Training & Capacity Building — DVSupport.Network

Workshops, cross-training programs, and capacity-building resources for shelters, advocacy groups, and agencies.

Training & Capacity Building

Purpose and Scope

This page outlines structures for coordinated training and capacity building among domestic violence agencies, coalitions, shelters, legal services, health partners, and community-based organizations. It is intended to support aligned curricula, predictable training cycles, and shared standards for workforce development across agencies.

Workshop Categories

Partner agencies can group training activities into standard categories to support shared planning, cross-agency attendance, and comparable reporting.

1. Foundational Practice Workshops

Designed for new staff, interns, and volunteers, as well as staff transitioning from adjacent service sectors.

• Core concepts of domestic violence and related forms of abuse (policy and systems focus)
• Roles and limits of different service providers (shelters, legal aid, healthcare, advocacy, law enforcement, housing)
• Introduction to coordinated community response (CCR) structures and expectations
• Confidentiality, information-sharing principles, and documentation basics
• Cultural and linguistic responsiveness at the systems and program level

2. Systems & Interagency Coordination Workshops

Focused on cross-system operations and alignment between agencies and sectors.

• Mapping local response systems, roles, and referral pathways
• Developing and updating interagency protocols and MOUs
• Information flow between shelters, courts, law enforcement, child welfare, and healthcare
• Case conferencing and multi-disciplinary team (MDT) models
• Managing cross-jurisdictional cases and regional coordination

3. Policy, Compliance, and Governance Workshops

Oriented to leadership, managers, and program administrators.

• Funding requirements and grant compliance (federal, state, local, and private funders)
• Board governance, oversight, and risk management frameworks
• Policy updates impacting domestic violence systems and service delivery
• Designing internal policies aligned with interagency agreements
• Monitoring, evaluation, and outcome measurement structures

4. Legal and Justice System Interface Workshops

Aimed at legal advocates, attorneys, court-based staff, and agency liaisons to justice partners.

• Coordination with civil legal processes, including protective order workflows
• Interface with criminal legal processes and law enforcement response protocols
• Court-based advocacy program structures and communication channels
• Data-sharing norms with justice system partners
• Developing standardized forms and communication templates

5. Specialized Population and Context Workshops

Focused on specific community needs and service contexts.

• Rural and frontier coordination models
• Urban, high-density service systems and high-volume triage
• Immigrant, refugee, and limited English proficiency communities (systems-level approaches)
• Disability, aging, and healthcare-integrated response
• Campus, military, and workplace-based response frameworks

6. Data, Evaluation, and Technology Workshops

Oriented to program managers, data leads, and IT/operations staff.

• Designing and using shared data elements and indicators
• Client record management norms and documentation quality
• Cross-agency reporting and dashboard development
• Technology platforms for secure coordination and referrals
• Using data to inform system-level improvements

Trainer Credentials and Profiles (Conceptual)

Agencies can adopt shared expectations for trainer qualifications to support quality, comparability, and trust across the network. The following outlines conceptual credential tiers and profile elements.

Trainer Credential Tiers

• Tier 1: Internal Practice Facilitator
  • Experienced staff member with operational knowledge of agency policies and procedures
  • Completed internal “train-the-trainer” preparation or equivalent
  • Delivers orientation and agency-specific procedural workshops
• Tier 2: Subject Matter Trainer
  • 3–5 years relevant experience in domestic violence or closely related systems work
  • Demonstrated history of delivering structured trainings or presentations
  • Recognized by at least one partner agency as a subject matter resource
  • Appropriate academic, professional, or technical background for the topic area
• Tier 3: Systems and Policy Trainer
  • Extensive experience (often 7+ years) in multi-agency or statewide coordination
  • Participation in task forces, coalitions, or system reform initiatives
  • Familiarity with policy environments, funding conditions, and governance structures
  • Capable of aligning content with interagency protocols and regional strategies
• Tier 4: Technical Assistance and Capacity-Building Consultant
  • Leads complex, multi-session capacity-building projects across multiple agencies
  • Supports curriculum development, evaluation frameworks, and implementation planning
  • May hold advanced degrees, certifications, or recognized sector credentials
  • Provides strategic guidance on change management and systems design

Recommended Trainer Profile Elements

To support transparency and informed selection, agencies can maintain standardized trainer profiles including:

• Professional role and organizational affiliation
• Primary subject areas and workshop categories delivered
• Relevant education, licensure, or certifications (where applicable)
• Summary of experience in domestic violence or related systems work
• Experience in interagency and cross-sector collaboration
• Training formats offered (in-person, virtual, blended, coaching)
• Region(s) served and language capacities
• Prior engagements with coalitions or coordinated community response structures

Annual Training Calendar Framework

A coordinated annual training calendar allows agencies to plan staffing, align onboarding, and share key events. The framework below can be adapted for local use.

