The Forgotten Facilitators: Human Relations Training for Support Personnel

Abstract

Lamb and Rapin's (1976) ecological model for categorizing and evaluating student development services emphasizes the total environment of the student service as critical to the students' receptivity to and ultimate success in counseling. The adjunct role of the support staff in the creation and maintenance of a generally positive milieu is often assumed or ignored. To remedy this situation, a staff development program was implemented to (a) provide recognition of the support personnel's necessary involvement in and contribution to the division's mission, (b) develop human relations skills, and (c) facilitate increased understanding and communication between the professional staff and the support staff.

Patron Contact Training: A Workshop for Personnel Who Meet the Public

“…Emener and Pankowski (1978) described such a program for training of secretaries employed at rehabilitation facilities. Heitzmann (1979) outlined a similar approach to training support personnel in student services settings. Anderson's (1981) article on microlabs provided a general reference on planning groups where structured exercises were to be used.…”