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EDU 651 – An Evaluation for the International Rescue Committee in Boise: An Assessment of Training Opportunities

Christa Carver, Lindsey Wiggins, Alyssa Ziegler
Carl Siebert Ph.D. – EDU 651
Boise International Committee Rescue

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Introduction

Learning Goals:

The purpose of this evaluation is to answer the question: How do the training programs and professional development opportunities support the needs of staff at the Boise IRC?

Reflection

Partnering with the Boise International Rescue Committee to explore a real issue that the employees were grappling with was more meaningful than simply reading about survey design. This collaboration gave us an authentic understanding of evaluations and felt more significant since we were working with real people at an actual organization. We appreciated the hands on experience of creating a survey, collecting & analyzing data, and creating a summary to present back to the institution.

Community Partner: International Rescue Committee

Mission Statement:

A goal of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is to ensure the highest quality teams by strengthening the ability to attract, retain and train a global workforce that represents the communities they serve.

Methods

Participants:

  • The survey was sent to 90 Boise IRC employees  and we had a 50% response rate.
  • Responses were mostly (76%) from full-time employees that are paid hourly.
  • 70% of respondents have been at the Boise IRC for less than 3 years and 45% of those employees have been in their current role for less than 1 year.
  • 100% of respondents had received some form of training from the Boise IRC.

Current Satisfaction:

Bar graph
This bar graph shows how local team management, headquarter facilitated, KAYA, and other training types are valued by survey participants based on quantity, quality, benefit, and if it prepared them for their job.

On average, most respondents are satisfied with the current quantity and quality of trainings. A majority of respondents agree that the current trainings are beneficial, but less agree that the trainings prepare them for their responsibilities. Fewer respondents reported that they participate in headquarter facilitated or other trainings.

Logic Model:

Infographic
The students who created the poster demonstrate the resources and activities needed from both Boise State University and the International Refugee Committee. They explain the evaluation process including a client interview, creation of the logic model, and survey processes. Students explain the outputs, outcomes and impacts they planned to achieve for themselves and the International Refugee Community through the project, such as an increase of knowledge, preparation, and support.

Results

Training Preferences:

Pie chart
This pie chart shows that the majority of employees prefer in-person training, including on-the-job and one-on-one, rather than online training such as self-paced or webinars.

Support Themes:

infographic
Survey participants identify technology, cultural, and general trainings as additional, beneficial training. For technology, training on Excel, Integra, and other applications are suggested. For cultural training, participants identify sensitivity training including becoming trauma informed and aware. For general training, participants identify role specific training, protocols/procedures, and grant writing.

What additional training would be useful to your work?

Infographic
Survey participants identify wellness, communication, and assistance as ways to receive additional support from their employer. Survey participants identify burnout and feeling overwhelmed as factors in their wellness. Structure and organization and shouldering the workload are the factors within assistance and survey participants identify continuation and more efficiency as important to communication.

What other support from the Boise IRC might be beneficial to your work?

Implications:

  • Based on the provided feedback of current training, the Boise IRC can consider the findings of this evaluation to determine future training/professional development
  • When considering future training, the Boise IRC can refer to repeated areas of need: technology, cultural, and/or operational.
  • In response to the survey results, Boise IRC can consider delivering training in-person, on-the-job, and/or one-on-one when applicable to meet staff preferences.
  • Aside from additional training, the Boise IRC can consider ways to additionally support staff in the areas of wellness, communication, and/or additional assistance.Â