.::fitting-in.com::.

Fire service research, the fitting-in website where academia and the fire service can meet - a resource for research and consultancy for the fire and rescue service and firefighters - Organised by Dr Dave Baigent this site provides a place to share your own research, to look at what others have written about the fire service and to see our commercial offerings.

Academics are not the experts, fire and rescue service managers are the experts. What fitting-in can do is to help managers to recognise their expertise and to further understand the issues through that recognition.
Home Main Index Contact us Draft papers for reading Recent index of contrbutions Older index of contributions Reports Consultancy Snapshot Audits Workshops on fire service culture Problem solving by fitting-in Elite briefing/workshops Impact Assessments Equality Action Plans CV & References Have you seen Ethos? One Decade On - Survey on women firefighters New CFOA President Minister's speech Audit Commission on equality Melbourne DiversityConference How do I send my writing to fitting-in for publication What does fitting-in publish How do I do research - some basic tips Writing a bibliography Home Testimonials/References Reports from Government Diversity Strategy Public Service Degree online or face to face Contact us	Elite briefing led workshops: A series of stand alone elite-briefing led workshops to assist decision makers find some 'answers' The burning problem Government are clear, they want the fire service to modernise. Chief Fire Officer have risen to that challenge; strategic thinking and planning is at an all time high. Nonetheless, achieving results on the ground, particularly in trying to transform the culture can be problematic. To assist with this difficulty I am offering a series of one-day workshops for small elite groups of decision makers. The intention, to share my understanding of fire service culture with your team in a facilitated workshop aimed directly at results. Elite briefings/workshops There are a number of workshops and some examples of these follow. Each one is stand-alone and the programmes offered will be tailored for your needs. These high-level workshops involve elite briefings, advice and discussion on the ‘unique’ problems that the fire service experiences. At the end of the day the group will have developed a number of transformational and practical ideas on how to achieve cultural change. ‘Answers’ that managers can strategically and systematically action and evidence to auditors. These workshops are not just tasters of how fitting-in can assist, they will provide a real insight, further understanding and a dynamism that could kickstart powerful strategic thinking. Full support will always be available to provide research and advice on the implementation of any programme that follows on from these workshops. Other workshops are available and you may wish to make contact and talk about your particular requirements. Workshop One: Research guided workshop on women firefighters - This workshop will start with an introduction to the results of my recent research with over 237 women in the fire service ‘One decade on.’ Add to this evidence, a direct input on fire service culture and some clear advice on the way forward, and this provides a framework for workshop that, by the end of the day, will really help you to understand fire service culture and improve your equality stategy. The Programme‘ Workshop Two: Leading cultural change – understanding the firefighter - A new approach for leaders to understand firefighters’ reaction to change. This involves an intense one or two day delivery on fire service culture/s alongside a challenging re-reading of management theory to promote transformational change that meet the needs of the individual, the informal culture and managers. The Programme Workshop Three: Training for the future - This workshop is for trainers and leaders who want to bring their initial training in line with current thinking: training for the firefighter of the future not the past. Working from the findings of the year long 'Sunrise' national research project on initial training (and the conference that followed). This workshop is a must for those fire services seeking to avoid the finding from the Sunrise report that suggested “If you bully someone in training, set impossible goals, and teach facts rather than understanding, then it is likely that, as they mature as firefighters, trainees will fit-in with bullies at the station, challenge organisational goals, and resist IPDS and CFS.” Workshop Four: Understanding the culture- This workshop is for everyone in the fire and rescue service who needs a briefing on the complicated intereation of fire service cultures. The whole workshop is research lead and sets out to improve understanding of how informal and formal cultures operate alongside each other - sometimes paralleling beliefs and at other times operating in antagonistic relations. Workshop Five:Looking at ways of meeting budget cuts It now looks as if FRS budgets from central government will be cut by around 10% over the next three years. Whilst you will no doubt be planning for such an outcome we have something to offer. We will individually interview your strategic thinkers about where they believe ‘cuts’ can occur. Then we will then facilitate a workshop based around their ideas and with a view to gaining a consensus on the way forward. Why can I help? I am passionate about helping the Fire and Rescue Service to make a difference. I am a GradIFireE with over 30 year’s operational experience of the fire service, supported by 14 years teaching and researching in academia. My PhD on fire service culture provided the basis for me to write, validate and lead the delivery of the first Public Service Degree in the UK; and to establish the first university social science research unit working directly with the fire service. Following a very successful inspection of the degree by the QAA (the government auditing body for HE) and following Steve McGuirk's challenge, I have negotiated a reduciton of my role with Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. This means that whilst I shall still lecture and research at Anglia Ruskin, I am in effect actioning my response to Steve. Rather than deliver my research at arm’s length, I am now offering to leave the ivory tower to bring academic debates and my real insight into fire service culture/s in a series of hands-on focused workshops. Benefits • Flexible short sharp package aimed at producing results • Following a proven academic path of intense delivery and focussed debate • A real hands-on educational package aimed at results and transformation • Advice that can be strategically and systematically evidenced • Offers a day-out for management teams to think strategically • Academic led, and rigorously produced in a fire service context • Research based • A transparent and auditable product The objective – to seek informed answers to the thorny questions that managers’ face on the ground Your organisation also benefits from the added value of putting your top teams together in a in a supportive environment aimed at achieving outcomes Sarah O’Connor, researcher and lecturer, will assist me in facilitating focussed input and debate. The agenda is yours; when can I come and talk to you about how my ideas may fit-in with yours? Ring on 07802 495 329 or email Dr Dave Baigent GiFireE, BA Honours, PhD. get Dave Baigent's CV get Sarah O'Connor's CV
	"The Service are delighted with the research and reports produced by "Fitting-in. We believe that your original hyphothesis and work undertaken in Merseyside has resulted in a ground breaking piece of work that can only serve to inform the wider fire and rescue communities." This is what Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service had to say about the Ethos research, communications and training project (2007) For further information or just to talk about what fitting-in can provide ring Dr Dave Baigent (GradIFireE) 07802 495 329, email or write to 17 Headley Gardens, Cambridge, CB22 5JZ Academic theory without practise is a waste - research without theory may just be dumb Bringing research in the fire service straight to you Site under reconstruction 4-3-08 please notify me of any errors Contact us z

"The Service are delighted with the research and reports produced by "Fitting-in. We believe that your original hyphothesis and work undertaken in Merseyside has resulted in a ground breaking piece of work that can only serve to inform the wider fire and rescue communities."

This is what Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service had to say about the Ethos research, communications and training project (2007)