III. Future Development Needs The survey included questions on the future training needs of programs, the types of videotapes that would be helpful to programs, and the role of the National Clearinghouse in future development. A. Training Over half of the offices want training in the video area; 58 percent said that training in the video area would be helpful to their offices. Most of these staff indicated a need for training in understanding the process of video production, including determination of realistic budgets and time frames, and editing of existing tapes. For example, a staff attorney noted, "We have no trouble capturing training events on tape, but need help in scripting educational tapes for clients and staff and in editing the footage down to a usable length." Almost two thirds were also interested in training in the actual operation of video equipment. The table below shows training interests among offices now using video, interested in using video, and not currently using video. Current Training Needs (in Percent of Responses) 70 Other training 15 No training 54 70 12 10 10 6857 3840 60 60 14 15 10 The most common usage reported was for staff training. This includes training in skills development, trial advocacy, and appellate litigation, among other subjects. Client education refers to videos on substantive issues, the use of self-help in consumer or family disputes, introductions to legal services, and other educational films. Client representation uses include using video evidence of housing conditions, presenting evidence in child abuse cases, giving responses to unlawful detainers, preparing clients for depositions and testimony, and use of videos in depositions and litigation support generally. Ten percent of the offices (117 offices) listed specific examples of other uses of video. Examples include use for educational seminars for members of volunteer community lawyers' panels, judicare panel training, local advisory committee training, and public service announcements on local TV. Several respondents mentioned the value of video in connection with private bar relations and in community education efforts. *More than one response allowed. These responses clearly show a high degree of interest in video training in the field. The impact of current ownership and use of video equipment is negligible, except that those who are not currently using video are more likely to want training in operations. However, the need for training is not dependent upon previous or current experience with video-those who are not currently using video in their offices are equally likely to want different types of training for their staff. Training needs are high, regardless of whether the office owns or does not own equipment. B. Useful Videotapes for Programs Over three quarters of the program respondents listed video subjects that would be useful for their offices. Over one MANAGEMENT SECTION third of the offices listed at least three subjects. Offices not currently using video but interested in using it were most likely to list potentially useful subjects-44 percent listed three or more, an average of 2.3 subjects per program. A majority of those answering the question listed a substantive video area. Next in importance were videos relating to skills development and trial advocacy. General management issues were listed by a small proportion. Offices responding to this question listed an average of 2.25 subjects. There were only slight differences found when current users were compared to non-users; non-users, for example, listed an average of 2.04 subjects. Major categories of responses are listed below. Examples of Useful Subjects for Programs Substantive Issues Public Benefits: welfare law, methods of self-help Consumer: collection methods, debtor rights, bankruptcy law Other Subjects: e.g., migrants, immigration, wills, taxes Skills Development Trial Practice: advocacy, appellate skills, federal courts Skills Training in General: oral argument, cross-examination, presentations generally Evidence Discovery: depositions, interviewing skills Methods of Negotiation and Mediation: settlement negotiation Management Issues Legal Services Orientation Priority-Setting and Caseload Management Staff Training, Stress Management, Time Budgeting Personnel and Program Management: human relations skills Use of Word Processors and Computers C. The Role of the National Clearinghouse Program attorneys were also asked about the role the National Clearinghouse should have in video development. Respondents could indicate whether the Clearinghouse should collect LSC program videotapes and make them available to others, fund productions, provide information on tapes available from LSC sources (such as training centers) or from non-LSC sources (such as the ABA), publish reviews of videotapes or articles on innovative video uses, play another role, or have no role. Except for funding of future video productions, over three fourths of the respondents supported future involvement in this area by the Clearinghouse. Only nine offices, or less than 1 percent, said the Clearinghouse should have no role. National Training Resource Catalogue The Midwest Training Resource Center has recently published the second edition of the National Training Resource Catalogue, which features an extensive section on videotapes available on loan from the five Regional Training Centers. Materials are grouped into seven main categories: (1) community; (2) lawyer/paralegal skills; (3) legislative; (4) management; (5) substantive; (6) support staff; and (7) training. Over 50 tapes are indexed and summarized. The Catalogue also provides information on written training materials. Copies of the Catalogue are available from the Clearinghouse, No. 42,550. There is very high support among the program staff for an active role by the Clearinghouse in development of the video area. Strongest support is given to the roles of publishing information about videotapes-their availability from both LSC and non-LSC sources, their quality, and their use for innovative purposes. Over three fourths of the program staff also believe that Clearinghouse should publish reviews of productions and articles on innovative uses of video among programs. Actual funding of productions is supported by less than half of the offices. Offices now using video in their work and those not active users were equally supportive of a variety of Clearinghouse activities. Few differences were found in the responses from offices that currently use video and those that do not. Twenty percent of the respondents added a comment about the use of video. Virtually all of these comments supported exploration and expansion of the video area. Lists of tapes available to other programs were included by 23 percent of the offices. Virtually all of these offices also said that they could make the tapes available to the Clearinghouse for distribution; however, many added comments to the effect that costs of copying or copyright problems might interfere with submission of the tapes to the Clearinghouse. Costs of In response to the information gathered from the video survey, the National Clearinghouse plans to assist local programs interested in video in several ways. First, the Clearinghouse intends to provide information on videotapes and sources of videotapes through announcements in Clearinghouse Review and on request. In this regard, see Price, Creative Application of Video in Legal Services Work, 17 Clearinghouse Rev. 673 (Oct. 1983). In addition, upcoming issues of Clearinghouse Review will feature reviews of videotapes useful to legal services programs. If you know of a good videotape and are interested in writing a short review, please contact Lucy Moss at the Clearinghouse. Finally, planned articles to be published in the Review will discuss innovative uses of video in legal services practice. For example, Michael Ferry of Legal Services of Easter Missouri in St. Louis produces a series of community education programs on consumer topics that air on local, public access television. The Clearinghouse will consider, on a case-by-case basis, assisting the funding of original video productions. Projects to be funded should be useful in more than one state or area of the country. If interested, contact Michael Leonard at the Clearinghouse. Finally, the Clearinghouse plans to work with the Regional Training Centers and local programs to collect and 1oan/duplicate videotapes of interest to legal services offices. If you have original videotapes to share or are aware of titles that would be helpful to others, please contact the Clearinghouse and/or your Regional Training Center. D PLEASE SEE THE FORM ON PAGES 537-538. Do you have videotapes in your program library that might be of interest to other legal services advocates? The Clearinghouse is interested in learning what materials have been useful to local programs and compiling a catalog of relevant videotapes. Please complete the form below and mail to Videotapes, National Clearinghouse for Legal Services, 407 S. Dearborn, Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60605. |