Colorado Family Development Credential (FDC) Laura Benavente- Colorado FDC State Coordinator

FDC Background FDC is a research and evidence based family support training and credentialing program. FDC started in 1996 in Ithaca, New York at Cornell University and has expanded to 17 states, and Washington D.C. Colorado Family Education Resource and Training Program (CFERT) brought FDC to Colorado, and the Colorado State University Extension Growing Strong Colorado Families (GSCF) work team has implemented FDC around the state.

FDC Colorado To date FDC has been introduced into 92 organizations in 19 Colorado Counties. 16 Credentialing Courses (90 Hour) are currently running in the state.

Are you wondering if this training will stress out an already overworked staff? Are you trying to decide if your staff will feel like this is just one more thing on their already full plate? Let’s look at impact by workers who have attended an FDC course:

Perceived Impact by Workers After Attending FDC Workers reported they learned knowledge and skills in the following areas:  Listening, empathy and mutually respectful relationships.  Goal setting, advocating and recognizing strengths.  Understanding diversity.

Perceived Impact by Workers After Attending FDC FDC participants reported the following:  Increase in professional self-esteem.  Increase in global self-esteem and mastery.  A greater feeling of professional respect from co-workers.  Feeling less burned out

Are you wondering if your staff will be able to use what they learn? Will the classroom lessons translate to real world work, or do the concepts only work in an ideal world? Can staff really use what they learn ?

Recent Participant Testimonial “Following the training I have found it very useful to sit down with a family and complete the circle assessment prior to doing any further work. This has helped the family realize that some of the issues or stress they deal with, can be reduced or even eliminated after really analyzing all of the support they have around them. ”

Recent Participant Testimonial “When I come across anything these days that may cause stress, I take a minute and imagine a miracle removing that source of stress from my life. This has helped me in my work by refocusing my energy on the solution rather than dwelling on the problem/stressor. I have made this a life a principle and pass these ideas on to everyone whose path I cross. “

Outcomes In addition to impacts on the organizational culture such as staff perceptions and improved work behaviors there are also financial impacts such as staff retention.

Financial Impact US Department of Labor reports employee replacement cost is 1/3 of new hire salary. University of Wisconsin Extension created a detailed worksheet that captures both the direct and indirect costs associated with replacing a staff person. Assuming the replacement position is $15hr position the cost is $6815.

Financial Impact of Staff Loss Assuming the following:  Vacating staff provides 2 weeks notice  Position is vacant for 4 weeks  1 week of training time  4 weeks 25% productivity  6 weeks 50 % productivity  6 weeks 75% productivity = 22.5 weeks to get back to full capacity!

ROI Analysis of FDC FDC takes 90 hours (2.25 weeks) and offers the following :  Improved staff efficiency  Increased staff self esteem  The tools to create an environment that minimizes burn out and staff attrition. Staff attrition costs $6815 and it takes 22.5 weeks to get an organization back to optimal productivity.