Last month, 31 Baystate employees participated in the first Focus Group Facilitator Training course delivered by BERST Academy and offered in collaboration with the Office of Diversity & Inclusion.
The course prepares participants to lead and facilitate focus groups of Baystate employees, and interviews of prospective employees and other key informants.
Creating Greater Opportunity for Springfield’s Diverse Communities
Well-trained facilitators ensure that all focus group participants’ voices are heard and communicated authentically back to stakeholders—particularly those who are often overlooked or underrepresented in various departments and leadership positions.
Focus groups and key informant interviews will help Baystate Medical Center develop policies and practices to address important workforce needs of the institution and build local job opportunities in Springfield.
The Focus Group Facilitator Training will be offered again in the future due to an overwhelming interest from employees. Those who complete the five hours of instruction earn a certificate from BERST Academy.
About the Focus Group Facilitator Training
The Focus Group Facilitator Training is part of an initiative by the Family Prosperity Innovation Community (FPIC), a partnership of Baystate Medical Center, the Economic Development Council of Western Mass, Springfield Works, and Parent Villages; a nonprofit focused on closing opportunity gaps.
The FPIC, which is funded by Aspen Institute, is determined to center Baystate Medical Center’s decision making on the voices of the community and BMC’s low-wage workers.