The Art of Asking project is now complete.
This exciting pilot project, funded in part through the Victoria Foundation and through PRACL"s Wish Fund, has helped PRACL continue our work in supporting the individuals we serve to develop personal networks.
This project created learning for our organization in anticipated and in unanticipated ways. We are proud of the results in these areas:
• The four staff who led pilots increased their skill at identifying individual gifts and talents; identifying community members who were potential matches for the individual; and discussing the value of personal relationships with community members.
• The workshop entitled “The Art of Asking” was designed and delivered to the respective staff groups. It was also delivered to residential service program leaders. The materials are ready to be revised based on feedback received from participants. PRACL hopes to deliver this workshop as well as the learning from the pilots at the next BCACL conference. The workshop materials can also be reconfigured for agency in-service.
• Although each pilot progressed differently, overall, the pilot leads were more dependent on their own skills and abilities and on the coaching and support from the pilot coordinator, than was hoped. The opportunities to update and get feedback from their staff groups and from their supervisors were quite limited. The leads saw this again as a workload issue exacerbated by the time of year. (i.e. summer)
• Despite these hurdles, every pilot successfully added 3-5 community members to the focus person’s network using the methodology outlined in the proposal and in the Art of Asking Workshop.
• One pilot garnered exceptional results. The process of network development rekindled the families’ confidence in their sons’ gifts and abilities; in the agency’s ability to support their son effectively; and in the community’s ability to embrace their son.
• The direct impact on persons served was clearly positive in 3 of 4 instances and showed up as increased self-confidence; and increased satisfaction with leisure and relationships
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