Calendar Structure

• Annual planning cycle: Typically completed in Q4 for the following year
• Quarterly clusters: Group workshops into four main planning periods
• Standardized slots: Use recurring times (e.g., first Wednesday of each month) to reduce conflicts
• Shared calendar platform: One visible schedule for all member agencies

Example Annual Calendar Model

• Q1: Orientation and Foundation
  • New staff and volunteer foundational workshops
  • Overview of local coordinated community response arrangements
  • Policy and legislative updates for the new year
  • Data and reporting expectations for grant cycles
• Q2: Systems & Interagency Practice
  • Interagency protocol refreshers
  • Joint trainings with law enforcement, courts, and healthcare partners
  • Workshops on referrals, information-sharing, and documentation quality
  • Mid-year performance and outcomes review sessions
• Q3: Specialized Topics and Innovation
  • Specialized population workshops and emerging practice sessions
  • Technology and data management trainings
  • Program design and evaluation clinics
  • Grant development and collaborative funding strategy sessions
• Q4: Leadership, Governance, and Planning
  • Leadership and management institutes
  • Board and governance development workshops
  • Annual debrief and system performance review
  • Planning retreat and next-year calendar design

Calendar Governance and Processes

• Designate a lead agency or coalition body to coordinate the master training calendar
• Set annual deadlines for agencies to submit proposed trainings
• Use common descriptors for each event (category, audience, capacity, prerequisites)
• Specify which events are internal-only versus cross-agency
• Review calendar quarterly to add new opportunities and respond to emerging needs

Cross-Agency Skill Development

Cross-agency skill development aims to strengthen the entire response system by ensuring that staff understand partner roles, shared protocols, and aligned practice standards.

Cross-Agency Competency Areas

• System literacy: Understanding how shelters, advocacy, legal, healthcare, housing, and law enforcement intersect
• Referral and handoff quality: Clear, consistent referral procedures and expectations
• Interagency communication: Structured methods for updates, case coordination, and feedback
• Documentation and data practices: Shared data elements, minimum documentation standards, and information-sharing norms
• Cultural and regional context: Local community demographics, resource landscapes, and access considerations

Models for Cross-Agency Training

• Joint workshop series
  • Regular sessions co-facilitated by multiple agencies
  • Focus on protocols, workflows, and shared tools
  • Mixed participation across sectors to build common understanding
• Rotational learning and site visits
  • Structured visits to partner agencies to observe operations
  • Briefings on eligibility, intake processes, and capacity constraints
  • Standardized debrief templates to capture learning
• Embedded liaison and shadowing models
  • Short-term staff rotations or liaison roles between agencies
  • Clear scopes of work, supervision, and privacy expectations
  • Planned learning objectives and reporting back to home agencies
• Community of practice groups
  • Role-based groups (e.g., advocates, shelter managers, legal liaisons, data leads)
  • Regular virtual or in-person meetings with rotating facilitation
  • Focus on practical problem-solving and sharing tools
• Joint simulations and tabletop exercises
  • Scenario-based sessions to test protocols and coordination
  • Structured after-action reviews to identify gaps and improvements
  • Integration with emergency management and disaster preparedness partners where appropriate

Aligning Cross-Agency Training with MOUs and Protocols

To ensure training leads to consistent practice, agencies can connect training content directly to interagency agreements and documented workflows.

• Reference specific sections of MOUs during trainings
• Use shared flowcharts and decision trees as training tools
• Agree on standard language for roles, responsibilities, and limitations
• Update training materials when MOUs or protocols are revised
• Document how training attendance relates to implementation benchmarks

Measuring Capacity Building Outcomes

Monitoring outcomes supports accountability and can strengthen funding proposals and reporting.

• Track participation by agency, role, and workshop category
• Use pre/post assessments to gauge knowledge of systems and procedures
• Monitor changes in referral volumes, documentation quality, or timeliness
• Document improvements to protocols or tools resulting from training
• Incorporate feedback loops to refine training topics and formats annually

Recommended Articles

• Partnership Eligibility and Participation Standards
• Coalition Governance and Coordination Frameworks
• Data Sharing and Information Management Guidelines
• Memoranda of Understanding: Structures and Templates
• Collaborative Funding and Resource Alignment Models