How to do Action and Change

How to… A. Engage people in Action & Change B. Prepare for an Action & Change session C. Facilitate an Action & Change session D. Follow-up an Action & Change session

A. Engage people in Action & Change

Engage people in Action & Change 1. What are the challenges of engaging consumers / staff in Action & Change? 2. How can you manage these challenges?

Engage people in Action & Change ● Highlight the benefits of MH-CoPES ● Communicate effectively ● Educate ● Inform of timeframes ● Highlight confidentiality ● Highlight the nature of Action & Change e.g. collaborative, solution focused, quality improvement

B. Prepare for an Action & Change session

Preparing for an Action & Change session Preparing the Session  Have you decided where to hold the session?  Are you aware of OHS issues - toilets, fire exits, lighting, seating?  Will you provide refreshments/reimbursement for attendance?  How many facilitators will you need?  Who is going to lead the session?  Will you include staff and consumers in the same forum or will they be separate?  Will you have a discussion together or different groups discuss then feedback?  Is there someone to take notes/document including attendee list & contacts?

Preparing for an Action & Change session Preparing an Agenda Think about  Timing  Introductions  Session outline and expectations  Main discussion  Ending and follow-up including time frame and communication plan for follow-up.

Preparing for an Action & Change session Preparing Participants  Are participants clear about what Action & Change is?  Do they know their role in the Action & Change session?  Have they been informed of what the top 3 Strengths and 3 Areas Needing Improvement are?  Do they know the nature of the session? MH-CoPES is service and systems focused. It is not aimed at identifying individuals or individual service problems  Do they know what is to be achieved by the end of the session?  Are they aware of the practicalities of the Action & Change session?  Are they clear about any follow up plans?  Have they been given key contact details of the facilitator?

C. Facilitate an Action & Change session

4 Top Tips: A Good Facilitator… 1. Sets aims and objectives 2. Creates a safe environment 3. Manages time 4. Engages all participants

Top Tip 1 : Set aims & objectives Aims & objectives of an MH-CoPES Action & Change session ● Explain Expectations 1. MH-CoPES is service and systems focused. It is not aimed at identifying individuals or individual service problems 2. Your recommendations will be put forward 3. Some strategies will happen straight away 4. Some strategies may take a long time (process & budget) 5. Improvement and change is not always possible (you will be told why) ● Highlight top 3 strengths and areas needing improvement from the MH-CoPES report ● Discuss ways to promote the service strengths ● Discuss strategies to respond to areas needing improvement ● Prepare an Action & Change plan

Top Tip 2 : Create a safe environment Highlight confidentiality and anonymity of comments / discussion Establish ground rules for the group Maintain respect Avoid targeting individuals or personal issues Give constructive suggestions Thoughtfully considered every opinion Allow all group members space and time to share

Top Tip 3 : Manage time Remind participants of the aims & objectives Ask new questions Ask all participants for input Ask for decisions

Top Tip 4 : Engage all participants To engage the entire group try the following approaches ● Make eye contact with each member of the group ● Use participant’s names ● Ask questions to clarifying what a participant has said ● Ask for all participants opinions, not just those that offer their opinions most freely ● Provide a number of aids to engage participant e.g. butchers paper, post-its, one-to-one chats

Potentially difficult group situations to manage. What to do when participants: ● Are very negative ● Cannot agree ● Feel they must justify what is already being done in a service ● Become stuck on a point and won’t move on ● Become distressed ● Target an individual How to manage the group

Document what is said ● Write first, organise later ● Capture what was said ● Not what you may think you heard ● Capture decisions and actions. Where needed, delegate actions with due dates

Consolidating and ending ● Summarise the meeting ● Discussion points ● Highlight achievements ● Decisions / recommendations made ● Recap follow-up actions and who is responsible ● Set next meeting date (where needed) ● Thank all those involved

D. Follow up an Action & Change session

Following up and Action & Change session ● Support system for consumer participants ● Delegate actions ● Disseminate Action Plans ● Posters advertising what Action & Change will be taking place