© Constructing World Workshop about Rusmiddelcenter Odense (Center for Drug Abusers in Odense) Hasse Thomas Jacobsen, FAB/RusmiddelCenter Odense Jørgen Gjengedal Madsen, MacMann Berg

© “Coming to the Center for Drug Abusers, I live a MUCH better and ’normal’ life, which I am very gratefull for. Therefore I want to thank MacMann Berg and all the others who are doing a great job. I hope the Center will continue to exist in order to help many more lost PEOPLE”. A mail from a drug abuser from Odense.

© Presentations Hasse Jacobsen, Deputy Manager RusmiddelCenter Odense Masters of Arts in Litterature, Master in Public Management Studies in systemic theories since 2003 Working experience from folk high school, residential institution for mentally disabled people and drug treatment centre Jørgen Gjengedal Madsen Director of MacMann Berg Group Consultant MacMann Berg DK Studies in systemic theories since 1992 Author and co-author of several articles and books about systemic leadership xxxxxxxxxxx

© Key points Working with the whole organisation Connecting systemic ideas to the strategy of the organisation Epistemology – a way of understanding human beings

© The workshop Short introduction The past – some historical points How did we change the organisation? The content of the internal education The form of the internal education Connections and ideas

© The past – before 2001 Clients/Users were unsatisfied with treatment and staff Staff was unsatisfied with management Co-operative partners (municipalities, pharmacies, generel practitioners…) were unsatisfied with the treatment centre Complaints from staff about the management to the county administration Danish Working Environment Authority began looking at the organisation because of staff dissatisfaction More than 10 members of the staff were in treatment at the Working Environmental clinic Time from contact to treatment was more than 10 months, more than 70 clients/users on waiting list Treatment based upon private beliefs, not professionalism and evidence High degree of control in treatment, positive urine tests led to dischargement Continued drug abuse while in treatment was seen as lack of motivation Calling for help – thorough investigation by external consultants

© The past – before 2001 Employer In the beginning I was employed in a 6 months vacancy and after 2-3 months I was relieved that it was only a temporary vacancy because then I could get my things and leave. There was very little appreciation. There were some problems with staff that were dealt with in a highly inappropriate way – at times almost violently. Manager I couldn’t cope with the fact that in my own opinion I was not doing my job properly. I constantly had to do things, that I didn’t believe in.

© How did we change the organisation? New management and reorganisation Working with the organisation from buttom to top - starting with the top Systemic thinking and systemic leadership as a strategi for the whole organisation Systemic education for everybody in the organisation in order to develop communication, reflexion, professionalism, organisational development and sharing of knowledge Why did we choose a systemic approach? –De- and re-contructing the stories in and about the organisation –From de-preciative to appreciative –From ”about” the client to ”with” the client –From troublesome to constructive collaborators –From staff as necessary to staff as a ressource –From control to trust –From ”private belief” to professionalism

© The form of the internal education First step - all managers educated in systemic thinking Second step – all staff educated in systemic thinking, and managers on each education seen as ressources Third step – linking education to praxis Fourth step – ressource persons in each division Fifth step – an on-going process

© The effect of the internal education Evaluation of internal education in 2007 showed considerable effect on a lot of parameters: –Appreciative capacity –Manager – staff –Staff – staff –Staf - Clients –Communication –Influence –Better use of the competences of the staff –Better understanding of treatment from the clients´ perspective –Expenses for inpatient treatment from 38 mill. (1999) to 5 mill. (2009) Clients: –They say things more directly now –They have become better at asking –More positive atmosphere, more respect