Community Learning Partnership (a.k.a. CLP family fun), is concurrently working on the LSIS Talent Management project. We are interpreting this mindset, so that we can further enhance a culture, work environment & procedures that will optimize the learner journey experience.
During the staff workshop (15/03/13) and without duress, staff themselves raised the needs to address the following:
- Access & Contribute to teaching resources
- Share best practice
- P2P exchanges: in an exclusive tutor space.
- Share your interests - cross pollinate ideas, inspire, foster collaboration
As staff are sessional, and distributed across Hertfordshire, they don't get a chance to meet that regularly, and they may not all be able to attend meetings / gatherings. The pragmatic realities and constraints pointed to combined approach of face-to-face & and online space.
The findings are nothing new, but our approach will be to meet these very needs with social media tools that are open to all and free.
We will phase our approach with quick wins.
For example, the admin team members - unlike tutors, saw need to coordinate calendars - beyond paper based. This will required staff to register a gmail account. This process has started.
Our undertaking of these two LSIS projects is to ensure that we sustain and further develop our commitment to a fun and creative work culture. Therefore ICT & Talent Management workshops are tools that make life easier and happier for all.
During informal conversations, lunch & appreciative inquiry (Thx Linda ;-) ) activity, we were able to share things related to what is meaningful in our lives: our values, interests & hobbies. We were seen holistically, not just as professionals. We all discovered how CLP’s values in actions - dealing with us, reflects what we value.
As they say, anyone can build the competencies to teach, but having your heart truly focused on doing social good, inspiring people & communities, well, that's another ball game. As a member of the senior management team, I was awed and humbled to see the smiles, appreciation and inspiration that our workers have gained with us. Our ethos & values are inspiring our staff! Wow, what can you say about that?
