Because we believe …
that everyone, from children to the elderly, has the right to experience a safe, supportive family life, in all its many facets;
that respecting each person's and each family's values is the foundation for building and strengthening people's lives;
that power, authority and responsibility lie with each person for how they will live their life;
The mission
of MDS is …
to work toward inclusion, participation and mutual relationships for all people
who are at risk of isolation from community. We will promote self-determination
and quality of life, develop an environment which encourages creativity, innovation
and individuality, and ensure quality of supports.
In its Biennial Plan, Monadnock Developmental Services has identified the issues of highest concern during the next two years. Several of our goals are focused on the professional development and education of direct support staff, families, providers, and the people we support. Training is a key component for everyone in our system.
This Catalogue has been designed to make gaining the expertise you need simple and efficient. Read through it. Learn about the different educational tracks. Discover how you can contribute to the mission of MDS by becoming informed, challenging your assumptions, and practicing new skills.
Highlights of the MDS Biennial plan are listed below. Use this summary to guide your decisions about the education and training you need.
Community Participation
People with disabilities and those who support them are integral, valued, and contributing members of the larger community.Training and Education
Direct support professionals and family members have the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and motivation necessary to help people with disabilities be valued, contributing members of the their community.Sustainability of Community-Based Services
Community-based services for people with developmental disabilities are supported through a variety of creative resources, including adequate funding.Transportation
All people will have affordable, accessible transportation.Quality Services
People with disabilities will have high quality supports and services that are designed to address their specific needs and promote their gifts and assets.
Questions
and Answers About This Catalogue
What is the
MDS Training Catalogue exactly?
This catalogue is a listing of all the regularly scheduled workshops and learning
opportunities offered by Monadnock Developmental Services during the calendar
year 2006. They are grouped into different educational tracks so you can more
easily choose the workshops that you most want to attend. The tracks are:
Essential Workshops, Asset-Based Community Development, and The Gentle Approach.
In addition, a description of the annual workshop series for Early Supports
and Services is included. You can find a description of each track and an
explanation of why it is important in your support of people with disabilities
at the beginning of that track's listing in this booklet.
Why have a
training catalogue?
The purpose of this catalogue is to enable you to plan the training you need
to better support people with disabilities, keep abreast of developments in
the field, and to foster a process of continuous learning within MDS and Region
V as a whole. Having one source for all MDS training opportunities will make
it easier for you to complete your Personal and Professional Development Plan.
You will also be able to decide when to go outside MDS to get the skills and
knowledge needed for your particular situation.
What's
not in the Catalogue?
The Catalogue does not include listings of trainings offered in other parts
of the state or workshops sponsored by organizations other than MDS. In addition,
MDS may schedule special events throughout the year. To learn about these
opportunities, consult the Training and Education Calendar published by MDS
on a month-by-month basis. It is available on the web or by mail. (www.mds-nh.org
or call 603 352-1304 or 800 469-6082)
How do I use the Catalogue?
Read the introduction to each track to learn how that subject can help you
in the support of people with disabilities. Then choose the workshops you
would like to attend. In most cases, each workshop is a complete module. It
does not matter what order you go to the workshops in a particular track.
Who can come to the workshops listed in the Catalogue?
Anyone and everyone! Most are designed for people who provide direct support
but each and every one of them is appropriate for Support Coordinators, Family
Resource Coordinators, Program Coordinators, Administrators, Program Managers,
Parent Aides, family members, and people with disabilities. They are open
to employees of agencies that contract with MDS, as well as other professionals
and the general public. If you need special accommodations to attend a workshop,
please let us know ahead of time by calling 603 352-1304 or 800 469-6082 and
asking to talk to someone in the training department.
What do the
workshops cost?
In most cases, workshops are free. Some workshops, like training for the administration
of medications, are charged to the program that employs you. Others, like
First Aid and Adult CPR, have a cost for supplies. If you want to attend a
workshop but don't have money for its cost, talk to the Director of Training
at MDS or the appropriate Service Coordinator.
