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For Immediate Release For more information, call
July 17, 2001 Toni Smith
(614) 221-9195
CSB Training for Those Who Serve the Homeless
Working with people who are homeless requires special skills and the ability to network with other systems. Staff members from eleven homeless service agencies recently attended training to sharpen their skills and learn more about community services. The education series was conducted by Tom Dillard of Human Resources Growth and Development Group, and sponsored by the Community Shelter Board (CSB). The training has become an annual offering for staff members of agencies serving persons who are homeless and is provided free of charge, thanks to grant funding from Bank One, NA and the Ingram-White Castle Foundation.
"These staff members are very committed to serving people who are homeless," said Tom Dillard, "and it’s a good investment to provide cutting-edge training to help them learn the skills they need to be effective at breaking the cycle of homelessness."
The theme for this year’s program was "Communication, Coordination, and Collaboration," which are much needed qualities in today’s complex system of social services. The program was divided into courses for direct service staff and supervisors. Supervisors learned how to support the work team with coaching and effective communication. They also discussed how to help set and achieve program goals and outcomes. Direct service staff, sometimes referred to as front-line staff, learned how to develop solution-focused treatment plans from Dr. Ken Yeager, Director of Quality Assurance at The Ohio State University’s Behavioral Health Care Services. A course in "Street Law" was provided by Jackie Lewis, a Columbus attorney, who discussed fair housing, managing debt, and related legal topics. Direct service staff also learned how to build effective helping relationships with people who are homeless.
"Many people working in the shelter system, or in any business, for that matter, are only a few paychecks away from being on the other side of the counter," said Chuck, a formerly homeless person who now has his own apartment and serves on an advisory council to CSB. "If you get in the habit of treating people with respect, pretty soon the people around you get in the habit of doing it, and that becomes the culture of the organization."
The training focused on communication, coordination and collaboration between the client and service provider, as well as, between agencies and organizations. Weekly sessions emphasized enhancing skills to promote movement toward housing solutions through respect for the individuals and agencies involved.
The six-week series was held at two sites: Broad Street Presbyterian Church and the Wolfe Park Shelter House. A graduation ceremony for the 28 participants was held Friday, July 13, at 10:00 a.m. at the Broad Street Presbyterian Church.
The Community Shelter Board, established in 1986, is a non-profit intermediary organization that coordinates community based efforts, fosters collaboration, and funds services to assist families and individuals in Central Ohio to resolve their housing crisis. The Community Shelter Board allocates $7.0 million annually to support programs at 17 agencies. Last year, these programs served more than 11,000 individuals. The Community Shelter Board is funded by the City of Columbus, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, the United Way of Central Ohio, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the State of Ohio, and other public and private donors.
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