Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education: Flexible and Adaptable Field Education Model

1. University of Houston Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education: Flexible and Adaptable Field Education Model Saturday October 29, 2011 8:00 am – 9:30 am

2. www.socialworkleadership.org Geriatric Social Work Initiative BUILDING AND SUSTAINING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS: It Takes Two to Tango Virginia Cooke Robbins, LMSW-AP Director, Field Education

3. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango • Synergy • The extent to which the partnership can do more than any of its individual participants • - Partnership Self Assessment Tool: • Report of Findings for AGIFT Consortium 12/28/05

4. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango • “When a partnership’s collaborative process achieves a high level of synergy, the partnership becomes stronger in three ways.” • Comes up with new and better ways of thinking about problems and solutions • Takes actions that go beyond what any participant could do alone • Strengthens its relationship with the broader community -Partnership Self Assessment Tool: Report of Findings for AGIFT Consortium 12/28/05

5. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango • Transformation • An outcome of positive change that reflects the influence of diverse perspectives

6. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango • This field education based university-community collaboration transformed: • Gerontology social work education • Gerontology social work practice

7. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango • What are the necessary ingredients for developing the transforming leadership of field instructor based consortium?

8. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango #1 Selection • Decision to create consortium at the field instructor level rather than at the agency executive level • Membership representation from a broad array of diverse agencies • Identification of participants who have developed a clear commitment to gerontology

9. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango #2 Structure • Fostered participation in the planning of the project from Day one • Elevated the status of the work • Held a consortium meeting in the Board Room of the University President • Conducted a retreat with participation of national leaders • Created small work groups • Facilitated the development of personal relationships • Encouraged more direct participation in the work

10. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango #3 Identity • Created a Consortium logo and brochure with all participants’ names and agencies • Created a press release for each participant to use within his/her agency

11. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango #4 Turf • Held meetings in participant agencies with the opportunity for brief agency overviews, tours, and meetings with Executive Directors • Created a summer facility traineeship that place faculty into agency settings for practice experience

12. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango #5 Communication **Kept every consortium member in the communication loop at all times

13. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango • #6 Outcome – Ownership • **Field instructors assumed ownership of Consortium work and now leadership of Consortium planning, program development and implementation.

14. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango • How does faculty develop comfort with increased community participation? • Exposure • Joint meetings in agency settings • Collaborative projects • Participate in small work groups with field instructors • Present consortium work together at conferences • Usefulness to teaching and research goals • Faculty traineeships • Impacted teaching • Created collaborative teaching opportunities • Personal access to community projects and resources (Foot in the door)

15. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango • How is Gerontology education enhanced by this partnership? • Consortium has accepted responsibility for recruitment • Into the Graduate College of Social Work • Into the Gerontology Concentration • Consortium members teach in the classroom • Single classes • Entire classes • Field education is enriched because of collaborations across agency settings

16. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango • How is Gerontology education enhanced by this partnership? 4) Consortium members routinely feed into curriculum development initiatives a) Center for Vital Aging b) Weekend College 5) State of the art, cutting edge practice information is immediately accessible to faculty OUTCOME: *Community ownership of gerontology social work education shared with faculty

17. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango • What are the benefits to gerontology social work practice? • Increased collaboration among agencies enriches agency services. • Faculty have developed consultative relationships with these practice partners. • Consortium work develops leadership capacity that is manifested in the practice arena. • Existing consortium relationships allowed for an immediate comprehensive integrated response to the crisis.

18. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango 1) Community 2) University

19. www.socialworkleadership.org It Takes Two to Tango • PARTNERSHIPS • The future of social work education lies not on separating ourselves from practice reality, but rather in embracing the challenges inherent in it.