Changing the habits of Namibian community social workers: an experiment in training

Abstract

Two recent studies have shown that highly effective community practitioners exhibit eight habits that set them apart from the rest. The question arose whether these habits could also be instilled in other, less effective practitioners and if so, what the most appropriate means to do so would be. A quest for answers formed the main thrust of a recent study into the habits of a group of 79 Namibian social workers and the extent to which a specially designed training course would change them. The results proved the intervention to have a practical significant effect on seven of their habits and a medium effect on the eighth. This finding could have far-reaching implications for the direct measurement of existing habits, the continuing education and training of practitioners, and the remedial steps to be taken where some fail to make the grade.