Volume 16 Number 2 • 2003

Mentoring in Times of Transition

By Von Elison, Executive Director, and Gretchen Thatcher, Independent Living Advisor,
Central Washington Disability Resources, Ellensburg, WA

In November 2002, I happened to notice the application for the Rural Independent Living Leadership Mentoring Initiative (RILLMI) for intensive on-site mentoring. A collaborative effort between the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) and The University of Montana Rural Institute, the intensive on-site mentoring program is offered to two rural Centers for Independent Living (CILs) to provide training and consulting over the span of a year. I immediately grabbed the application and scrawled across the paper, “HELP ME!.”

Central Washington Disability Resources (CWDR) is a small, rural CIL located in Ellensburg, WA. Home to the Yakama tribe and with a total population of approximately 30% Hispanics, the Central Washington area is rich in diversity. As is typical of rural CILs, we attempt to cover a large area from one office and with seven staff, serving 1200-1300 individuals per year across our varied programs. CWDR, although providing core services plus a recreation program for approximately 16 years, has been experiencing many changes over the last three years in staff turnover, programs, management, and community relations.

The Impact of Change

Transitions can be exciting, exhilarating, challenging, and painful. For some, changes are an exciting journey into unknown territory and they embrace them. For others they are a complete upheaval of comfort and familiarity, and yet there are those few others that just seem to adjust with ease in the face of changes. Frankly, some of the changes of the last year were more painful than exhilarating.

These transitions, although not always smooth, are a true test of staff resiliency. There have been no manuals and no directions, just the vision and mission to guide the changes. The CWDR staff is extremely committed to providing a diverse independent living program, and each person has been and is an invaluable component of developing and implementing the programs.

Yet we had also been experiencing growing pains as a result of these changes. So after having taken on several new programs, staff, a name change, and planning an expansion to Yakima, WA, it seemed as if everything at CWDR had changed dramatically, thus leaving some of our staff feeling uncertain of what would change next. With each change, it began to feel as if we were losing sight of our vision and purpose, and what had once been a healthy exchange of ideas was becoming internalized frustration.

RILLMI Training

When I discovered that CWDR had been accepted for RILLMI project, I felt assured that the project could truly address many of those needs in order to transition smoothly through our previous and upcoming changes. Our consultant, Mike Flaherty from the Rural Institute, began the series of four trainings/technical assistance (TA) site visits by spending the first day getting to know CWDR staff, our philosophy, and the programs we offered.

Part One of the training was titled “Values, Mission, and Corporate Culture.” The training addressed an integral component of the changes at CWDR, including how to sustain our mission and commitment to stakeholders. One of the primary concerns was being able to maintain an atmosphere that promoted self- advocacy, systems advocacy, and participant driven services.

The training explored the value and meaning of being a mission-driven organization, and
it was valuable because each participant was pushed to identify their own values and was challenged to determine whether their values were consistent with the mission and values of the agency.

Three months later, Mike returned to CWDR to conduct the second training/TA on “Communication, Conflict, and Negotiation.” We learned how to identify different types of conflict, as well as how to perceive conflict as a valuable foundation of change rather than a negative strain on resources. The training also gave the participants a foundation for identifying potential problems before the problems became irreparable.

The staff and board are looking forward to Mike’s next two trainings and on-site consultation, as each of the trainings gives CWDR board members, staff, and community members the opportunity to develop similar skills. The staff and board of directors have seen the immediate benefits by the revisiting the CWDR mission and providing tools for conflict during these changes. Suddenly, due to the RILLMI intensive mentoring, the transitions do not seem so painful and CWDR is approaching those changes with excitement instead of dread.

For more information contact:
Central Washington Disability Resources (CWDR)
422 North Pine
Ellensburg, WA 98926

Phone: (509) 962-9620 V/TTY
Email: cwdr@televar.com