Social Responsibility and TOC in

the Public Sector:How a UK Police Constabulary

incorporated TOC to engage

at-risk youth.

Debi Roberts MA Ed, UK, TOCFE, Hertfordshire County Council 2013

26-27 October 2013, Moscow

www.tocpractice.com

8th International Conference of theTOC Practitioners Alliance - TOCPA

Debi Roberts MA Ed.

Director of TOCFE UK

Head of Goldratt Social Applications

Educational author

Youth support officer in charge working with three local youth town councils.

Project Officer for Hertfordshire County Council

I have a Masters in Education, specialising in emotional literacy in educational settings. I have worked with children and parents for nearly 20 years, predominantly looking at ways of supporting thinking skills and facilitating awareness of how emotions influence thinking.

debiroberts@hotmail.co.uk

County of HertfordshirePopulation 1.5 million

Hertfordshire UK

St Albans City

copy right Debi Roberts 2013

copy right Debi Roberts 2013

Video

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copy right Debi Roberts 2013

Girls Night In

A TOC Emotional Literacy intervention

A project for young women,

faced daily with difficult

choices.

Regularly making bad decisions

particularly in relation to alcohol.

copy right Debi Roberts 2013

copy right Debi Roberts 2013

Mine: Create and deliver an effective programme.

The Police:

Short Term: Trial a TOC alcohol intervention by identifying and working with up to six female students aged 15/16 years old, who are abusing alcohol. Engage and educate them so as to reduce their alcohol consumption, associated crime and anti-social behaviour.

Long Term: Introduce a programme that can be rolled out across the County that is proven to reduce crime and anti social behaviour by teaching teens to drink within government guidelines.

The girls mmmmm.....how could I confidently assume what their needs were?

Goals

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In the police

Standard Practise

With the girls

With Myself

Obstacles

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a. I do not have a working knowledge of this subject matter I dont drink.

b. The girls may not respond well to me.

c. I am not used to the limitations of public sector initiatives.

d. Working with police officers who are not familiar with TOC or emotional literacy techniques or the concept that there are not bad people only bad actions.

a. I study and research until I have a thorough knowledge of this subject

b. If I believe people are not bad though their behaviour might be, and.... I can convey that theses girls are precious to me as individuals, (Kohult vital functions) And.... I apply emotional literacy techniques in a non confrontational or judgemental way, and I am warm, friendly delighted by them (Hughes P.A.C.E) then.....I have done everything I can to ensure they respond well to me.

c. If I dont know what the past limitations are I cant be limited by them!

d. Lead by example. Get agreement for structure of workshop and the theories supporting the structure. Model my curiosity and how I use the branch and cloud to explore how behaviour is always an attempt to meet needs.

Obstacles For me

Inter-speculation

a) Budget

b) A commitment from fund holders

c) Communication with other agencies to organise effectively*

d) Data poorly recorded by the police making it hard to identify:

I. Suitable girls for the project.**

II. What alcohol had been seized from them.

III. Amounts and locations of the seizure.

IV. Specific enforcement action applied and any follow up work

carried out!

Obstacles for the Police:

a. Most alcohol interventions for teenagers focus on alcohol as the problem

b. Alcohol is a problem It often not the core problem fro the drinker

c. Most interventions / support agencies do not acknowledge the following as significant or if they do, seem unable to offer solutions to the girls :

Boredom. Frustration.

Loss of hope. Lack of knowledge.

Family unable or unwilling to support better choices.

Obstacles within Standard Practice:

LACK OF

SELF ESTEEM

Copyright Debi Roberts 2007

Inappropriate wants

unmet or hidden

needs

Obstacles for potential participants

being mindful of their thoughts and needs, imagine into their world, what would

stop them from attending?

a. This is not mandatory.

b. They are marginalised.

c. They have no support.

d. They are used to being singled

out for interventions.

e. They have pre-conceived

negative ideas about authority

figures.

f. They do not want to listen or

they do not understand what

is being said.

g. They cant get to or from the

sessions.

h. They will be hungry when they

get there.

This workshops was prepared using TOC and ALWAYS used TOC methods to engage and educate the participants however other methods and theories supported the project and were key in my approach to working with the young women.

