Cross-Training

Kraemer (1993) notes that when staff from different professional organizations attempt to collaborate on social services, differing philosophies and approaches can affect their work. She suggests the following strategies "to bring about faster learning":

• "Inservice training that stresses the broad needs of children and families.

• Partner organizations doing presentations about their work and their approach to problem solving.

• Job shadowing between different professions involved in your project.

• Rotating staff members between different jobs or areas of your project.

• Distributing information about other schools, cities, or agencies that have begun to work collaboratively.

• Presentations by the staff of peer organizations about the benefits and drawbacks of collaborative projects." (p. 33)

For an example of cross-agency training at the Human Services Collaborative in Albuquerque, New Mexico, refer to that section within Practices That Represent Partnership Activities, Part II of A Guide to Promising Practices in Educational Partnerships (Danzberger, Bodinger-deUriarte, & Clark, 1996).

References