Developing core skills for supervisors.
Supervisor Learning Cohort
Many supervisors do not receive any training to help them successfully lead a team. The Supervisor Learning Cohort guides participants in developing their supervision approach in small class sizes that allow for close peer support.
This training was crafted by individuals with extensive experience in the social services industry who understand the challenges of being a supervisor. Through interactive sessions with mixed teaching methods, learners are engaged not only with the facilitator but with one another.
Session Topics
Developing Your Supervision Approach
Supervision is a crucial element to any successful program. It provides the ongoing support and development that results in high quality services. However, many supervisors never receive best practices training. In this interactive workshop, supervisors will develop a personalized best practice approach to staff supervision that can be clearly and effectively communicated so supervisees know what to expect and everyone gets the most out of the process.
Giving & Receiving Feedback
Providing and accepting constructive feedback is an imperative activity within a supervisory relationship. Research indicates feedback has powerful effects on multiple aspects of supervision and job performance, yet the activity is fraught with emotion and many supervisors find it to be one of the most challenging parts of the job. This workshop provides the conceptual background and concrete strategies for supervisors to improve their ability to give and receive constructive feedback.
Documentation of Supervision
It is important to document supervision activities for legal, ethical, evaluative, clinical, and licensing purposes. With a focus on objectivity and strengths-based practice, this training will provide widely accepted guidelines for documentation that supervisors can tailor to their specific needs.
Cross-Cultural Supervision
Exploring cultural differences within the context of supervision is key to engagement, equitable practice, personal and professional growth, and client care, yet traditional models of supervision lack attention to cultural context and supervisors may feel tension, fear, or lack of knowledge to engage in discussion about culture, especially race and ethnicity. This training explores conceptual information and practical strategies to improve cross-cultural supervision.
Secondary Traumatic Stress & Burnout
Working in the human services field comes with occupational hazards. In this training, supervisors will learn how to recognize trauma reactions and burnout symptoms and understand their role in prevention and intervention from both an individual and organizational perspective.
Self-Care for Supervisors
Emotional regulation is key to working with people; and in supervision, things can get tense when providing feedback, evaluation, and conflict resolution. Be prepared to navigate your emotional responses with a self-care plan and learn to share authentic feelings within the supervisory dynamic in this training.
Conflict Resolution/Mediation
Workplace conflict is a given in most situations as teams navigate tasks, processes, and communication to meet the goals of the organization. This workshop will assist supervisors in exploring underlying causes of conflict and understanding their role in relation to staff conflict. Supervisors will learn about various strategies and practice using a mediation model.
Group Dynamics
Group collaboration provides many advantages and opportunities to meet organizational goals; however, group dynamics can limit progress. In this training, group processes and behaviors will be identified, and supervisors will learn the key role they can play in leading effective groups.
Meeting Facilitation
Great meetings don’t just happen, they are planned! In this training, supervisors will learn the key components and skills necessary to prepare and facilitate effective meetings.
Accountability & Delegation
A successful supervisor does not do it all alone. This training examines the concepts of delegation and accountability, teaches the skills necessary to ensure the work gets done, and provides supervisors an opportunity to discuss the challenges of shared responsibility and holding others accountable.
Learning Cohort Celebration, Reflection, & Evaluation
In this final session, participants will reflect on their supervisory practice over the course of the training series and identify how they have applied new concepts and skills in their position.
Participant Testimonial
“I never thought about the importance of having a mission statement or developing a supervision approach before this training. I also thought that as a supervisor I would be nice, positive, helpful, and “wing it.” This training has encouraged and motivated me to be a more thoughtful and conscientious supervisor. It has taught me how valuing my partnership and professional relationship with supervisees can lead to healthier relationships and better productivity within my work organization. ”
Meet our Facilitators
Facilitator: Christina Pavlak, LMSW (She/Her)
Christina is the Vice President of Training and Development at Health Net and is an experienced supervisor, nonprofit leader, and instructor with a personal passion for the practice of supervision. She builds effective teams, and designs and implements client-level services and staff training to improve community health.
Trauma Informed Yoga and Meditation
Training will include opening and transitional mindfulness, grounding, and stretching activities provided by Shannon Kaza (She/Her), an experienced, registered, trauma-informed yoga instructor.
Cohorts open for registration
For more information about future cohorts contact Christina Pavlak, Vice President, Training and Development at cpavlak@healthnetwm.org.
CEU Credits
15 CEU credits are available for social workers and community health workers. Certificates will be provided upon completion of each session.
Series Schedule
January 23 – 9:00am-1:30pm
February 27 – 9:00am-1:30pm
March 26 – 9:00am-1:30pm
April 23 – 9:00am-1:30pm
May 21 – 9:00am-1:30pm
June 25 – 9:00am-1:30pm
July 23 – 9:00am-10:30am
Location: Health Net of West Michigan’s Heartside Room
1550 Leonard St NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
CEU Credits
25 CEU credits are available for social workers and 26.5 for community health workers. Certificates will be provided upon completion of each session.
Refund Disclaimer
We understand certain circumstances may arise where a participant needs to pick another cohort or a refund. We will allow a refund if we are notified 10 business days before the start date of the first class. Additionally, refunds will be partial due to the processing fee we incur. If a participant would like to switch to another cohort, they need to notify us 10 business days prior to the start date of their initial cohort.
If you have any questions or concerns about registration, please contact Shannon Kaza, Training Project Manager, at skaza@healthnetwm.org.
To explore scholarship options, please contact Christina Pavlak, Vice President, Training and Development at cpavlak@healthnetwm.org .
Bring this supervisor training to your organization!
Contact the VP of Training and Development, Christina Pavlak at cpavlak@healthnetwm.org.