How is The Seven Challenges Program Used?
Our team works closely with organizations, providing the training, tools, and support necessary to successfully use the Program with their clients, whether they are utilizing the adolescent version or the adult version of The Seven Challenges. We have developed implementation strategies to help organizations attain Program sustainability and systems for monitoring their fidelity to the model.
Below is a brief summary of the training and support services provided by The Seven Challenges training and implementation team:
We help the leadership team in an organization develop an understanding of The Seven Challenges program so they are prepared to support their team's training and counseling process. We offer assistance with strategies for educating the community and referral sources about The Seven Challenges. This helps to create an environment of understanding in which clients are supported through their counseling and treatment process.
We provide an on-site, 3-day Initial Training for the counselors who will be using the Program, as well as the clinical supervisors. The organization is also encouraged to have employees such as line-staff workers, assistant group facilitators, or caseworkers who will be working with clients, attend the Initial Training. This training prepares counselors to immediately begin providing The Seven Challenges Program.
The organization will have an opportunity to select their Seven Challenges Leaders. Leaders attend an additional 3-day Leader Training which teaches advanced Program skills and how to supervise counselors delivering the service. Leaders help their organization maintain Program fidelity, participate in quarterly Support Calls with a Seven Challenges trainer, and are also taught how to facilitate the Initial Training for staff and counselors when there is turnover. The Leaders are key to creating Program sustainability.
Implementation assistance begins soon after the Initial Training with the first Support Call between The Seven Challenges trainer and the Leaders. This quarterly conference call is designed to provide assistance with clinical and implementation questions.
An on-site Support/Fidelity Visit takes place about ten months after the Initial Training, and annually thereafter. During this Visit, further training on Seven Challenges skills is provided, plus counselors and Leaders receive more help with their clinical and implementation questions. Extra time is spent helping the Leaders with supervision issues and counselor and staff training efforts. The Leaders and Seven Challenges trainer work together during this Visit to develop plans for strengthening the Program within the organization.
Clinical and implementation assistance from The Seven Challenges team is always available outside of scheduled calls and on-site visits.