Delivered by Kim Boldt, Branch Manager, Milwaukee Public Library; Melody Clark, Community Liaison and Service Specialist, WiLS; Andi Coffin, Community Liaison and Service Specialist, WiLS; Nathan Dowd, Library Director, Edgewood College for WiLSWorld 2019 on July 23rd in Madison, Wisconsin. According to a Gallup study, employees who are “engaged and thriving” are 59 percent less likely to look for a job with a different organization in the next 12 months. How do people stay “engaged and thriving?” One key component is feeling supported. The structure in organizations to support employees is more than just chance, and thoughtfully developing a structure for peers to support one another can be a valuable component in developing employee well-being.. In this program, presenters will share deliberately developed approaches to peer support in their institution.

1. Engaged and Thriving:
Building Peer Support Systems for Staff
Kim Boldt, Branch Manager, Milwaukee Public Library
Melody Clark, Community Liaison and Service Specialist, WiLS
Andi Coffin, Community Liaison and Service Specialist, WiLS
Nathan Dowd, Library Director, Edgewood College

2. Under Our Umbrella: Supporting Our Staff
Kimberly Boldt, Coordinator - General
Reference & Customer Service
Michael Weber, Security Manager
Demetrius Witherspoon, Security Specialist
Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee, WI
WiLSWorld Conference Madison, Wisconsin
Peer Support - July 23, 2019

3. Who is Milwaukee Public Library?
➔ VISION
MPL is an anchor institution that helps build healthy families and vibrant
neighborhoods – the foundation of a strong Milwaukee.
➔ MISSION
Inspiration starts here – we help people read, learn, and connect.
● 14 libraries - from large central library to small 24/7 vending library
● Milwaukee population 600,000
● Young Families, Traditional Living, Global Roots
● Serve a varied socio-economic, multi-cultural make-up

4. Why Peer Support?
Customer Wants Demands Low Staffing
Busy Police Force Peer-to-Peer
High Stress Situations
Bridge Between EAP Staff Turnover
Busy Family Lives Schoolwork

5. Our Peer Support Team!

6. What is Peer Support?
… It’s support for staff from staff!
● Totally ANONYMOUS!
● Completely Confidential!
● Admin support-not on team.
● One on one staff support - personal/job
● Critical Incident Debriefing
● Assisting at locations after incidents
● Staff appreciation days!

8. Beginning the Program
● Human Resources heard of program
● Told Administration
● Administration asked managers for
recommendations of people- wanted variety
● Training at Police & Fire Academy (5 days)
● Marketing & Promotion (ongoing)
● Deployed one-on-one & Incidents
● Regular Meetings for team

9. Success Stories
● Not been called on a lot - a positive in this case!
● Few large critical incidents
○ group debrief (cool down) before opening next day
○ Allowed everyone to put various pieces together
○ Very positive reaction by staff
● Mentor program!
● DPW Dept of Public Works, others in City using our model.

10. Create Your Own Team
1. Gather & Share evidence of need
2. Get approval, w/ understanding that it’s completely
anonymous. NO reports, no stats!
3. Decide on how your team looks/acts?
4. Gather Team
5. Train Team
6. Promote (Continually!)
7. Evaluate, ask for anonymous feedback.

11. Starting Your Own? Consider This...
● Who will team members be?
● How will you replace members?
● What does ongoing training look like?
● What type of support will you give?

12. You’re All Under Our Umbrella!
● Contact us!
○ For ideas, advice...
○ More details...
Kimberly Boldt
Milwaukee Public Library- Central
Coordinator, Reference & Customer Service
kmboldt@milwaukee.gov
414-286-3049

13. Melody Clark & Andi
Coffin
Community Liaison and Service
Specialists, WiLS

14. Nathan Dowd
Director, Oscar Rennebohm Library, Edgewood College
Library

17. Questions
● What has surprised you since you implemented this
plan/program?
● What has been the biggest positive outcome from this
plan?
● What has been the biggest challenge you've
encountered?
● Have you discovered new areas affecting staff to
address?
● Are you measuring the results of your plan/program and
if so, how? (i.e. anecdotally or data)

18. Kimberly Boldt, kmboldt@milwaukee.gov
Melody Clark, mclark@wils.org
Andi Coffin, acoffin@wils.org
Nathan Dowd, ndowd@edgewood.edu