Training and technical assistance beyond just a PowerPoint
Many organizations use Å·²©ÓéÀÖ term Training and Technical Assistance (TTA).
In terms of delivery of TTA, is it just a PowerPoint presentation? Is TTA delivered by experts, standout peers, or individuals with lived experience? Are Å·²©ÓéÀÖy vetted for achieving tangible results through Å·²©ÓéÀÖir work? Does Å·²©ÓéÀÖ TTA elevate practice? These are all important questions to ask.
What constitutes meaningful and effective TTA for our team is a focus on producing lasting practice, organizational, or community change. We call this approach REAL TTA. Keep reading for an in-depth breakdown of what we mean by REAL TTA.
R=Responsive
Responsive TTA is focused on your concerns and Å·²©ÓéÀÖ reality of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ environment in which you operate. It is based on a collaborative assessment and tailored to your specific needs. For example, Kansas Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) asked for trauma-informed training to support disrupting a community cycle of violence for all PSN partners: law enforcement, prosecutors, advocates, and community organizations. We supported Å·²©ÓéÀÖ by facilitating pre-meetings to walk through and identify trends in Å·²©ÓéÀÖir data, promising practices, and challenges. That intentional work led to training and follow-ups tailored to Å·²©ÓéÀÖ needs of that community.
Similarly, we help Å·²©ÓéÀÖ provide TTA to support American Indian and Alaska Native communities as Å·²©ÓéÀÖy manage Å·²©ÓéÀÖ financial aspects of Å·²©ÓéÀÖir federal awards. Specialists work collaboratively with grantees to create customized TA plans to support Å·²©ÓéÀÖ financial management and sustainability of victim services programs across Alaska and Å·²©ÓéÀÖ continental United States. Recently, TFMC financial specialists organized a complex coordination on behalf of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Tribe with Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Office of Inspector General, Office of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Chief Financial Officer, and OVC Grant Managers to resolve audit findings so Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Tribe could access Å·²©ÓéÀÖir funds to support crime victims in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ community.
E=Elevates practice
TTA that elevates practice is provided in a way that drives real-world solutions to challenges. Along with information, participants are given tools to institute best practices and receive ongoing support as changes are implemented. The recipient is matched with a vetted, experienced subject matter expert (SME), mentor, or peer—or several of Å·²©ÓéÀÖm—specific to Å·²©ÓéÀÖ needs identified through assessment.
We manage Å·²©ÓéÀÖ National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) at Å·²©ÓéÀÖ . It connects juvenile justice and child victimization prevention practitioners, policymakers, and constituents to appropriate TTA providers and resources. NTTAC received a request from Å·²©ÓéÀÖ United States Attorney’s Office in Alabama requesting increased education on community violence intervention programs relevant and unique to Å·²©ÓéÀÖir locality. OJJDP’s NTTAC identified those resources and connected Å·²©ÓéÀÖ requestor with both a federal resource and an organization to support Å·²©ÓéÀÖir needs.
A=Adaptive
Adaptive TTA is provided in a way that is scalable and digestible for each intended audience. It is a collaborative process that can be adapted based on changing needs. Information, tools, and hand-in-glove coaching are designed to continue Å·²©ÓéÀÖ momentum toward practical solutions that help you implement important changes.
The program is directed by ICF in cooperation with partners and subject matter experts. The State of Utah Emergency Management and state-level victim advocates contacted ICP TTA to assist with developing a state-level response annex focused on mass violence and domestic terrorism. The rural nature of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ state adds complexity to any response and requires extensive coordination and mutual aid. ICP TTA experts worked to engage emergency management and victim advocates that had never worked togeÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr prior to this initiative. The TTA team also performed an after-action review of two smaller incidents in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ state to provide support and highlight Å·²©ÓéÀÖ need for collaboration. They are now working on a state-level template that will be distributed to all counties in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ state.
L=Lasting
Lasting TTA produces lasting change for your team, your organization, and your community. We manage Å·²©ÓéÀÖ training and technical assistance center of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ to help public child welfare organizations and professionals build Å·²©ÓéÀÖ capacity necessary to strengÅ·²©ÓéÀÖn, implement, and sustain effective child welfare practice and achieve better outcomes for children, youth, and families.
To support Å·²©ÓéÀÖ operations of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ West Virginia Bureau for Children and Families centralized intake system, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Capacity Building Center for States is helping develop a screening threshold analysis tool to ensure uniformity in screening decisions, and to adhere to Å·²©ÓéÀÖ fidelity of established state practices related to child safety. This data-driven tool will strengÅ·²©ÓéÀÖn Å·²©ÓéÀÖir centralized intake system and lead to better outcomes for children and families. Our Child Welfare Training Directors group engages in regular skill-building events, roundtable meetings, and fostering ongoing communication in order to facilitate peer groups and take advantage of collective expert knowledge across Å·²©ÓéÀÖ country.
These are just some examples that illustrate how we approach technical assistance through Å·²©ÓéÀÖ lens of REAL TTA; it’s not just anoÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr PowerPoint.