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Gathering 2010 - Monday 1330 - Minnesota

Submitted by adrian on 15 May 2010 - 12:13am
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Presenters:
Bill Schulenberg, MA, LAMFT, Director of Training and Partnerships, Connected Families, Minnesota
Chad Hayenga, MA, LMFT, Director of Counseling, Connected Families Minnesota

Abstract:
We will use humor and fresh thinking about some profound and sometimes hard to capture concepts undergirding the Signs of Safety framework.  We will use the stories of those who have allowed us to come alongside them, and our "not knowing" in the midst of their stories to reflect on fertile and, at times, not so fertile ground for implementing Signs of Safety.  We will address the "Questionable" part of the title by discussing how difficult it was and is for us to believe we could/can enter situations with questions, rather than answers, and arrive at solutions that have meaningful outcomes for those with whom we work.

Presentation:
We will briefly describe our transition from front line Signs of Safety work in Carver County to training and implementing the framework in other social service agencies. We will describe what we are observing to be key factors in successfully implementing Signs of Safety in a variety of social service settings. Some of the topics we will explore regarding implementation are:

  • The role of leadership in both upper management and on the front lines
  • How the use of Appreciative Inquiry can either enhance or hinder growth
  • The power of transparency
  • Systemic collaboration
  • How remaining curious opens the door

Some of this work will be highlighted through a ten-minute interview of a supervisor and front line worker from Sherburne county, MN. They will discuss what is currently happening with the Signs of Safety implementation in their county and what has been helpful in moving them forward.