Tool: Thinking About Skills Transfer
April 28th, 2008 at 12:54 pm (Downloadable Tools!, On Organizing, SONG)
What is Skills Transfer and Why is it Different Than Standard Teaching and Training?
By Caitlin Breedlove, with the thinking of many SONG folks
One of the things that we have learned at SONG over the past few years, is that we have to look really deeply and self-reflectively at what we are doing and how we are doing it. In this time of great change, we commit to our strategies being bold AND thoughtful. One of the conversations we have been having a lot around the SONG house and SONG calls is about Skills Transfer, and what it takes to truly transfer skills from one person to another.
In the age of non-profits in the US, too often we have experienced first-hand how ’skills training’ is a process that only begins to scratch the surface of any given skill, and leaves the trainer with all the power they started with, and the participant with only a beginning understanding of what a skill like facilitation or outreach really is.
If we truly believe in popular education as a process led by the people and for the people, we must always strive to deepen our ability to do skills transfer; and if we recognize that organizing means building leaders AND power, then we must work to see ourselves and other living beings as our most valuable resources.
What the Left has been better at than skills transfer, some would argue, is facilitating political dialogue and education. We have done hard work to help expand thinking, to push hard questions, to build critical thought in our circles. What we have to figure out is how to unite this practice with good skills transfer.
Skills Transfer means that a skill is delivered whole from one person to another. It means that when we help to transfer the skill we recognize that we are not ‘teaching’ in the sense that the knowledge comes from us, but rather that we are a conduit for the skill moving through us to others–thus we concentrate and evaluate ourselves based on how thoroughly the skill has transferred.
Here is a possible check list for what to think about when we are leading a skills transfer process:
-Have we transferred an understanding of what the skill is, where it comes from, and its context? If so, how do we know we have?
-Have we helped others practice and ask questions about each component of the skill?
-Have we shared all the ‘tricks of the trade’ with the skill that we know? (Think deep–some of these we might not even notice we do anymore 
if we have been practicing a skill a long time)
-Have we helped imbue a sense of confidence in others in their ability to use the skill?
-Have we helped them schedule a first time when they can use this skill? If they don’t feel ready for this, have we asked them what they would need to get there, and planned to follow thru with whatever support we can offer?
-Have we talked with them about follow up and reflection around the skill?
-Have we talked about how they can help to transfer the skill again at some point, and discussed the power dynamics of not transferring the skill?
NOTE: When we are having a skill transferred to us we can also take responsibility for our own learning, by using these same questions re-framed. Asking ourselves and the person transferring skills to us: Have I gotten all I need about the context of this skill? About the ‘tricks of the trade’? Do I feel confidant in how to use this skill? Why or why not? (Much thanks to the Beehive Collective for reminding us that this checklist should go both ways!!)
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At SONG, we would not claim we are perfect at any of this. But, we have recognized the need to think more deeply about the process of skills transfer to build self-determination for groups, and equity among group members.
Do YOU have thoughts about skills transfer? Experiences you want to share? Email us at Caitlin@Southernersonnewground.org