How can I register for workshops?
Just call the MDS office at 603 352-1304 or 800 469-6082. Give your name,
phone number and the workshop name and date to the receptionist. It is very
important to register before the workshop. Sometimes workshops are canceled
due to bad weather, the illness of a presenter, or other factors. If we have
your name and number, we can sometimes save you a needless trip.
What if there is a change in the schedule of a workshop?
No doubt changes will be made in the scheduling of workshops as the year progresses.
Keep yourself up to date by referring to the monthly Training and Education
Calendar produced by MDS. It is usually available by the third week of each
month. You can ask to receive a copy of the calendar by calling MDS at 603
352-1304 or 800 469-6082 or by viewing it here.
If a change has to be made because of weather or the unavailability of a presenter,
you will receive a telephone call advising you of that change provided you
registered before the event.
Are workshops ever canceled?
Yes! If fewer than five people have registered for an event, it may be canceled.
Please call at least twenty-four hours ahead of time to register if you plan
to attend a workshop.
What if I'm scheduled to work and cannot get coverage to go to a workshop?
If you are supporting someone from 7:00 to 3:00 and you cannot get relief
staff for a 10:00 workshop, consider bringing the person you support with
you! Workshops are open to everyone and all presenters believe in inclusion!
We make every effort to structure workshops so everyone can participate and
learn something. Talk to the person you support about whether they would be
willing to attend with you. After all, it's in their best interest to have
you well educated! And, if you work with someone but can't imagine them participating
in a two-hour workshop, you might begin focusing your energy on the skills
they need to be able to do that. Once they learn those skills, they can also
participate in church, concerts, town meeting, clubs, and service organizations!
What is continuous learning and why is it so important?
Most of us have been conditioned to believe that learning is something that
happens in school. You sit in a classroom and an expert teacher gives you
information. As a result, we often don't appreciate the learning we do every
day. Yet, moment by moment, we have opportunities for learning. Through our
conversations, our actions, our experiences, and our interactions with others
as well as the environment, we acquire information, gain skills, and change
our behavior. We learn all the time and, when we make our learning conscious
and intentional, we become more expert every day.
Continuous learning means making a conscious effort to turn daily incidents and activities into learning moments. Those learning moments are then shared with others: colleagues, people we support, family members. Soon everyone is involved in a process of learning, discovery, and trial of new ideas or techniques.
You can strengthen your commitment to continuous learning by referring to the section on creating a Personal Professional Development Plan in this catalogue!
What if the workshop I need isn't in the Catalogue?
You can make suggestions for workshop topics at any time. Just contact , Director of Training at MDS: 352-1304 or 800 469-6082.
What if I have something I'd like to teach?
Since we are all learning all the time, we are each becoming experts in our
own field of interest. Anyone can become a trainer! If you would like to share
what you are passionate about, contact at MDS: 352-1304 or 800 469-6082.
Workshops
Listed by Educational Tracks
There are several different tracks for education offered through MDS. Within each track there are several workshops. Generally, workshops can be attended in any order and, though it is not necessary to complete a whole track, doing so is an opportunity to deepen one's understanding of a subject.
Choose the workshops that will help you achieve your personal and professional goals. Talking with your supervisor or the training director can help you determine how workshops in different tracks are interrelated and complement each other.
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MDS
Training Policy:
Orientation & Professional Development Workshops
The goal of Orientation and Professional Development (OPD) workshops at MDS is to ensure that employees have the foundational tools and information they need to accomplish their work effectively. Employees may have specific departmental orientation and professional development as well.
Program Outline
Beginning in January 2005, all new employees who are scheduled to work during
daytime hours will attend the OPD Day One workshop prior to their first
scheduled shift. Elements of this workshop include:
After two weeks, employees will attend OPD Day Two to follow-up on the work begun during Day One. OPD Day Two is also appropriate for seasoned employees. It is an opportunity to reflect and share. Elements of this workshop include:
Schedule and Logistics
Implementation
All employees will be asked to attend OPD Day One and Two workshops during
the first year. There are several reasons for this:
After the first year, employees will be asked to participate in Day Two on an on-going basis, perhaps bi-annually. In addition, advanced professional development workshops will be developed for long-term employees. Participation will be documented as part of the annual Performance Evaluation.
