Building a Foundation, Forming Connections There*s No Place Like
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Transcript Building a Foundation, Forming Connections There*s No Place Like
BUILDING A FOUNDATION, FORMING
CONNECTIONS, THERE’S NO PLACE
LIKE HOME: COLLABORATION +
ENGAGEMENT +CONNECTION
+SUPPORT + PERSPECTIVES =
COMMUNITY
Amanda Blalock, SCPS School Board Member
Lisa Dolan, LCSW, SCPS Lead School Social Worker
Dawn Shelley, SCPS School Board Member
Michelle Swisher, MSW, SCPS Homeless Liaison/School Social Worker
Spotsylvania County Public Schools, Spotsylvania Virginia
Where in the World is
Spotsylvania, Virginia?
Spotsylvania County
127,348 people is our population within 401
square miles
23,838 students enrolled Jan. 2014 at 29 schools
32% of students receive Free and Reduced Lunch
2013-2014 we had 630 McKinney Vento students
identified.
2014-2015 we currently have 290 students
identified.
We have had a 78% increase over 5 years
We started TALKING!!! To everyone
What Happened?
We started talking—to everyone
Newspaper articles
“Birth” of Treasure
House
Meeting everyone we
could
Church Groups
Civic Groups
Student Groups and
Clubs
Special Education Class
at High School
Community Leaders
Prioritize Creating a Network
of Community Partnerships
Establishing relationships is critical for the
ongoing social welfare of the families with
whom we work
Assessment Questions Regarding
Community Connections
Do we have established connections and referral
protocols with community programs and other
providers that support children and youth and
promote resilience and healing?
Are we effectively collaborating with community
organizations to better meet the needs of the
diversity of families with whom we work?
Do we have established relationships with
community partners which allows
communication about supporting the safety of
children and families in homeless situations?
Do we intentionally build and sustain
relationships and partnerships with staff at other
agencies and systems that affect housing and
services?
Do we work with community partners to
establish a shared vision for practice based on
housing needs of all family members?
Do we understand various perspectives and
work processes and acknowledge the
knowledge and skills of staff at other agencies?
Have we developed protocols and policies with
key community partners to guide practice?
Challenge:
System Thinking
Basics:
•Holistic
•Big Picture
•Interconnections
•Synthesize
•Unified view
Are We Working Inside a
Silo?
Successful Community
Development
TREASURE HOUSE
Dressing Days
Student Involvement
Partnerships
University of Mary Washington
& Local Churches
Food Bank
Community Garden at Hotels
Community Garden at Treasure
House
Newspaper and Radio
Relationships
Business Relationships
Asset Based Community Development
Rediscover and mobilize
resources already
present in the
community
Power of voluntary
associations, achieved
through relationship
building
Asset Based
Internally focused
Relationship driven
Those Who are Marginalized Need
to be Reconnected…
Identify the gifts and
dreams
Each person has a
unique gift
Idea of citizen space
Connectors are Key
Players
Connectors
Key Player
Knows A LOT of people
Willing and able to
make connections
between people who
might otherwise
remain isolated from
each other
Important role of the
Connector
Strength based (system and individual)
Focus on the gifts
Participate where it makes sense
Be present in the community
Understand the nature of citizen space
The Lessons Learned from the Lamplighter
Working WITH School Boards
Actively participate by meeting with
members
Ground the conversation as a real life
community issue
Show there is support from a range of
community members
Speak at meetings, educate, make it personal
Foster the dialogue, listen carefully to
concerns, questions, doubts and fears and
respond
2014 Magna Award
The National School Boards Association
awarded Spotsylvania County Schools for
Camp Out Rock Out Knock Out Homelessness
Event
Recognition from School Board Members is
key
Panel Discussion with School
Board Members
The Art of Playing Politics