1. Dan Hughes PACE (playfulness, acceptance, curiosity, Empathy).

2. Enable (Meeting their being and doing needs ).

3. REBT (rational emotional behaviour) it was useful once but now lets see what might be better.

4. Attunement and all of Kohuts vital parental functions (validation of their experience, ability to sooth and regulate and model self-soothing and regulation and containment)

5. Bowlbys Attachment Theory.

6 . Milan Theory of Family.

Additional methodologies

All three girls have sad and complicated stories. But each regularly drinks more than 20 units of alcohol a week

They are all as close to social and economic breakdown as it is possible to be in Hertfordshire.

They all are in serious trouble at the PRUs they attend due to absenteeism, violence and lack of co-operation.

PRU = pupil referral unit, children who are unable to engage in mainstream education are often educated at PRUS THESE ARE NOT THEIR REAL NAMES OR PICTURES.

Jane is 16 Penny is 14 Honey is 16

a) Chronic conflicts have been going on for some time and thus carry a lot of emotional baggage or story.

b) For many families and individuals, chronic conflicts have conspired to create a loss in self esteem, self belief and independence.

c) Often we only scratch the surface of a problem.

These girls endured various chronic situations.

TOC allows a person to acknowledge the needs

behind the wants getting closer to the core problem.

Chronic situations

Copyright Debi Roberts 2007

a) by improving participants ability to make healthy and sensible decisions.

b) Teaching participants a method to predict the possible outcomes / consequences of their

actions.

c) Exploring how the consequences of their behaviour effects others

(family/friends/education/emergency services etc).

d) Teaching participants a method to articulate their goals and create a time ordered plan to

achieve stated goal.

e) Sharing clear information regarding alcohol and the effects on individual organs.

f) Offering reparative contact and transformational relationship contributing to explorations of

authentic self via TOC , Emotional Literacy techniques and art therapy.

g) Improving students ability to stay connected to authentic self, even on a bad day.

h) Supporting participants ability to take responsibility for their lives by improving their ability to

hold the opposites they are confronted with, (e.g. parents they love who were sometimes

unloving) to manage paradox (e.g. they were both their own best friend and worst enemy)

and to live with contradiction (mixed media messages surrounding alcohol) and uncertainty

(none of us knows what the future holds but we can prepare for opportunities).

i) To relearn a different way to be and be responded to.

j) To support each girl by offering an abridged version of the course to their parents/carers (one

evening).

How was this programme going to impact chronic life situations .

Not drinking but still having fun

Budget, lack of communication and co-ordination meant some identified obstacles

were not successfully managed (venue - room layout) however all other obstacles

were overcome and goals for the evening achieved. We had a great evening, the

girls stayed till the end of the session, engaged in all activities and returned the

following week!!

Copyright Debi Roberts 2007

all night

d

not to party

all night

d

WANTSNEEDS

COMMON

OBJECTIVE

To party all night

To be able to get up in the morning for school/work

To have fun

To have a good life

First attempt at a cloud

a

c

b

to party

Not have

people over

every night

to party

Get to bed at

a decent

time

party

To have

people over

every night to

party

Have someone

with me when I

fall asleep

I need to

I must..

To sleep well

and be rested.

Janes thoughts as she considered assumptions - these do not necessarily explain the link but give a deeper

understanding) Having a party every night usually results in someone staying over.

I dont like being alone at night.

In order to

Janes thoughts as she considered assumptions (these do not necessarily explain the link but give a deeper understanding of the problem) Having people over every night prevents me going to bed early.

Having people over every night means I take a lot of alcohol and drugs which stops me getting up in time for

school or work.

Having people stay over every night requires a lot of energy manipulating people to stay over.

a b

c

d

d

I dont know how to go to

sleep on my own.

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to party

Not have

people over

every night

to party

Go to bed at a

decent time

without drugs and

alcohol

party

To have

people over

every night to

party

To have someone I

feel safe with stay

with me when I

fall asleep

I must..

To sleep well and be

rested

because.. C-D1: guests bring drugs and alcohoI

which I then take.

because..B-D1: I know how to manipulate my friends to stay over after the party.

B-D2: Having a party every night usually results in someone staying over.

B-D3: I dont like being alone at night and having a party makes this less likely.

A-C1: After parting half

the night I cant get up

in the morning for

school or work

A-B1: m scared of being

alone in the dark on my own

a

d

dc

b

So I would like to share what I have found to be true..

Toc allows hidden truths

to be exposed.

