Improving Communication through Improvisation

• Previous Training Profile
  
• Next Training Profile
  
• Back to Program Description Page

Kuumba Health and Wellness Center is a mental health center in southwest Virginia that handles a large number of court-ordered treatment cases. A challenge at this workplace was that the staff was becoming less cohesive due to a variety of issues. An in-service day was planned to help the team cope with some of the changes and hopefully to break down some barriers.

Due to the short amount of time allowed for the communication aspects of the training day, Communiprov was asked to design a one hour program that could be easily administered by one of the Kuumba associates who had some familiarity with the exercises used in more extensive workshops.

Several exercises were recommended and a format was provided to the on-site facilitator.

The program was completed within the hour and the response was very positive. The participants all enjoyed the activities and were able to discover the purpose of each exercise and apply that to their daily tasks.

According to the facilitator, morale and an improved sense of teamwork was fostered that day and the individual exercises were discussed well after the training day. In fact, the team continued to play some of the games long after the training day had become a memory.

COMMENTS
Not Scored

"It was really fun but it also required us to pay attention to each other and work together as a team."

"We've got several new staff members and it was a good time to try to get everyone on board with each other and bonding with each other with an activity that let everyone have fun"

"I think it was a wonderful chance for everyone to let their guard down and get to know -- and more importantly, begin -- to trust each other..."