New Perspectives on Training and Technical Assistance: Moving from Assumptions to a Focus on Quality

The last decade was a period of radical change in our understanding of organizational performance and culture. A focus on quality has resulted in new ways of discussing and seeking to improve both organizational performance and individual performance. Current personnel training and technical assistance activities in services for persons with severe disabilities tend to be based on assumptions that pre-date these changes. In this article those assumptions are discussed. We review the quality perspective and describe how it changes relationships and roles among managers, direct service staff, and technical assistance and training providers. We believe that the focus on quality is applicable to all social service organizations. However, in this paper, we provide examples of the use of basic quality improvement structures in relation to training and technical assistance as applied primarily to supported employment.