March 2024Vol. 25, No. 2Webinar Discusses the 4 Cs of Workforce Development: Culture, Competency, Capacity, & Community
The National Child Welfare Workforce Institute hosted the webinar "4 Cs of Workforce Development: Culture, Competency, Capacity, & Community" this past September as part of the 2023 Workforce Development Month. It featured the Child Welfare League of America’s (CWLA’s) Emerging Leaders Committee, a network of child welfare professionals who seek to do the following:
- Provide networking opportunities for child welfare professionals at all levels of practice, a professional forum for support, opportunities for career growth, and a safe space for the exchange of ideas related to the field of child welfare
- Recommend or create learning opportunities for emerging leaders in CWLA member agencies
- Work with CWLA to identify strategies to connect future leaders with mentorship opportunities
A diverse panel of child welfare professionals from public and private agencies who are also committee cochairs, led by moderator Julie Collins, Vice President of Practice Excellence for CWLA, discussed the Emerging Leadership Committee and its Standards of Excellence, a set of standards that are regularly reviewed, revised, and newly developed that are widely accepted as the foundation for sound U.S. child welfare practice.
The newest standards address the following workforce-related principles and were the focus of the webinar’s discussion:
- The workforce is diverse, well resourced, appropriately compensated, prepared, and responsive.
- The organizational culture is safe, supportive, trauma-informed, values ongoing learning, and is rooted in equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Panelists spoke to the 4 Cs (culture, competency, capacity, and community) and shared actionable steps agencies can take to incorporate strategies supporting employee wellness, professional development, and community partnerships.
To learn more, watch the webinar "4 Cs of Workforce Development: Culture, Competency, Capacity, & Community."