Early Supports and Services Annual Workshop Series
Early Supports and Services (ESS) is a department within MDS dedicated to the support of families who have a child (birth to three years old) with a developmental disability, an established condition or who may be at risk for a developmental disability. Their goal is to identify children as early as possible and direct their families to the support providers who can help them. ESS works closely with health professionals, private support providers, schools, and educational organizations to help parents determine and receive the services their child needs.
The workshops in this annual series focus on three general areas; Behavior, Pre-School Transition, and Special Topics. Please feel free to contact the ESS Coordinator if interested in attending any of the trainings or if you have suggestions for special topics. Watch the MDS Training and Education Calendar published monthly for specific times and dates.
Behavior: An introduction to the Gentle Teaching Approach will be offered periodically and/or upon request. This workshop will examine the basic concepts underpinning Gentle Teaching and demonstrate the value of establishing a flow of life process that can be used to call children into a positive relationship with the people and world around them. Parents, caregivers, professionals, and interested community members of children birth to eight years of age will discover new tools to meet the demands of challenging behaviors.
Pre-School Transition: A two part series, first: Is My Child Eligible for Special Education? is an introduction to the special education services that may be available for your child at age three. This workshop will provide an overview of the differences between ESS and special education services with special emphasis on the benefits of effective collaboration. You will have an opportunity to learn the transition process between the two programs and what you can expect. Learn about eligibility criteria, placement options, Individual Education Plans, and gain insight that will help you work effectively with your child's' team of professionals!
The second part, The IEP Clinic, provides parents with a "hands-on" opportunity to become better prepared and more comfortable participating in the development of their child's IEP (Individual Education Plan). Participants will be given information and skills to enable them to apply what is presented to their own child's situation. Participants are welcome to bring their child's IFSP, draft IEP, IEP, or 504 Plan to the workshop.
Special Topics: Periodically throughout the year, and upon request, specialized workshops will be offered to parents, caregivers, professionals, and interested community members of children birth to eight years of age. Workshops are generally geared towards the understanding and day to day application (at home, school and in the community) of the featured topic.
Personal and Professional Development
Monadnock Developmental Services believes in self-determination not only for people with disabilities but also for the families, friends, and professionals who support them. Freedom to make choices about the future, authority to act upon choices, responsibility to make sure actions are carried out, and the right support for the journey are important for the people you support and for you. Take a few moments to direct your own future. Be self-determined! By answering the following questions, you'll become a more effective support person and feel better about yourself. Once the questions are completed, you'll have a clearer idea about the workshops in this catalogue that are best for you in the coming months.
1. Describe what you believe your role to be in the position you now have.
2. What do you consider to be your main strengths? How do you see those strengths benefiting your role and current position with the people MDS supports?
3. Considering your personal strengths, your role, and your responsibilities, what are some ways you can contribute to the fulfillment of the Mission of MDS?
4. Reflecting
on the past one to two months, summarize any accomplishments that you found
particularly rewarding and exciting as well as any challenges that you found
instructive or unresolved. What did you learn from these situations? What
would you do differently if faced with a similar situation in the future?
5. What are your short- or long-range career goals? What support do you need from your colleagues to help you achieve your goals?
6. Think about
your own areas of special interest. Which of these interests would you like
to integrate into what you are currently doing? How would you accomplish this
task? Please describe your plan of action for the next year and who can assist
you.
7. It is important to review your progress toward your goals at least twice during the year. Select two dates from the list below or choose two of your own. Write them in your calendar and promise yourself to follow through. Be the self-determined individual you want to model to the person you support!
I'll review my personal professional development plan on . . .
- My Birthday
- New Year's Day
- July 4th
- When Daylight Savings Time Changes
- Other