Abstract
A cross-sectional survey was used to evaluate two agency-based training programs. Program-specific questionnaires were administered to 85 clinical staff of diverse personal and professional backgrounds to study the degree to which these educational endeavors achieved their goals from the perspectives of the participants. These programs were offered by a large urban mental health and social service agency. Findings indicated a moderate to high perceived efficacy. Three unexpected findings are reported here: (1) participants valued collegial contact and the opportunity to discuss their work most highly; (2) participants valued gaining cutting edge knowledge less highly; and (3) participants of color perceived that the training programs helped them feel more valued by the agency, boosted their morale, and contributed to their retention at the agency significantly more so than the white study participants. Implications for social work professional development will be discussed. Adapted from the source document.