Washington Adventist University’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies Launches Workforce Development Training with the Center for Social Change

Washington Adventist University is delighted to partner with the Center for Social Change in Elkridge, MD in continually realizing its mission of providing services of the highest quality for people with cognitive and developmental disabilities and related disorders. The Center for Social Change operates more than 40 residential facilities across the state of Maryland and a comprehensive day program at its headquarters in Elkridge, MD. Employees of the Center provide direct care to more than 200 Maryland Residents with developmental disabilities.

In its 2022 – 2027 strategic plan, the Center for Social Change acknowledged the invaluable contributions of its multicultural workforce, attributing its strength and ongoing success to the collective knowledge, understanding, and cultural competency of its employees. Consequently, the center’s leaders made a conscious decision to continually invest in the professional growth and development of its most valuable assets, its people, most recently in collaboration with Washington Adventist University’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies.

The School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS) engaged with the center’s program directors, Dana Dimas and Simrat Singh to complete a needs assessment, then designed and launched training courses that focus on effective communication and cultural competency in February 2024. The Effective Communication in the Workplace course aims to help participants communicate more effectively within multiple contexts and ultimately demonstrate essential skills for fostering meaningful communication exchanges within the organization and with the individuals they serve. The Cultural Competency course is designed to help participants foster an understanding and respect for diverse cultures and backgrounds and assist participants with identifying personal cultural values, beliefs, and practices that may influence the provision of direct care.  

Approximately 60 of the center’s nearly 400 employees participated in the training courses in February 2024. Additional employees will be trained during March. The courses will serve as the cornerstone for a comprehensive training certification program that will address various areas of need and interest to be identified collaboratively by Washington Adventist University and the Center for Social Change. The training is further aligned with the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 10.22.02.11 (Staffing Requirements), to which the center adheres. 

 

Dr. Joyce Johnson, the Dean of SGPS and the pioneering facilitator of the training courses, recently expressed her deep appreciation, stating, “It is truly a privilege to support those dedicated to assisting members of some of Maryland’s most vulnerable individuals. Witnessing the zeal and commitment of the Center for Social Change staff in their roles has been profoundly inspiring. I am equally grateful that Washington Adventist University can contribute to the professional development and growth of the center’s employees.”