Strengthening Collaborations for Better Transition Outcomes Building Powerful
Strengthening Collaborations for Better Transition Outcomes “Building Powerful Partnerships” September 23, 2014 Presentation by The Center for Excellence & Advocacy
Agenda • Why A Partnership? Keys to Collaborative • • Success Addressing Self-Interest Foundation Building Blocks—Mobilizing and Maximizing Community Assets Organizing to Get the Work Done Q & A and Next Steps 2
PARTNER Schools Public Social Service Agencies Employers Youth and Families SHIPS Mental Health Providers Community Based Service Provides Health Care Agencies 3
PARTNERSHIPS 4
Keys to Collaborative Success. New Thinking Mutual Self-Interests Collaborative Action Foundation Building Blocks 5
New Thinking • Reflect on your initial impressions of the transition process. • Consider district priorities and existing efforts that address the domains of transition for the youth you serve. • Are there potential opportunities that may be presented by deepening your partnership efforts? 6
Your “Stuff”… • Take a few moments to quickly brainstorm all of the agencies, initiatives, programs, and places that provide any home and/or community-based services for youth with transition needs in one of the following areas: • • Employment Education / training Independent living Community participation 7
Community Participation… • Advocates in Action • Dare to Dream • RI Cross Disability Coalition • RI DD Council • Best Buddies • Special Olympics • Rotary, Elks, Kiwanis • Clubs of interest • books, stamp, coins, scrapbooking, gardening • City / town event volunteers • parade, Xmas lights, food drive • Church, • choir, social ministry, bible study • Game groups • bingo, cards, larping 8
Community Participation… • Community theatre • Community chorus • Sports leagues – • Bowling, swimming, fishing • Community center activities • pottery, knitting, story telling, art, movie night • Volunteer • Fire station, hospital, nursing home, animal • Political organizations • Parities, Individual campaign support, poll worker • Charitable groups – • UWAY, Red Cross, Cancer Society • Learning Exchange • Courses on cooking, cake decorating, Excel 1, Knitting, Job Searching, Learn Italian 9
Employment • Summer Employment Programs (ORS/WIB) • West Bay, Family Resources, • Youth Centers – CCAP Pawtucket, South County, East Bay • State summer work – • DEM, state beaches, general assembly interns • City / town summer work • Parks and recreation • Seasonal work – • Landscaping, Dairy Queen, bed & breakfasts • Tri-town, Blackstone Valley CAP, RI Marine Trades, West Bay, Pawtucket CCAP, Seven Hills, Family Resources, SER Jobs, Young Voices, Goodwill, Perspectives, Lifespan • Local employment – • grocery stores, ice cream shop, restaurants, summer camps 10 • Hireateen. com and CEA
Mutual Self-Interests Think about your own &/or your organization’s self-interest in partnering with other entities to address the employment domain. Be HONEST – WIIFM? High School Spec Ed Director – l Annual assessments l 2 sixty day work experiences for youth with I/DD before exiting school l No new staff or resources to get this done From the list of previously listed employment resources l What are my options? – 11
Mutual Self-Interests What needs to happen for each partner to remain in that relationship a year from now, two years from now, etc… Spec Ed Director – l Work experiences for students l Assessments / evaluations l Case notes / progress l Job shadowing l Work readiness / work preparation l Paid opportunities for youth l Case management and staff support l Job Coaching 12
Mutual Self-Interests What needs to happen for each partner to remain in that relationship a year from now, two years from now, etc… Goodwill Industries Summer Opportunities l ORS eligible students (16+) l Numbers achieved for their summer programs l Younger youth for their WIB Summer Work Preparation program (14 – 15 year olds) l Steady stream of referrals each summer from partnering school. 13
Mutual Self-Interests Think about your own &/or your organization’s self-interest in partnering with other entities to address the community participation domain. Be HONEST – WIIFM? From the list of previously listed community resources – l What are my options? l What’s in it for me? - school l What’s in it for my partner? 14
Mutual Self-Interests High School Spec Ed Director – • Activities of interest that integrate the student into their community • Community activities that further develop social and / or daily living skills • Social opportunities to become a part of a group and / or make friends Entity selected – • • • Increase membership / fees – Rotary, Elks, etc… Increased # of volunteers – political, non-profits Talent and diversity – community theatre, 15
Foundation Building Blocks • Identify one domain where you need to build a partnership – start with a gap • Brain dump all the available resources & explore the possibilities • Build a small coalition of selected partners and clearly define the self-interests of each party • Develop process for accessing those partnerships • Establish standard meeting times to assess that mutual needs are getting met – monthly at first then quarterly • Once one domain is up and running, add a second domain. 16
Building a System of Partnership / Collaboration • Your vision should drive the work. • Focus on functions vs. titles • Recruit strategic partners—don’t do the work alone. • Manage your connections and be accountable. • Partner and “map” internally whenever possible. • Asset mapping is a continual “living” process. 17
Building Capacity System Partnership Structure Organizations Internal Organizational Infrastructure Individuals Support for youth and families 18
Taking the Next Step • Looking at your transition priorities identify one or two specific goals to address. • Identify individuals / partners who can help you shape the action steps and processes for each of the goals you have identified. • Address needs and self-interests of each partner. • Assess and address needs every time you meet. 19
Need Help? Contact Us The Center for Excellence & Advocacy 662 Hartford Avenue Providence, RI 02909 401. 283 -1111 Lnorris@fedcap. org 20
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