Courses
Measuring quality of life from the person's perspective
Assessing personal and organisational outcomes using Personal Outcome Measures
This unit is delivered by Julia Wolfson
Overview
This four-day action-learning workshop focuses on measuring personal quality of life and responsiveness of services, using the Personal Outcome Measures℠ reliable interviewing tool developed by the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL). Information gathering starts with the person's perspective on their own life, and is then referenced to the responsiveness of organisational supports and systems as enablers and enhancers of quality.
Basic assurances are very important. On these we can build expanding opportunities for social ties, real relationships and dreams. Learners to gather data in practice interviews, synthesize the interview data, analyse findings, and identify opportunities for change.
This unit offers organisational leaders, administrators, direct-care supporters and educators a reflection space away from direct-service and management pressures, in which to come together in a spirit of collaboration to examine some inherent assumptions in service delivery through the prism of human needs and aspirations that most of consider to be are universally important.
Workshop content, instruction, discussion and reflections build around two practice interviews, which learners conduct in pairs. Each interview has three parts: a focused conversation with a person receiving supports, a focused conversation with those who know and love this person best, and a structured process for organizing, analyzing and making meaning from information learned during the conversations.
Learners in this unit gain new insights into the person’s perspective on his or her quality life and supports, draw correlations with the perspectives of those who know and love this person best, and learn to identify where to focus attention towards action in terms of individualised supports and responsive systems.
The interviewing tool has multiple uses and benefits. For an individual it can offer a framework for person-directed planning, annual reviews and understanding root causes of perplexing challenges that a person may be struggling with at a given moment in time. The tool can also be used to identify trends and opportunities across the organisation, and priorities for focused action.
This action-learning workshop is usually delivered on-site by invitation of an organisation, in order to set up practice interviews with consenting individuals and their supporters. For this unit, there is usually a maximum of 12 participants.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this unit, learners will be able to:
- Gather data about quality of life outcomes from the perspective of the person receiving supports, and analyse it meaningfully using the Personal Outcome Measures℠ framework and interviewing tool.
- Gather data about individualized supports and responsive systems for this person from those who know this person best, using the Personal Outcome Measures℠ framework and interviewing tool.
- Use the Personal Outcome Measures℠ data gathered to determine priorities for individual and organisational focus.
Downloadable readings
James Gardener PhD - About quality
J. Wolfson - CQL Personal Outcome Measures - Overview
J. Wolfson - Reclaiming wholeness in diversity: what to look for, and how to measure it'. Overview of Personal Outcome Measures in context of Transform and Empower approaches.
View CQL website for excellent information and resources on personal outcomes and measures and for information about the Personal Outcome Measures Assessment Training.