Applied Learning Communities (ALCs)

In 2019 the Applied Learning Communities (ALCs) program launched in Wisconsin. ALC learners self-select to participate on agency teams and enroll in a regional learning cohort.

Each cohort is eager to engage in a facilitated study of a child welfare policy that governs an area of practice. Facilitated by Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development System (WCWPDS), the ALCs incorporate adult learning strategies to facilitate dialogue among and between Child Protective Services (CPS) practitioners in each of Wisconsin’s five regions.

What Do ALC Sessions Include?

ALCs demonstrate our value for workforce support that includes:

Training
Technical Assistance
Team Work
Sensitivity to Secondary Trauma

Sessions include something for everyone, no matter what your learning style is!

A trained facilitator structures the daylong session to draw out participants’ knowledge of Wisconsin statutes and standards and support participants’ critical thinking skills.

What Do ALC Sessions Accomplish?

Sessions:

Build community within and between counties
Increase our common understanding of how child welfare practice is experienced by staff and families in Wisconsin.
Provide a unique learning opportunity to build a broader perspective outside of the local agency

What's Unique about ALCs?

There are unique aspects that make them different from other trainings offered through WCWPDS:

Local child welfare agencies send teams, including at least one supervisor
Training curriculum is selected and developed in response to statewide practice data analyzed through Wisconsin’s Continuous Quality Improvement processes, including Systems Change Review
Cases are real and consultation and coaching is offered to support case practice