Onboarding Program for York County Area Agency on Aging

Overview

York County Area Agency on Aging required a structured onboarding program to prepare new Care Managers for complex, high-impact client work. Prior to this project, training varied by facilitator and relied heavily on informal shadowing, which created inconsistencies in preparedness and confidence. I designed and delivered a multi-week instructor-led onboarding curriculum that ensured every new hire received the same foundation, guidance, and practical skill development.

Challenges

  • Training content was scattered across policies, forms, and legacy materials. Hiring had been on hold for almost 3 years.

  • SMEs and tenured staff conveyed information differently, leading to inconsistent learner experience.

  • Care Manager responsibilities were complex, emotional, and heavily regulated.

  • New hires often felt overwhelmed early on, extending ramp-up time.

  • Needed a repeatable, sustainable structure that any future facilitator could deliver.

Approach

I conducted a needs analysis, reviewing existing materials, interviewing SMEs, and identifying the core skills required in the first 30, 60, and 90 days. Using these insights, I built a structured curriculum that moved learners from foundational understanding to applied practice.

I developed detailed facilitator guides, presentations, checklists, participant workbooks, scenario packets, and step-by-step walkthroughs of real case processes. Training sessions combined short presentations, guided discussions, structured note-taking, and hands-on practice with real-world forms and documentation. This lowered cognitive load and increased confidence early in the program. Additionally the program included supervised case visits and detailed documentation reviews to ensure skills developed while maintaining review readiness

To ensure consistency, I standardized delivery materials so future facilitators could maintain the same quality and sequence.

Deliverables

  • Full curriculum map outlining training sequence by week and module

  • Facilitator guide with talking points, timing, and activity instructions

  • Learner workbook with structured notes and reflection prompts

  • Scenario-based practice packets

  • Job aids and quick-reference guides

  • Assessment criteria for monitoring progress

Results

  • New hires reported greater clarity and confidence earlier in their onboarding cycle

  • Consistency increased across facilitators and SMEs

  • Reduction in repeated questions and re-training needs

  • Created a sustainable, repeatable onboarding program used for multiple cohorts

  • Training program time reduced by 17%

Role & Tools

Role: Lead Designer, Instructor, SME Collaborator
Tools: Google Suite, PowerPoint, printed materials/workbooks, internal documentation
Collaboration: Program leadership, SMEs, experienced Care Managers