Training and Standards

Overview:

In this session participants will receive an update on the newly published Circuit Rider Principles. Then the participants will engage in a discussion related to standards and benchmarks that are being developed to help Circuit Riders focus their ongoing skills development. Examples of standards and benchmarks will be shared to stimulate the discussion. We’ll also look at “learning accountability” scenarios – how will Riders evidence their learning?

Session Facilitator:

Ian Runeckles (Lasa) Marc Osten (Summit Collaborative)

Biography:

Ian Runeckles - Circuit Rider, Lasa - iruneckles@lasa.org.uk

Ian joined Lasa in September 2002 to work on the first Lasa Circuit Rider Project and subsequently worked on the 2005-7 Project. He is currently Project Managing the ICT Hub Circuit Rider Development Programme which includes the Training and Standards Project, this Conference and editing Round-Up, the Circuit Rider News Digest. In addition, as a member of the Information Systems Team he has also contributed to various projects and consultancies and written articles for Computanews and the ICT Hub Knowledgebase. He has attended several NonProfit Technology Conferences (NTC) organised by NTEN in the US and presented at two break-out sessions at the Chicago NTC in 2005.

Session Notes:

Marc Introduced session:

Go over what’s been happening over last year or 2 around CR (circuit rider) standards and training. Primarily spend time on translating standards into skills and modalities of training. Accountability systems, what does accountability look like? Presentation slides available as handouts and will be available on the web (Circuit Rider Training and Standards) Background / progress – refer to Circuit Rider Training and Standards PowerPoint presentation CR Principles – handout and on web – http://www.lasa.org.uk/circuitriders/principles.sh... History 2004 NTC discussion started, further work at subsequent CR conferences. Sign up to principles. Logo available for signatories to use on web and other formats. Future – maybe take internationally – principles published under share/share alike creative commons license. NTEN involved. Why use VCO ICT standards as the basis of our skills development? See PowerPoint presentation Framework – CRs need to base our skills decisions on something. Standards issue is contentious – standards exist but are not published – de facto standards – generally what community agrees on. Will help to focus CR training. Standards => skills. Marc Emphasised that not all VCOs are the same so the standards are just guidelines that help to tease out the skills / training that CRs may need. Comment from floor – minimum standards for organisations– not CRs this needs to be clarified on materials. Discussion / Exercise – Draft CR Standards =>Skills Reference Guide – ICT Planning / Internal communications – Marc presented these as DRAFT/SAMPLES. The idea is that in the next few weeks these will be published for each of about 7-9 standards. There will be consultation with the community about the nature and number of these standards over the next few weeks before they are published. Where we want to go is to develop the tick / list framework Core skills – things we all need to do and specialist skills - recognising that different CRs will have different skills and that there will be basic skills and advanced skills within each area AIM to find 20-30 skills needed in a particular area and identify whether:

I have this skill
I have this skill but need to improve
I don’t have this skill
I don’t need this skill

Brainstormed in two groups and looked at network standard, and planning standard, what the list should contain - what are CRs / CR Managers impressions of the framework Any skill listed that participants felt were core skills marked with asterix – spend time drilling into the specifics. For every skill in any standard articulating the understanding of that area as opposed to the implementation – some things are about understanding, some are about implementing e.g. understanding of security - what does that means – knowing there are legal issues, knowing there there are issues re how safe data transfer can be – the deeper ability to know that a vpn is safer than web based open traffic.

