Bere Island Projects Group Ltd
Workplan for 2005 – 2006

Supervision Policy for Bere Island Projects Group Ltd

 The Management Committee (MC) of Bere Island Projects Group Ltd CDP recognises its responsibility to ensure that all employees have access to regular supervision and support for their work.  The MC aims to continually work towards a “partnership model” of supervision, which is for the benefit of both the supervisor and the supervisee. 

Supervision involves a regular, structured opportunity for staff to discuss their work, review progress and make plans for the future with a more senior member of staff or with a member of the Management Committee.

 Purpose of Supervision 

  1. To monitor, evaluate and approve the workers performance, ensuring accountability of employees to the Management Committee.
  2. To provide a structured opportunity to discuss how the worker and supervisor feel about the work of the worker.
  3. To clarify priorities and set targets for the work.
  4. To recognise and deal with existing or potential problems.
  5. To identify training needs.
  6. To help the worker manage the workload.
  7. To facilitate communication and mutual understanding.
  8. To ensure staff terms and conditions of employment are reviewed regularly.
  9. To manage time – holidays etc

 Supervision Structures

 Internal

The MC delegates the role of supervision to the Staff Liaison Sub Group and members of this group will decide who will supervise employees. It is the policy of the MC that at least 2 of the 3 from the SLG take on the role of supervision for an employee.

(Nominate two people and rotate on a 4 monthly basis)

 Co-ordinator & other staff

The Co-Ordinator shall have responsibility for supervision of other employees. 

 External

In addition to management supervision and support, it is recognised that some workers need external support – “non-management supervision” or “role consultancy”. The Project Leader/ Co-ordinator will have priority in accessing external support. The provision of external support for other workers is dependent on specific needs and the availability of resources.

 Confidentiality

 The MC recognises the importance of confidentiality of some issues discussed during supervision sessions. However, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. If any issue arises which the Supervisor deems to be adversely affecting the work of the project, and which the Supervisee has continually failed to deal with, may be brought to the attention of the SLG and in turn to the MC by the Supervisors. The Supervisee will be informed of the issue being raised with the SLG and the MC. All dealings at a supervisory session are to be kept confidential unless deemed necessary to be brought to the attention of the MC and which will be at the discretion of the SLG.  

Records

 The Supervisor and Supervisee will jointly record and agree the decision made at each supervision session and each party will hold individual copies of the records. A system for recording will be agreed which will include:

  • Date and time

  • Any issues emerging

  • Action agreed

  • Training needs identified

  • Feedback to MC

  • Feedback to other staff

  • Outstanding issues

  • Items for further discussion

 The records will remain confidential to both the Supervisee and Supervisors. However, if a problem arises and it is necessary for records to be seen by the SLG and the MC, confidentiality of the records cannot be guaranteed. If there is a disagreement in the records of any meeting, this is noted.

 Frequency and Duration of Supervision Sessions

 The frequency and duration of supervision sessions may vary due to the individual circumstances and / or needs of individual’s supervision contracts. However, the standard frequency will be once a month. A new employee will initially receive more frequent supervision sessions, approximately fortnightly. The standard duration of a supervision session will be approximately 1 hour. Project Co-ordinator/ Project Administrator sessions to take place in advance of SLG sessions.

 Forming a Contract 

 The supervision contracts will be in keeping with the projects overall aim, objectives, work – plan and supervision policy. The supervision contracts will adhere to the following:

·         Content

·         Confidentiality

·         Records

·         Duration and frequency of sessions

·         Methods of dealing with conflict

·         Evaluation

·         Feedback to the MC

 Feedback to the Management Committee

 The SLG will give a verbal report to the MC every three months when employment issues will be on the agenda of the management meeting. However, in the event of a serious problem arising, the SLG will raise the issue at the next meeting or call a special meeting if deemed necessary.

 The Co-ordinator will give a verbal report to the SLG from the staff meetings every three months prior to when employment issues are up for discussion on the MC agenda.  

