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USING ROLE PLAY FOR TRAINING AND SUPERVISION
When our paraprofessional HelpLine workers are asked about what is the most helpful part of
training and supervision, they invariably say, "The chance to practice skills in role plays." Role
plays build skills and confidence, identify individual training needs and personal issues of HelpLine
workers that could interfere with their effectiveness, and demonstrate methods of dealing with
actual calls. This workshop provided demonstrations and hands-on experience through break-out
groups with effective role play, how to provide feedback, and how to deal with "problem"
trainees.
Before the first role play session "Trainers" (HelpLine professional staff or experienced HelpLine
workers) explain why role plays are used, exactly what will occur, and what is expected. We
explain the three roles that trainees will take during role play exercises: the "Caller," the
"Worker," and the "Observer." We also make it clear that trainees are being evaluated not only
when they take the role of HelpLine Worker, but also when they take role of Caller or Observer.
We believe that trainees who are unable to identify with or believably portray the emotions,
thoughts, and behaviors of the Caller are unlikely to be empathetic/effective HelpLine workers.
The Caller is given a written scenario while out of the hearing of the rest of the role play group
that suggests ways to portray the caller. The Caller is not allowed to make major changes in the
scenario, for example, a Caller cannot introduce suicidal ideation into a call that did not specify
this. Callers are not allowed to hang up on a Worker (before the natural conclusion of the call)
unless the role play scenario directs him/her to do so.
Playing the role of HelpLine Worker demonstrates the volunteer's skills and understanding of how
to handle a call. Additionally, during the debriefing portion of role play we can observe whether
the Worker can take feedback non-defensively and determine whether the Worker is able to
"self-critique" appropriately. During role plays Trainers aren't allowed to prompt the Worker, but
they can serve the function of the second worker on a shift, such as when the Worker has a
co-worker look up information or having them contact emergency back-up with suicidal callers.
All other trainees/supervisees serve as Observers. Observers are rated on their ability to give both
positive and corrective feedback and on the level of understanding of caller dynamics
demonstrated by their feedback to the Worker. We believe the ability to give negative feedback
indicates assertiveness skills that are essential to being a HelpLine worker. Current HelpLine
volunteers often act as observers during the 40-plus hours of initial volunteer training.
During initial training, 1½ hours of role play training is included each day, and the role plays often
have themes that match the content of training sessions from earlier in the day. Two to three role
play scenarios with subsequent feedback are done during each role play session, and trainees are
split into smaller groups of five or six to decrease performance anxiety. During the early part of
the training week, Trainers may stop role plays before they end to allow more trainees to get a
chance to take each role. Later in the training week, role plays are allowed to go to their natural
conclusion to give trainees a chance to experience how calls progress and end.
After each role play, feedback is provided. The Caller begins by discussing how it felt to play the
scenario and giving positive and negative feedback to the Worker. Then the Worker gives his/her
impressions of the call, what felt effective, and what could be done differently. Feedback is then
given by the Observers. The Worker is not allowed to "debate" feedback, but may ask clarifying
questions of the Observers. Finally Trainer(s) give feedback to Callers, Workers, and Observers,
and process whatever else came up during feedback, including issues that were missed, caller
dynamics, personalization issues of Trainees, or policy/procedure issues.
Trainers (and current HelpLine workers who act as observers) fill out written forms on all trainees
and turn them in to the HelpLine coordinators so that the progress of trainees can be tracked,
subsequent role plays can be selected based on trainees' individual needs, and a determination can
be made of whether or not a trainee will be accepted as a HelpLine worker at the end of training.
After the training week the HelpLine Coordinators have a one-hour interview with each trainee
that includes a 20 to 30 minute role play over the phone.
In on-going supervision, the "rules" of role play are much less formal, and at times Workers will
switch out during the same role play to give more than one perspective on handling a call. During
initial training and later supervision Coordinators or Supervisors sometimes give demonstration
role plays to provide modeling of skills and procedures.