I didnt understand what a unit was or why it was important to limit them

You dont patronise us or tell us what to do You dont patronise us or tell us what to do You dont patronise us or tell us what to do You dont patronise us or tell us what to do I dont want to drink anymore, want to drink anymore, want to drink anymore, want to drink anymore,

I dont want to die at 50 andI dont want to die at 50 andI dont want to die at 50 andI dont want to die at 50 andI dont want to look older than I amI dont want to look older than I amI dont want to look older than I amI dont want to look older than I am

We drink because were bored, but this isnt boring, so if we are here, we are not drinking

I know what I want to do with my life now

Feedback from the girls

Every stage has a Every stage has a Every stage has a Every stage has a conflict conflict conflict conflict

and through its and through its and through its and through its resolution resolution resolution resolution

our identity is our identity is our identity is our identity is shapedshapedshapedshaped

1. Re-kindle their dreams. Provide a tangible experience of that

dream. Create ATT to ensure the dream becomes a reality.

2. Be available a relationship has been created and cannot

just be lost, create a reducing agreement as to when and

how I will be available.

3. Provide continued support outside of group and ensure

ripple effect as groups double in size with each course as

original participants bring friends and relatives on to

subsequent courses.

Exit Strategy and sustsinability

Did the girls make any changes?

Had the course effected their ability to make

better decisions for themselves?

Had they remembered who they were and

where they were going?

Decided to take control of things and make changes.

Realized she could no longer continue to live in the toxic environment that

was her family home. Shortly after these sessions she was fortunate

enough to secure her own accommodation.

When I last heard of her she had started college and was on her way to

becoming a plumber the dream she identified for herself at the

beginning of our sessions together.

I won't pretend that its going to be all roses for her because its not. Jane

still has many obstacles to overcome however; in addition to her

incredible inner resilience she now has some practical tools that will

support her, even when those close to her cant.'

Back in mainstream school.

Attends all 5 full days.

Has a method for expressing

her emotions (the branch)

that she can take and show to

people instead of kicking their

door down.

Penny

Immediately -1. Resolved her conflict with her Pupil Referral Unit.

2. Parents no longer facing charges.

Honey kept in contact with us and we were happy to

continue mentoring to support her search for a

job.

Short term -

We attended her college interview with her where

she was accepted outright on to a childcare course

- at a higher level than was aiming for!

Her parents are more able to deal with life.

September 08 she started her child care

course. She has met some young ladies

there who are drinking too much and has

instigated the first teen lead drinking project.

Honey

Has not drunk in 5 years

- having internalised

the tools after the

course, she applied the

tools again and was

able to give up

smoking.

Sent: 04 March 2008 00:19:00 To: Debi Roberts (littlethinkers@hotmail.co.uk)Hiya debs ...just thought ill email you let you know some good news lol .. iveapplied for collge doing entry level child care and i may be doing my gcse at collage .. ive also applied for a couple of jobs in town and have a job interview tuesday at 9.30 .. so hopefully ill have a job in no time lol ..

The course made a big difference to the way i look at my life and made me relise i did drink to much (which i have change a lot ihavent drunk anything at all for the past 2 months) ... and it has made me want to go out and look for a job and sort my education out ... i want to say thanks for all your help s well because to be honest with out you and lara i wouldnt be where i am now with a interview and maybe starting collage so THANKS A LOT !!! :)

anyway i surpose i better try and get some sleep ready for tomorroomg im so nervous ...

ill email you tomorro let you know how i got on :)

love h

Does not drink and used the tools to give up

smoking

Lectures in college supporting young

women to make sensible choices

Received funding to attend a TOC Odyssey Programme where

she met Dr. Goldratt and impressed him everyone who met

her.

Is in a stable relationship and about to be

married

Long Term

The police Constabulary initially rolled this out community

police officers however within the next 12 months had taken a

strategic decision to focus on law enforcement and not diverse

into preventative work and so repeating this project on a large

scale was no longer a priority for them.*

Sgt. Stephenson went on to became Inspector Stephenson and

took on the portfolio for youth.

The Inspector we had worked under, Inspector Dent, was

seconded to Whitehall to advise on Alcohol strategy.

Outcomes for the Police

Some Additional thoughts

TOC Methodologies can

facilitate and promote

profound change in people

Copyright Debi Roberts 2007