NCWWI Workforce Excellence Site Overview:


The Muscogee Nation Children & Family Services Administration (CFSA)
University of Oklahoma-Tulsa

NCWWI Workforce Excellence Initiative 

Through its partnerships with NCWWI and the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa, Muscogee Nation CFSA seeks to increase the number of tribal members who have the education and skills needed to join the workforce at CFSA and other tribal child welfare agencies in Oklahoma. CFSA will also strengthen its program capacity to retain its workforce by delivering to new employees a multi-week onboarding program designed to provide them with a foundation for success as part of the CFSA team.

Key Assessment Findings

Strengths include:

  • Staff members involved in NCWWI report increased knowledge and skills, and more cohesion among staff
  • New CFSA leaders emerging from within staff who are NCWWI Scholars
  • CFSA team has continued development of onboarding program despite challenges due to COVID and organizational changes
  • Strong agency focus on education and professional development

Challenges include:

  • CFSA Director and several Program Manager vacancies March through December 2021
  • Sharp increase in staff hiring in 2021 following McGirt Supreme Court decision
  • Continued need to recruit and retain qualified staff

Implementation Activities

  • 16 tribal students have received NCWWI funding for their social work degrees –1 BASW and 2 MSW students have graduated and 3 MSW students will graduate in 2022. 
  • An “Academic Auntie” provides NCWWI Scholars with additional support; all students making successful progress through degree requirements
  • CFSA staff took part in two peer learning calls with Eastern Band of Cherokee to learn about their process of developing an onboarding program
  • The onboarding program team has developed the overall design and begun creating program components; selected components have been piloted with recent new hires

Onboarding Project Overview

Onboarding program guiding vision: “New CFSA employees have opportunities to become confident and well prepared to support, empower and strengthen Muscogee families and children.”

Onboarding program components presented through a variety of learning modalities: microvideos, mock telephone reports, infographics, discussion groups, and computer-based activities

Onboarding program delivered over a 5-week period following hire – not just a “one and done” orientation