Glen Strathie Partnership

Video Enhanced Reflective Practice (VERP) describes an approach that promotes critical analysis, attuned communication and relationships, problem solving and creative thinking. It draws on worker knowledge and experience making the tacit explicit and thereby deepening and articulating personal and team knowledge, values and goals.

VERP explicitly involves change through building on strengths (doing more of what works and doing less of what doesn’t work) then, literally looking at the impact of the changes. This ‘reflect, do and review’ cycle is deepened by skilled coaching and the power of the visual evidence.

VERP is delivered through a series of Practice Based Reflective Workshops that are designed to provide practice-based and workplace based learning opportunities. Evidence to date shows that a cycle of three VERP sessions brings about sustainable change and grows confidence.

Workshops will create opportunities to review and reflect on short video clips of practice and skills in real life or rehearsed situations.

Practice Based Reflective Workshops are offered to teams or groups, in a way that is time-efficient and effective in developing skills, practice and communications.. Most VERP courses combine a short knowledge based input with skills development. For example, assessment skills training might combine two hours of legal and best practice knowledge with six hours of practice and skill development.

Glen Strathie Partnership has extensive experience in developing reflective practice in teams and across organisations. Development work can be anything from a two hour team development session to a short accredited module. Learning programmes can complement your own development programmes - for example to promote a stronger person centred way of working or to build a new project or to bring about cultural change.

Course examples

• Introductory Courses to reflective practice and writing which can provide underpinning knowledge for SVQ’s, NVQ's, HNC and CLF
• Coaching for Practice Teachers and Educators to develop reflective dialogues with students.
• Practice-based reflective workshops on identified areas of professional practice - e.g. working with adults on the autistic spectrum
• The Art of Effective Communication. The key elements to attuned, empathic communication.
• Communication for Management and Leadership. See Management and Leadership page.
• Effective Communication in Supervision. Building skills to put policy into action.
• Communication Differences and Strengths. Changing our own communication to support those who have communication differences.
• Relationship-Based Reflective Practice. Making sense of and dealing with complex relational work.
• How to turn Difficult Conversations into Learning Conversations. Understand what goes on in difficult conversation. Analyse and develop your skills in communication.
• Courageous Conversations. Supporting disclosure, managing conflict, taking care of ourselves.
• Groupwork Skills for Professionals. How to effectively manage and support groups.
• Video Enhanced Reflective Parenting. Groupwork Programme.

"I would like to see VERP used further in Residential Units for young people. I think that it can be an effective tool not only to improve communication but to improve the quality of care we provide for our young people."

Senior Social Care Officer

"It is my opinion that the VERP pilot has enabled both staff and young people to reflect and be more aware of their communication."

Manager of Residential Unit

"It's not just something you can use in your working life. You take it wherever you go. This is the type of course where it sinks into your brain and you use it all the time."

Social Worker

"I think it was absolutely brilliant. I did go away feeling quite down during the middle of the course because I wasn’t doing things 100% right. But I'm on track now. I know what I'm doing well and what I want to do more of. I am doing most things better than before. The course has changed my way of thinking. I really do think more about things now"

Senior Administration Officer