TARSS launches RBPD Coordinating Meeting

The TARSS program introduced a new opportunity for organizations working in the relationship-based professional development (RBPD) field to share news and ideas. Taking inspiration from the Professional Development Coordination Meeting convened by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), which has a similar purpose and format, the RBPD Coordinating Meeting will take place quarterly. The first meeting took place on Wednesday, May 21, on Zoom with staff from DCYF, Achieve, and the Center for Inclusive Child Care attending. Nicky Severson, professional development strategist at Achieve, was the guest presenter. Severson shared the details of a new form (available at mncpd.org/rbpd) that coaches and RBPD specialists must complete when renewing their membership with Achieve.

“We’re trying to bring together different organizations that are all doing RBPD work slightly differently,” says Emily Beckstrom, RBPD program specialist with TARSS. “The RBPD Coordinating Meeting is a great place to learn news that we all need to know, like the information that Nicky shared about Achieve’s renewal form. This meeting is also an opportunity to discuss shared foundational work as well as needs in the field.”

CEED’s Kristina Erstad-Sankey presented a new resource for RBPD specialists and their supervisors at the meeting. Created by DCYF’s Kathy Schwartz along with Erstad-Sankey, the RBPD Specialist Development Guide provides background information and prompts for RBPD specialists to create their own professional development plan. They can do so either on their own or with a supervisor.

Participants in the first RBPD Coordinating Meeting were highly engaged, Beckstrom says, and the conversation was lively and rewarding.

“It’s one thing to read information online, but it’s very different to hear from a live presenter who can explain, ‘this is what this means for you,’” Beckstrom says. “We see this meeting as a useful ongoing touchpoint where we can learn from each other and troubleshoot together.”