.

• Should be no more than 90 minutes - 2 hours • Interactive components are key

Incentivizing training

• Offer MCLE credit (particularly specialty credit, e.g., legal ethics or elimination of bias)

• Provide “train the trainer” opportunities so experienced volunteers can help train newbies

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Evaluating trainings

• Get volunteer feedback after each training for constant iteration

• Trainings and supplementary materials should also be audited and updated regularly to reflect substantive changes

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Existing training providers

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Existing training providers

• Support Centers:

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Existing training providers

• Legal Aid Association of California • Online training archive

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Helpful examples

• House all training in one website

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Helpful examples

• Online manuals

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Cultural humility training

• PBTI training in progress • Justice Bus training questions

• What is the first thing you will say to your client when they are escorted to you?

• Can you give me an example of how you would use listening, and your body language, to demonstrate that you are coming from a place of empathy?

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• Write down 2 take-aways from this section

Individual activity

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Capstone work with pro bono law firm thought partners 85

Welcome, law firm thought partners!

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Icebreaker: Side B of your business card • Another title you go by or another thing you

do in the world. • The A side is the typical get-to-know-you: your

name, organization, title • Share your business card b side, another title

you go by or another thing you do in the world.

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Personal design behaviors:

1. Keep humans @ center of progress 2. Suspend judgment 3. Sit comfortably with ambiguity 4. Rapidly experiment (bias toward action, take

risks) 5. Visualize complexity, then target your

intervention 6. Make ideas visible 7. Have fun!

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Capstone activity #1

• Pair up: LSO & Law firm matches. LSO shares Capstone Question with law firm thought partner

• LSO shares context, aims, needs & other formative background to their Capstone Question

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Systems thinking

• Systems thinking is an analytical discipline used by groups to develop strategy when their work/issue area is part of a broader context of varied, often interconnected forces

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Capstone activity #2 • Based on the nature of your question, choose (1)

of the following systems to investigate: • Enablers & inhibitors of volunteer

recruitment • Enablers & inhibitors of volunteer retention • Enablers & inhibitors of volunteer training • Enablers & inhibitors of volunteer supervision

& mentorship • Enablers & inhibitors of volunteer impact

evaluation 91

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Enablers brainstorm • Come up with different enabling policies,

behaviors and beliefs • Example: If your system is “volunteer

recruitment” → • Policy: Law firm policy that pro bono hours

count as billable hours • Behavior: When associates have down time,

they often reach out to Pro Bono Director to get a pro bono case

• Belief: Law firm associates can hone their litigation skills by taking pro bono cases

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Inhibitors brainstorm • Come up with different inhibiting policies,

behaviors and beliefs • Example: If your system is “volunteer

recruitment” → • Policy: Law firm policy caps the number of pro

bono hours that can be counted as billable hours • Behavior: Associates ask legal services staff

questions that are in the manual • Belief: Law firm associates think that pro bono

will take too much time away from billable work 95

How might we...

• Strengthen this enabler? • Example: How might we strengthen the

enabler (a behavior) that law firm associates reach out to their firm Pro Bono Director for pro bono cases when they have “down time” on their existing case load?

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How might we...

• Overcome this inhibitor? • Example: How might we overcome the

inhibitor (a policy) that some law firms cap the number of pro bono hours that can be counted as billable hours?

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Brainstorm guidelines • 1 idea per post it • Get to many ideas (the more the better!) • Write it, read it, post it. Read it aloud before

posting. Cluster post-its in common themes. • Don't worry about feasibility yet (suspend

judgment!) • Think outside the law: how do other sectors or

organizations address this issue • Consider best practices • Etc.

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How, Now, Wow

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I like, I wish, I wonder

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Breaktime!

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• Write a 1-3 page description of the larger environmental (political, economic, social) context in which your pro bono program and the issue(s) you’re addressing in it occurs

• Include a brief overview of the legal need(s) your pro bono program addresses

Capstone next steps

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• Include a brief overview of other pro bono programs in the region(s) your program serves that address the same or a similar legal need. Your aim is to understand if there are potential collaborators or thought partners external to your organization who might make valuable contributions to your design process

• In addition, to identify political or ethical considerations relevant to a client-centered design process

Capstone next steps

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Individual capstone activity

• Outline the elements of external analysis pertinent to your capstone issue(s) that you plan to research.

• Deadline reminder: November 28: Submit one-page description of the big picture external analysis to Renée and Lea via email

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Today, we... 1. Gained insights into pro bono volunteer

recruitment & retention mechanisms 2. Learned about adult learning best practices for

training pro bono volunteers 3. Discussed power, privilege & cultural humility

training for pro bono volunteers 4. Discussed inspiring pro bono model case

studies 5. Meet & work with your law firm thought

partner 6. Continued working on your Capstone Project 105

One word closeout

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Thank you!

• Complete evaluation surveys • Complete MCLE documentation

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