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Resources to Provide Ombuds ServicesArticles, Training, Books, and MoreThe work of an organizational ombuds is complex and varied. Below are some key resources to help ombuds practitioners establish, conduct, assess, and continually improve their office’s ability to provide high-quality professional services. Search the IOA Clearinghouse for even more articles, templates, and resources related to your interests.
COVID-19 & Contact Tracing Guidance for OmbudsIn an effort to provide guidance to assist IOA members, IOA’s Executive Director prepared a memorandum to provide some guidance to IOA members on the implications of COVID-19 and contact tracing on their practices. You may access this important resource via this link: COVID-19 IOA MemorandumIOA Online LearningIOA webinars offer the latest information on topics relevant to ombuds work. Register for upcoming webinars or purchase recordings of past offerings in the IOA Online Learning Center.
View Upcoming WebinarsOmbuds Topical Practice Guides: Essential Publications for the Practicing Ombudsman
These six booklets were originally given to new IOA members and participants in the IOA Ombuds 101/Foundations Course. They represent the work of multiple authors and leaders in our field and are now available to IOA members in downloadable pdf format and available for purchase by non-members. The brochures provide a historical foundation with useful information still relevant to current organizational ombuds work. Learn more. Working as an OmbudsAmplifying Trends with Data
Journal of the International Ombudsman Association, 2018 By Jennifer Schneider IOA Practice & Compensation Survey Reports
The biannual IOA Practice & Compensation Survey provides an important snapshot of the contemporary field of organizational ombuds based on responses from practitioners. Collected every other year by a team of researchers, the survey data allow organizational ombuds to position ourselves effectively as a profession over time. The survey data also permit us to offer targeted support to our members and to organizations interested in creating and sustaining an ombuds office. Practice & Compensation Reports are available to IOA members free of charge. Non-members can purchase the reports below. Purchase Practice & Compensation ReportsEstablishing an Ombuds OfficeToolkits, Guides, and Trainings Ombuds Toolkit for Higher Education Institutions Guide for Setting up a Conference Ombuds Program K-12 School Ombuds Toolkit Nuts and Bolts for Setting Up an Ombuds Office Member-Only ResourcesIOA members are encouraged to log into their IOA account and visit the IOA Member Center to review all of the available member's only resources. Ombuds Office Charters: For more on charters read Chuck Howard's op-ed "A Matter Of Trust: UM Controversy Shows How Ombuds Programs Should, Shouldn’t Function, Expert Argues" from the Mississippi Free Press, January 2021. Questions for Implementing a Successful Ombuds Office Generic Organizational Ombuds Position Descriptions Additional ArticlesBlueprint for Success: Designing a Proactive Organizational Ombudsman Program
Page 36, Journal of the International Ombudsman Association, 2015 By John Barkat Setting Up An Ombuds Office – Safety Considerations
The Journal of the California Caucus of College & University Ombudsmen, 1994 By Linda Wilcox Ombuds Office AdministrationThe following documents are available here for members only. Uniform Data Reporting Categories Documents – Suggestions on The Creation, Maintenance, and Destruction of Documents: By Charles L. Howard
Office Survey Question Bank
Many ombuds offices find it useful to survey people who have used their services in order to help refine their practice and provide data to the organization on satisfaction rates and other key indicators. This document includes some general principles for developing survey questions and a list of questions that offices are currently using to solicit feedback.
Annual Report Exemplars
Books About the Ombuds ProfessionThe Organizational Ombudsman: Origins, Roles and Operations - A Legal Guide
ABA Book Publishing, 2010 By Charles L. Howard The Ombudsman Handbook: Designing and Managing an Effective Problem-Solving Program
McFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers, 2011 By James T. Ziegenfuss Jr. & Patricia O'Rourke The IOA is committed to providing relevant information on the organizational ombuds profession and related topics. Explore available resources in the Resources menu tab. Some resources are available to members only, as a benefit of membership. Learn more about joining IOA. If you are aware of additional relevant resources that are available in the public domain or by permission, please contact the IOA at [email protected] about adding those resources to this collection and/or the IOA Clearinghouse. |