Comments / questions:

Strategic and implementation standards?
Strategic ICT skills cut across all standards Strategic vs Links with learning – as well as looking at tech stuff there is material available, resources perhaps need to be geared around the core / soft skills areas as this material is not as widely available.
Do we need to focus on 20 core skills and strategic skills and make reference to where tech skills can be gained?
In terms of skills levels in IT there are a myriad of qualifications already?
For tech skills do we just need to say people have a particular technical standard?
Goal is to try and figure out what skills CRs need to do their job?
Should we just focus on soft skills and frame the tech skills around the soft skills
Are there any CRs out there that have all skills?
Avoid turning skills set into a checklist?
Danger with soft skills of drilling down to far in the same way as tech skills?
Skill – being able to Signpost
Do we need specialisms?
Is someone who just goes in and fixes a printer a CR?
In danger of putting too much down and alienating people?
Should we simplify and do things in stages – planning / implementation/maintaining and review – keep it simple?
Core skills – mostly enshrined / implied in the principles?
Know non profits well and skill them up with tech skills rather than vice versa CR teams to cover the skills that are needed?
Communication in terms of attitude / aptitude rather than language
Standards are tied into the organisations we are working with, how we work with them and what their expectations are of CRs, need to keep this in mind – quality service.
If we only look at core skills we are looking at being org dev consultants – we need this as CRs but we need something more – awareness / knowledge / skills around “core” – have awareness of the tech issues and know where to signpost
Should there be a list of all things we all need to know e.g. about website development – help organisation with “do you really need a website”.
Fundraising – CRs may not be experts in this area but orgs need funds to get ICT so CRs need awareness of fundraising issues and where to signpost for deeper information / help.

Flipcharts from brainstorming session:

Each group looked at the draft standard for internal communication and came up with a list of knowledge / understanding and skills CRs will need. Asterisk against those that are considered to be core skills: Both groups adopted slightly different approaches: Group 1 Strategic / practical relationship skills:

Understanding of security implications of remote networking e.g. for accountants and financial data sensitivity / confidentiality
Raising awareness of security issues with organisations*
Bandwidth issues – (volume, connectivity)
Understanding / awareness of hardware and software compatibility issues e.g. how do we run an access database on a linux system?
Managing external suppliers / services skill = identifying / analysing issues, negotiating
Understanding data storage / format/ transfer and implementing systems for security / backup or knowing how / where to signpost on
Project Management*
Mapping organisational needs (by category e.g. business communications)
Research, recommendation, choice
Clear documentation (making, supporting, encouraging); skill = communication/ability to present information clearly
Supporting technical skills gaps when handing over - Able to implement new technologies as they come along - Supporting scalability

Group 2 - Identify CR with different & appropriate skills

Understanding of best practices for VCO internal communication
Understand information management systems and process management
Understanding of tools that support information flow - Reporting and recording strategies
Reporting and recording tools
Identifying, assessing and reporting on issues - [awareness of] various communication and training methods
Project management
Facilitate implementation Skills: - telephony - voip - cabling - systems interfaces - databases / CRM (customer/ constituent relationship management) - website / CMS (content management systems)
Specific software skills e.g. Servers etc.
What is learning accountability?
How are we going to account for ourselves to professional bodies?
Certification etc. how might that work? (see Circuit Rider Training and Standards PowerPoint presentation)
National framework already exists that can be applied to any profession.

Discussion:

Level 3 equates to core skills?
Level 4 specialist skills?
What levels do we need to focus on?
How do people evidence what they are doing?
Personal learning AND recognition.

Comments / Questions:

We need to be careful how we present this in order not to alienate CRs. HOWEVER…Learning & skills council needs the detail of what SKILLS, how they relate to the framework and how we EVIDENCE, ASSESS and VERIFY in order to accredit a program of learning and development so we need to be more explicit. Personal plans need the details as well Issue does not just affect CRs government is pushing for some form of accreditation / certification from anyone who works with VCS How many in the room would fill out self assessment form, go to classes, get organisations we work with to evaluate the work we did for them?

Fears and concerns

we will also consult with community about this online.
not meeting the assessment criteria
people getting pushed out because they aren’t in the process
making decisions that are too prescriptive
having to work in a certain way
is this restrictive?
How specific or vague do we need to be about this
Reputation of ICT in the sector
organisations pre conceptions about what we are / quality issues - “marketing” of standard and value to the sector
if the client hasn’t heard of it / us does it matter?