The Alliance for Workforce Enhancement (AWE), a program from the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, partners with Florida-based child welfare agencies and provides a framework for organizational change, workforce well-being, and specialized leadership development. Informed by implementation science, selected AWE sites participate in a three-year partnership.  During this time, AWE sites conduct a comprehensive assessment of their organization and ongoing strategy sessions toward system-wide change. The process of strategizing and planning for change is supported by concurrent well-being and resiliency activities and leadership development training and coaching.  The goal for AWE sites is to implement data-driven strategies that are inclusive of the workforce and led by competent leaders at all levels. 

Specifically, the AWE program is a collaborative effort aimed at building internal capacity among child welfare agencies by empowering their leaders. The program operates under the assumption that child welfare leaders and their workforce understand their environment and community and present them as decision-makers and agents of change.   

AWE Site Benefits 

Becoming an AWE site provides a series of benefits to participating child welfare agencies. AWE sites can expect: 

1. Ongoing Facilitation: Facilitation services assist sites in conducting comprehensive assessments of their organizations, strategizing for systemic change, and designing tailored approaches to enhance child welfare services. 

2. Workforce Well-being : AWE sites are provided well-being resources that foster confidential and safe environments for professionals to openly discuss and navigate the challenges inherent in their crucial roles.  

3. Training Opportunities : Leadership and staff are given training opportunities that equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to drive organizational transformation, foster inclusive work environments, and implement data-driven strategies. 

4. Building Coaching Capacity : Leadership at all levels partake in coaching capacity building opportunities to develop their competencies, manage change, and promote the well-being of their workforce. 

5. Hands-on Learning Activities : Through a Leadership Academy, participants engage in hands-on learning activities that enables them to apply new knowledge and skills within their unique organizational contexts. 

6. Expert Consultation : AWE sites have access to expert consultants who can provide insight and guidance on specific challenges and opportunities related to organizational change and leadership development. 

7. Financial Resources : The 3-year partnership is of no financial cost to the selected site. The AWE team provides ongoing partnership and allocates resources to cover assessment, training, and consultation expenses. 

Eligibility   

• Participation is open to public and private Florida-based child welfare agencies.  

• Applicants should be from an investigative or case management agency working within child protection. The following agencies are encouraged to apply: 

  • Child Protective Investigations 

  • Community Based Care Lead Agencies 

    • Lead Agencies can apply and include their contracted case management agencies. 

  • Case Management Organizations   

Letter of Interest Instructions 

To apply to participate in the AWE program, please submit a Letter of Interest (LOI) by 5PM on April 8, 2024. LOIs must adhere to the following preparation instructions to be considered:

1. Double spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font.  

2. All pages should be numbered. 

3. LOIs should be minimum 3 pages but not exceed 5 pages. 

4. Letters should be submitted as PDF. 

Succinctly address the following: 

1. A brief overview of your organization, its mission, and vision. 

2. Describe your most pressing workforce-related challenges. 

3. Describe how the following AWE Components could positively impact the workforce challenges you described: 

   • Organizational Health Assessment 

   • Strategic Planning

   • Workforce Well-being

   • Leadership Development 

4. Include any workforce initiatives that you are currently involved in and timeline for those activities.  

LOI Review and  Selection Process 

Once the LOIs are submitted, the AWE team will begin their review and selection process through the two following phases: 

1. LOI Review: The AWE team will convene a review committee that will review all LOIs. The goal is to identify the top candidates for the next phase of the process. 

2. Interviews: The interview process provides deeper insights into the readiness of potential AWE sites. This phase is divided into two distinct stages: 

   1. Initial Screening Interviews:  These interviews serve as an indicative assessment designed to assess the initial fit of prospective sites with the AWE program. The initial screening interview gauges the readiness of the sites and delves into the current workforce challenges they face. Although this interview is an important step in the process, it does not guarantee selection.

   2. Full Interviews: Following the initial screening interviews, two sites will advance to a full interview. Applicants who are invited to this phase are accepted as an AWE site, contingent upon the completion of a full proposal. Here, the AWE team collaborates with the applicants to complete their full proposals. These interviews should illustrate a full picture of the applicant’s workforce and goals. This phase will determine the best onboarding timeline for each site.  

There will be two additional sites selected for the next cycle of the AWE program. The first site’s launch is scheduled for January 2025, with the second site set to begin in July 2025. The desired onboarding dates for each site will be determined during the interview phase, considering their unique circumstances and readiness.

For more information about the Alliance for Workforce Enhancement, please click here.