At the end of June, the Center had the opportunity to come together for our bi-annual team retreat to reflect on the first half of the year and look forward to what’s to come. Everyone traveled to Wilmington, North Carolina to spend time creating training activities, reconnecting with each other, and thinking about the future. The Center has had a great year so far supporting the North Carolina Division of Social Services with trainings like Pre-Service. 

Members of our training and communication teams broke into different groups to create training activities, which was an interactive and engaging opportunity for new material. These activities will help training participants review content, gain confidence, practice Family-Centered language, and connect with fellow training participants to create a positive learning environment. Creating and implementing activities like these during trainings allows CFACE trainers to connect with participants, gauge their understanding of the content, and foster engagement. 

“You can learn new curricula, but your ability to facilitate training and engage with participants goes beyond the material itself.” – Jenny King

These retreats also offer designated time for trainers to share experiences, insight and ask questions. Social work is a demanding profession, and our trainers are dedicated to supporting the next generation of social workers through the training we provide. This retreat offered our trainers the chance to take a moment to focus on connection, collaboration and have a little fun. Time spent together outside our usual routines creates a new perspective. It reminds us why we do this work, reconnects us to a shared purpose, and creates space for new ideas. 

Beyond the activities and workshops, this retreat highlighted the value of being present and together. Our team members left with renewed energy, stronger relationships and a reminder that the people behind the training programs matter just as much as the programs. Investing in our team is foundational to our mission of supporting families across all of North Carolina and creating safer and stronger communities.