On-Site Training and Technical Assistance

Building on a 50-year history of successfully implementing programs to assist Community Action Agencies who serve low-income individuals, OCATO’s extensive training programs offer a variety of useful professional development and facilitated workshops that are effective for Community Action Agencies and other nonprofit organizations. Training courses and technical assistance are available at no cost* to OACAA members in good-standing.

Each training can be delivered on-site and is tailored to meet the needs of the organization requesting the training. OCATO will help the organization determine how to best meet their needs and ensure courses are productive and facilitated by the most appropriate consultants with relevant experience.

OCATO staff and Internal Consultants (ICs) who provide training are highly qualified with higher education degrees and several years of experience in the field which they are teaching. All ICs are vetted through a rigorous internal review process and must receive annual recommendations from supervisors within the Community Action Network.

Branding
Branding training and planning is a new on-site offering to OACAA members. Following the Brand IDEA Framework, this training reviews the theories of nonprofit branding and discusses how to implement the model within your agency to unify staff, reduce departmental silos, and enhance external communications with stakeholders. Training may also include a brief history of branding in the Community Action Network, considerations for rebranding, sub-branding strategies, and group activities and exercises.

Strategic branding plan and style guide development are also available to OACAA members. This process will be customized to meet the goals of your specific agency’s needs for internal or external branding or rebranding efforts.

Board Training
Highly experienced and qualified Community Action professionals provide training to agency board members regarding their roles, responsibilities, and liabilities as a member of a Community Action board of directors. Best practices in governance and stewardship of charitable dollars are reviewed so they can be applied immediately.

 

Collaborations
 

This training module discusses how to engage potential partners to formalize relationships effectively. Discussions include partnership benefits, MOUs, roles and responsibilities of each organization, and forming outcomes. Common pitfalls and issues are also discussed to help mitigate problems as the partnership develops.

Customer Service
The customer service training module reviews how to effectively keep personal stresses from interfering with good customer service to treat all customers—both internal and external—with respect. Deescalating conflict is also discussed. The training is appropriate for all employee levels including case managers, front-line staff, senior management, and board members.
Family Development*
Family Development is a case management curriculum and provides essential concepts and tools to assess, provide support, and create an action plan for customers. The certification course teaches case managers to ask different questions of to gain a deeper level of understanding, help guide the customers to a deeper level of participation and assist them in making their own decisions on their path to self-sufficiency.

*OCATO charges a minimal fee for this certification course.

Fund Development
The fund development course teaches the basics of fundraising and development such as how to search for new funding streams, donations, event planning, and general grant writing principles.
Head Start Policy Council
This course helps your Head Start Policy Council gain a deeper understanding of their roles and responsibilities to strengthen the local Head Start program.
Internal Fiscal Controls
This training helps attendees understand preventative measures to strong fiscal controls by providing a deeper understanding of policy and procedural purpose. Also discussed are potential pitfalls of bad fiscal management to combat fraud and waste.
Logic Models
Logic Models is a planning tool which can be used to visually represent a program from identified needs to expected outcomes. This training reviews the logic model and discusses how to implement it throughout your agency.
Outcomes Management
This training provides tools to capture and report data that demonstrates an effective program. Throughout this training, participants will learn how to develop realistic outcomes and collect data for deliverables.
Poverty Simulation
A poverty simulation is an interactive experience designed to help participants understand common situations faced by people living in poverty. Throughout the 2-hour event, participants are given real-life scenarios and situations and attempt to navigate through the system to meet the needs of their families.

The simulation is designed for a minimum of 30 participants and maximum of 148 participants. At least 17 volunteers are needed to act as resources providers. Following the 90-minute simulation, attendees participate in a 30-minute debriefing to discuss their experiences.

Scales
Scales is a tool that can be used to measure incremental changes in customers or agencies. This training reviews the basic model and how to implement it throughout your agency.
Strategic Planning
This multi-step process collects input from a variety of internal and external sources, including the Community Action Needs Assessment, to help your agency develop a strategic plan. The framework includes action steps, department assignments, and timelines that will guide your agency over the course of 3-5 years to meet the needs of your community.

The strategic planning process will be designed with your agency in mind and can range from a simple plan update or to accommodate a major organizational change. Staff or ICs will facilitate discussions, collect data and help the agency develop the final plan.

Volunteer Management
This course teaches the basics of how to effectively work with, manage, and recruit volunteers. Topics include recruitment, policies and procedures, liabilities, scheduling, and management practices.

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