Academy attends Colleague Training in Worcester, MA

This two-week training serves to strengthen understanding of the Clubhouse model while inspiring new initiatives at the Academy.

Academy member Rick Pardo and staff Patty Haltinner are off to Worcester, MA for a two-week Colleague Training at Genesis Club, one of 12 Clubhouse training bases for Clubhouse International.  They will be joined by colleagues from three other Clubhouses in addition to those from Genesis Club. It will be an exciting and active couple of weeks, and once they arrive, they will hit the ground running!

Colleague training is one way for Clubhouses to reinforce their understanding of Clubhouse culture and the 37 Standards, while also sharing their own best practices. As with most things philosophical, the interpretation of the Standards can vary from Clubhouse to Clubhouse. Colleague training is a rich resource to approach the standards anew and maybe even discover a nuance not previously considered.

Colleagues in training will typically spend the mornings immersed in lively discussion, breaking down the Standards and sharing the ways in which their Clubhouse actualizes them. It can be illuminating to learn how other Clubhouses operate within the Standards, and those take-aways can be invaluable. The afternoons will see Rick and Patty each joining a different unit, working side-by side with Genesis Clubs’ members and staff.

Academy board member Shelly Crofut will join Rick and Patty for the second week of training. The latter Standards address the administration and governance of Clubhouse. Shelly will provide the perspective of our management and board of directors. Of course, she will also spend her afternoons in the units as well, soaking up the culture and flavor of Genesis Club.

While at Genesis Club, our group of three will be writing a detailed Action Plan to bring back to the Academy. They will present their findings to us at an Academy meeting in an effort to bring fresh new ideas back to the Academy to potentially implement.

If it seems like this trip will be all work and no play, rest assured that Genesis Club will have evening and weekend outings with plenty of opportunity to socialize while taking in the town of Worcester (and maybe even Boston!). Our crew will enjoy lovely accommodations at Genesis Club’s guest house, conveniently located right on campus.

All in all, this is an exciting opportunity for them to gain deeper knowledge and understanding of the Clubhouse model, to gain perspective on how different Clubhouse programs can be even though we all follow the same Standards, and to bring their newfound knowledge back to the Academy to help us grow and improve. We wish them safe travels and an inspiring, productive, FUN training experience.