 Procedures in case of Difficulties for Co-ordinator/ SLG  

·         Where the supervisee has difficulties with a supervisor, the supervisee raises the issue directly with the supervisor.

·         If the issue is still unresolved within three working days then the supervisee raises the issue with the supervisor in the presence of another member of the SLG and notes should be made. The issue should be reviewed at the next SLG meeting.
(Same applies to Co-ordinator / other staff)

·         If a workable solution is not arrived at the supervisee raises the issue with the entire SLG within three working days in an attempt to reach a workable agreement.

·         If the issues continue to be unresolved, all parties have the right to ask for the help of an agreed outside arbitrator/ mediator. The Chairperson of the MC will arrange for a meeting of all parties with the arbitrator within 14 days of their agreement to have an arbitrator.

 Experience and Training Required of Supervisors

 The MC recognises its responsibility to ensure that those who are delegated to provide supervision in the organisation receive adequate training. The MC will also seek external expertise when necessary.

 Evaluation of Supervision Process and Structures

 Supervision sessions will be evaluated in 3 ways:

  1. At the end of each session the informal evaluation will be carried out – checking if the sessions are helpful / what aspects are not helpful / could change?
  2. At the end of the year, the Supervisee will give feedback to the Supervisor as to how the supervision is going. Feedback will be given by the Supervisee through answering the following questions:
    • What have you got from the supervision?
    • How has it affected you in your work?
    • What have you found difficult or helpful?
    • What changes would you suggest?
  1. The Management Committee will evaluate the overall structure of supervision once a year to ensure that it is working well and to consider what changes are necessary.

 

Contract for Support & Supervision
For
Bere Island Projects Group Ltd 

  1. Role of support and supervision process;

1)      To monitor, evaluate and approve

2)      To give feedback to employees and management;

3)      To facilitate communication and mutual understanding

4)      To discuss difficulties and sources of conflict

5)      To assist in managing the volume of work

6)      To plan and prioritise areas of work for the immediate future

7)      To identify training and development needs

8)      To deal with and review pay scales and salaries

9)      To deal with recruitment procedures 

  1. Content of sessions;

1)      2 of the 3 staff support & supervision group rotate in turn as agreed

2)      Agree on facilitator and record keeper

3)      Go over previous meeting / workloads/ work allocations / performance

4)      Leave

5)      Look at present work schedules/ priorities/ progress of work

6)      Look at future work schedules / priorities

7)      Teasing out issues/ concerns arising in work

8)      Acknowledgement of good practice in work

9)      Training and development needs and opportunities in career development

10)   Support for work related issues 

  1. Confidentiality/ feedback to outside parties;

1)      Agreement will be reached at the end of each session as to what will be conveyed and to whom and on what follow up, if any, is necessary  

  1. Record Keeping

1)      One member of the staff support & supervision group will take notes as agreed at the session.

2)      The staff member can take notes, if necessary 

  1. Duration and frequency of sessions

1)      Sessions will last an hour and will be convened on a monthly basis 

  1. Mechanisms for dealing with difficulties arising during process;

1)      In the event of difficulties arising in the relationship, there will be an openness to deal with issues. Attempts will be made by both parties to resolve the matter in the first instance within the session, taking time out if necessary and reengaging within one week afterwards. In the event that the issues cannot be resolved, the next stage will be to seek the assistance of the third support and supervision member. If issues are still unresolved, then the support & supervision group and the parties to the dispute may seek to refer it to the Board of Directors and / or seek external assistance.  

  1. Evaluation mechanisms;

1)      Five minutes at the end of the session will be allocated for both parties to evaluate the session by means of an evaluation sheet

2)      Both parties will look at notes taken during the session to ensure they are correct

3)      Support and supervision structures will be evaluated / reviewed every six meetings

 

Webpage created and modified by Bernie 15/08/2006 Email: bereisle@eircom.net 

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