AIRS/Essential Learning WebinarCo-presented by:Clive Jones, AIRS

Sandra Ray, United Way of Greater HoustonLeslie Mariner, Essential Learning

Goals of the Presentation

Introduction Essential Learning

Highlights of AIRS Partnership

Greater Houston United Way 2-1-1 Experience

Demo Sampling of Courses

How to Access Courses and More Information

About Essential Learning• Established in 2002

• Focus Exclusively on E-Learning for Behavioral Health and Human Service

Organizations

• Hosted, web-based, Learning Management System (LMS) and online courses

for organizations

• CEQuick online courses for individuals

• Over 800 Organizations Using Our System in 48 States & Canada

• 97% Customer Retention since inception of company

• 350,000 Active Registered Students

• More than 5.3 million course completions

• Comprehensive compliance and CEU libraries for Human Services

Organizations

• More Information – www.essentiallearning.com

AIRS Online Training

• AIRS Membership survey in early 2006 sought insights into unmet needs – “more training” was a strong refrain

• Linda Daily (now with United Way Worldwide) undertook some research for AIRS and recommended online training

• Essential Learning was identified on becoming aware of its use by many social service agencies including the Mental Health Association of New York City

AIRS Online Training

• Contract with Essential Leaning signed mid-2006 with aim for launch of online training portal early 2007

• Developed first online courses (support from Dammann Fund)

• There were/are two options to access: Individual purchase (the pay-as-you-learn or CE Quick model at www.cequick.com/AIRS) and the “Organizational Training Portal”

AIRS Online Training

• 2008 CEQ course completions = 522• 2008 Org model completions = 3,113

• 2009 CEQ course completions = 480• 2009 Org model completions = 9,880

Users find that staff learn and retain “differently” through online training

AIRS Online TrainingAdvantages of Organizational Training Portals 

Clarity for training budget as annual fee• No need to dig out the credit card• 24/7 access, so flexibility for staff• Staff find themselves taking more courses• Managers can access a tracking and reporting system that

shows training activity• Organizations can design an unlimited number of own

basic courses, free of charge, in a variety of standard formats

AIRS Online Training

• 2010 AIRS membership survey ranked online training as 6th most important service/product provided by AIRS (69% rated it as either Very or Extremely Important; only 6% said it had no importance to their agency

AIRS Online Training

• And yet ….

• In a 2008 membership survey, 36% of agencies said at least one staff member had taken an online course (64% had not …)

• And in a 2009 survey … the numbers were exactly the same …

AIRS Online Training

Current AIRS courses:• AIRS: An Overview for Resource Specialists• AIRS: CIRS Practice Examination• AIRS: Confidentiality• AIRS: Database Maintenance• AIRS: Disaster Preparation and Management• AIRS: I&R Crisis Intervention• AIRS: I&R Customer Service• AIRS: I&R for Military Service Members and their Families

AIRS Online Training

Current AIRS courses:• AIRS: Inclusions and Exclusions• AIRS: Introduction to I&R• AIRS: Introduction to Taxonomy• AIRS: Resource Database Style• AIRS: Serving People with MH Issues• AIRS: Serving Young People• AIRS: The I&R Process• AIRS: Working With Challenging Clients

AIRS Online Training

For Certification• Useful for not essential• Certain courses are core (e.g. AIRS: Introduction to

Taxonomy and AIRS: The I&R Process)• Each credit hour = one credit hour for

Recertification• Also provides CEU hours for those who need them

for other professional credentials

AIRS Online Training

• AIRS Training Committee• Value of access to Essential Learning’s

existing online catalogue/library• Reviewing course evaluations, overseeing

new courses and updates to existing ones• Assessing relevance of new courses to our

members (Managing Teams, Attitudes at Work, Effective Boards)

AIRS Online Training: Future Goals

• More AIRS members setting up their own Organizational Training Portals

• More organizations creating their own courses and sharing them with their I&R colleagues

• More experimenting with new ways of delivering online training (e.g. audio)

How to

• Individual Course Purchase www.cequick.com/AIRS

• “Organizational Training Portal” – contact Essential Learning for more information

www.essentiallearning.com

1.800.729.9198

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