The two words “mandatory training” have typically been met by teams with a sharp intake of breath, filling them with dread. The second response is then often complaints and quick excuses for non-attendance.
As employers and trainers, we must accept that for too long, mandatory training has been seen by staff as a tick box exercise, a necessary evil, offering little relevance to work practice and sometimes causing them very real stress.
Thankfully, however, the full evaluation report from the trials of Oliver McGowan mandatory training (NDTi, June 2022) seems to point to a shifting narrative. Much of the feedback received was overwhelming positive; indicating that if the content of training is well-designed and sensitively delivered, then teams will generally engage more readily and use their learning to do something different in practice.
So, what are the key benefits of mandatory training for teams? Let’s take a look…
Mandatory training ensures that practice within your team complies with legal and regulatory requirements. Teams are aware of how to meet fundamental standards of quality and safety, whilst promoting the wellbeing of individuals
Mandatory training ensures that professional standards are consistently met by all team members. Building professionalism ensures consistency for the individuals we support whilst creating confident, enabling practitioners within our staff teams
Mandatory training in our sector is increasingly co-produced (in terms of both design and delivery) by people with lived experience of disability. Research has shown that this not only empowers individuals to find their voice, but makes the training more engaging and impactful for teams
Well designed mandatory training should encourage teams to stop and think! In addition to highlighting potential issues, learning examples should promote good practice; giving teams something to aspire to, rather than feeling despondent or disengaged with the training
Good mandatory training which engages participants, has the potential to prevent further practice mistakes from being made. Teams can learn from the mistakes of others to ensure that care and support they then offer is person-centred, responsive to the individual, and safe
The design of mandatory training should include opportunities for reflection and professional discussion. Allowing time for this, alongside dedicated Q&A, enables teams to begin processing their learning and relate to their practice context before they leave the training room
Opportunities for questions and professional discussion within mandatory training identify the key takeaways for each team member (these learning points maybe slightly different depending on professional experience, role within the team, etc)
Mandatory training can contribute to an improved working culture within your team, each team member feeling valued, more confident and as having an important function within the team’s objective of achieving meaningful outcomes
The key which unlocks these benefits lies in how mandatory training is designed and delivered. Involving people with lived experience to create innovative content, co- delivered in a lively, engaging and impactful way will boost attendance from teams and influence how they put their learning into practice.
Hopefully, some of this will help you get your team onboard and find their love for mandatory training ❤️
To find out how I can design a package of bespoke mandatory learning disability training which will inspire your team and guarantee impactful results, please get in touch via the website.
I look forward to sharing a virtual coffee with you! ☕️
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