To mark World Mental Health Day 2021, Triangle has spoken to two Outcomes Stars Licensed Trainers from Alternative Futures Group to get under the bonnet of life as a Licensed Trainer in Mental Health.
Anthony Szuminski
Learning Partner
I view the Outcomes Stars as a compass, that guides the people we support in a holistic way and empowers them to gain awareness of which important areas of their lives they can improve upon. Which is ultimately is why we are here.
What is your role?
I am trainer/ facilitator working for a charitable organisation called Alternative Futures Group. Our organisation provides support to people who have a range of conditions, learning disabilities, mental health issues, dementia, epilepsy and physical disabilities.
Which Star do you deliver training in?
We use the Recovery Star in our treatment recovery centres and community houses to support people with Mental Health conditions. As well as Outcomes Stars training, I also facilitate a wide range of other training, such as understanding learning disabilities, first aid, organisational inductions.
What do you most like about being a Licensed Trainer
What I appreciate most about being a Licensed Trainer is that we are helping to train and support our staff to use a tool (Outcomes Star TM), based upon a proactive and proven approach which fits well with our charity’s ethos.
How does the Star benefit your work and support your service users?
Our charity believes that understanding people’s unique needs and exploring how best to support them should be rooted in fact and evidence as this is what ultimately leads to better outcomes. The Outcomes Stars are rooted in these beliefs as well, making them a great fit for our charity.
I view the Outcomes Stars as a compass, that guides the people we support in a holistic way and empowers them to gain awareness of which important areas of their lives they can improve upon. Which is ultimately is why we are here.
The Star is a great tool as it guides our staff to ask the right questions to be able to have meaningful conversations with people about their lives as a whole. This uncovers the areas people need most help with, in a flexible, consistent and trauma-informed way. The Star data collected also helps to inform and improve our service delivery support. As well as evidencing the range of support we have provided for people.
How does it feel to be a licensed trainer?
I find the Recovery Star can truly reflect what an individual’s support needs are, if completed properly, the difference it can make to people’s lives is what inspires me. It’s also very interesting being a Licensed Trainer. The people I train in how to use the Star, often have fantastic insight into the wide range of life experiences people have which is fascinating.
I deliver ‘Introducing the Star’ training, two mornings a week (3.5 hours) remotely and this is working very well for our organisation. My recently completed certificate of online facilitation accreditation (COLF) has also helped improve my online delivery and raise the standard of all remote training at AFG.
Any trainer tips to share?
I would highly recommend recording yourself if you can get permission when doing a session. You will see many things you may not be aware of, such as your pace, tone of voice and clarity. All of which can be improved upon, doing this has worked for me.
Simon Porter
Learning Partner – Mental Health Division
The Star benefits our work... being able to clearly demonstrate progress and change for our patients, as well as create action plans that are meaningful is greatly valued.
What do you do/role?
I am a Learning Partner for Alternative Futures Group. We are a social care charity with around 2000 employees covering the whole of the Northwest of England. Training in the olden days (how we now refer to pre -March 2020) meant a lot of travelling around, but today I will be at my desk in my home office, delivering virtual training.
Which Star do you deliver training in?
Our charity mainly provides support for people with learning disabilities and people with mental illnesses. We use the Recovery Star to support people’s recovery journey deliver our mental health services in 6 independent hospitals.
What do you most like about being an LT?
I have only recently completed the accreditation to become a Licensed Trainer and it was really enjoyable. I am very lucky as I work as part of a very supportive team. I am looking forward to co-delivering with my colleague Anthony, so that I can try out my new knowledge, with support.
How does the Star benefit your work and support your service users?
Being able to clearly demonstrate progress and change for our patients, as well as create action plans that are meaningful is greatly valued. We’ve had lots of positive feedback from both the staff and the people we support since we launched the Recovery Star in our hospitals.
Any top training tips?
We have recently undergone a Certificate of Online Facilitation, which has really opened our eyes to the differences between face to face and online delivery. A tip about online delivery is that learners need to be encouraged to contribute every three to five minutes, as what worked in a classroom, will not necessarily work online. It helps keep the learner engaged which has always been the key to effective training.
Together we are pushing for a cultural change towards openness and honesty surrounding mental health and that can only be a boost for everyone. Thanks for reading.
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The Recovery Star is the Outcomes Star for mental health and well-being. Other Stars developed specifically for use with organisations working in the mental health sector include: My Mind Star (for use with young people) as well as the Recovery Star Secure, Preparation Star and the Parent and Baby Star. Stars developed with other sectors also include an area focussing on mental health.
For more information on how to become a Licensed Trainer and/or the other training needed for using the Outcomes Star, or for any information about how the Stars could support your organisation please contact Triangle.