Learning Community Notes
9/29/06
Present: Dick Spoth, Cathy Lillehoj, Marilyn Bode, Jim Meek, Anthony Santiago, Eugenia Hanlon, Scott Clair, Catherine Webb, Paulelda Gilbert, Janet Brown, Holle Smith, Matt Deppe, Sara Tessmer, Bob Owen, Stacie Latham, Cleve Redmond
Marilyn Bode provided updates on the letters that were sent with year 6 information, just mentioning that these went to all for your information and to see if there needed to be any changes in leadership of teams. There will be one change. There are also new SFP brochures that are ready.
Paulelda represented us in DC at the recognition for Programs of Distinction and she received the award on our behalf. What a great experience! We will have the pictures posted on our web page.
Scott shared some results with Meth use. The results were from the Project Family study and CaFaY – similar in the partnership with families so we can use and expect some similar results with PROSPER communities.
The ever use response means ever use Meth, but not in the last year, and then there is a response for use in the last year. These two are added together for total meth use. For example, the results show that if you had a school with population of 400, 10 would use meth in the intervention community vs 30 in the control. For a school population of 80, 2 would use vs 6 in control. These results were even before the big meth explosion, and we will not have PROSPER data for awhile, so we will see how the results are now.
Sherry Glenn was introduced as the new Central Area Director. She was anxious to hear more about what we were doing and are pleased because of the Best Practices we show and encouraged us to work with County Governments.
Dick reported on his meetings to DC and meeting with NIH on PROSPER and also with Don Floyd of the National 4H Council. Don Floyd was especially interested in the partnership process, and youth development framework. He sees a need to shift from what he calls “touch and brush” short time programs, to programs that are more intensive and evidence based. He sees need for some system change with partnerships and Evidence based programs. He plans to do a PROSPER visit in PA and maybe he or Cathann Kress will come to Iowa in the spring/late winter. The stage was really set for dialogue and interface with what we are doing.
Mary Emery helped us with the more looking at teams, functioning and team building with roles and responsibilities.
Expectations for the day:
Going from paid to unpaid volunteer positions, what is the impact?
(comments later in the day) Volunteer vs $ works for some, but not many. Still give them something – travel, etc. Could offer timesheets to all and they can turn it in empty if they choose. It is hard to stop once we start paying them. It is a big time commitment and by having a contract for payment, it is harder for them to decide not to come on a certain day, or not do as good of a job. $ adds to the commitment. Facilitators are such good PR – they are worth the pay. Maybe pay in something else besides $? CEUs? We found CEUs were hard to give and a lot of paperwork. We tried for training and didn’t get many that were interested.
ISOTURE:
Identify
Select
Orient
Training
Utilize
Recognition
Evaluation
Recruiting:
· Job description
· Time commitment
· References to organization
· References from organization
· Interests may change – especially over the long term; need to revisit contract
· Using other volunteers to recruit
· Past participants – participants that have benefited make good volunteers.
· People who care about he issue – realize the benefits in what you are doing
· Don’t’ write people off with one “no”
· Data shows the #1 reason people don’t volunteer is: they aren’t asked.
Reasons to volunteer? Social capital and they can make a difference. Sometimes they same people get caught with always being the ones doing things, and it is important to be more inclusive and have more diverse groups of people for sustaining a volunteer base and team. Perceptions of time are key and cycling up with time, first one little thing, then building on it can bring new volunteers on board.
Help find gifts to give to the community-
1 – PROSPER in the press, contact information, seeing current successes
2 - Specific tasks, focus on a talent
Create a Skills Matrix with what needs to be done and then agencies, or groups of people that may help fill those needs. Look outside the usual circle to see who can fill in the spaces. This adds balance and representation.
People need confidence/trust to pick up the phone and get involved. So develop relationship and potential. Look for short term projects that are an easier, baby step task to get involved. Leaders may emerge from tasks performed. To keep follow through, break things into smaller parts. Break up the local arranger part to a greeter, etc as a volunteer and leave the larger tasks of local arranger to the actual local arranger. Some volunteers are willing to sit at the table each month, and others are more concrete and want a job to do and do it.
Example of a table:
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School relationships |
conscientious |
Childcare |
Meals |
PR/ talks |
Copy/office work |
Fund raiser |
Local arranger |
Partnership builder |
recruiter |
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WHO |
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HR Agencies |
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Faith Community |
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Parent |
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Youth |
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School |
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Law enforcement |
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Mental Health |
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Business |
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Media |
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Service groups |
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Men |
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Women |
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Seniors |
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Ethnic |
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Newcomers |
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Sharing time -
Where can we help?
Where/What
What goes on now? (trends)
More youth are volunteering by class/school as community service. What about schools requiring volunteering? It needs to be a good experience in order for them to want to do it again. Volunteers feel good about being there usually. Gets them in the habit of helping others. For some, they just put in their time and never do it again. Youth could help design the recruiting of other youth and to the programs.
Thank the volunteers!!!! They like to be appreciated, listened to and recognized. Put a list in the paper. There are many ways to recognize volunteers on Google.
Schools can use PROSPER data and results of SFP in their efforts in the schools. Academic success and school retention.
How to get there…..
Ways for this to be better:
1. Results from All Stars
2. Team members give results to community groups
3. People see results and volunteer
4. Other agencies become part of the team
5. Get President Geoffrey to talk about PROSPER.
County/Community Foundations
How do we influence the givers so there will be funds for them to give?
I have a dream….. build for the future with gifts/endowments to build a legacy for the community.
PROSPER Promise would build in a recognition of donors
Learning Community comments:
- Prepared slides with clear notes are helpful at each Learning community. Thank you Scott for the Meth information.
- Share findings – highlight school reports
- Did you know time – section in the Newsletter as well
- A 15/20 sec blurb – What is PROSPER
Janet Brown shared a brochure developed for Hampton and she will share with others.
Next Learning Community Dec 11th. At ISU Foundation in the Lepke Room ( a larger room)