PACT for Families Collaborative
Report date
February 2019
What has been most instrumental to your progress?
Our project was developed to address the question: “How can providers and school staff offer hope and tangible tools to high-needs parents so their futures and those of their children become more resilient and independent?” This question came from the work that PACT and its partners had been doing over the last several years to find ways to positively support families who may be impacted by ACE’s and trauma in addition to more comprehensive family needs.
We addressed this question through a combination of activities, organized into three phases: 1) Increase understanding; 2) Generate Ideas; 3) Test and implement solutions (Bush Theory of Change model). We found that each phase contributed to the success of the project, with steps 2 and 3 as key. We felt we had a good base to understand the overall needs of kids and families which was enhanced through further surveys and discussion (phase 1). We found that perspectives from parents and service providers were not all the same – this helped to set a good foundation for a deeper discussion for phase two.
We addressed this question through a combination of activities, organized into three phases: 1) Increase understanding; 2) Generate Ideas; 3) Test and implement solutions (Bush Theory of Change model). We found that each phase contributed to the success of the project, with steps 2 and 3 as key. We felt we had a good base to understand the overall needs of kids and families which was enhanced through further surveys and discussion (phase 1). We found that perspectives from parents and service providers were not all the same – this helped to set a good foundation for a deeper discussion for phase two.
Phase 2) Generate Ideas – we made use of two meetings to focus on the issues prioritized through phase 1, using “open space technology” to develop ideas and find leaders for each project identified. This process was key to not only to identify projects, but to find individuals who were willing to lead and follow through with each. Individuals who participated in both groups (we split into an East group and a West group) identified projects that were specific to their geographic area and addressed the priorities identified during Phase 1. We ended up with a similar focus across our five county service area. This process confirmed that across our rural region, the needs are very similar. Working on this process as a communities built momentum and created champions to carry the work forward and gain more support. This is why we were able to do 5 projects instead of 2.
The key to the success of the projects was a combination of agency/school staff who were spearheading each project and support through PACT that was geared towards the needs of each project. PACT helped support each in different ways. Some was just spreading the word and facilitating, some of it was the financial seed money, and some was a combination of brainstorming with the groups, or supporting their continual convening as the projects unfolded. By continually communicating their success across to our partners and community, we generated energy. Sharing results through our monthly collaborative meetings and newsletters generated excitement and spun more conversations. We also brought back the regional groups to talk about their projects together. They shared the obstacles and successes. There was time for questions, answers and more collaboration. We were able to see how each planning group had been communicating with peers, families and community; and generating interest in their successes.
Key lessons learned
We felt there were several key lessons that were reinforced through the grant term:
1) Communication – it was important to communicate what was taking place to our partners over the two years during each phase of the project, and in particular to share the ‘results’ of the projects as they were coming to conclusion. In bringing the two planning groups together for a ‘wrap up meeting’ it not only reinforced what took place, but set the stage for their continuation and expansion to other parts of the community. In seeing the energy emerge when people shared their results, we wished we would have started sharing earlier. People were very excited to learn form others. It reinforced so much they were thinking. It has built a sense of community across our 5 counties. We may not have been able to share a lot of data in the beginning, but bringing the folks together built energy and support for the projects.
1) Communication – it was important to communicate what was taking place to our partners over the two years during each phase of the project, and in particular to share the ‘results’ of the projects as they were coming to conclusion. In bringing the two planning groups together for a ‘wrap up meeting’ it not only reinforced what took place, but set the stage for their continuation and expansion to other parts of the community. In seeing the energy emerge when people shared their results, we wished we would have started sharing earlier. People were very excited to learn form others. It reinforced so much they were thinking. It has built a sense of community across our 5 counties. We may not have been able to share a lot of data in the beginning, but bringing the folks together built energy and support for the projects.
2)Leadership- Agency/school staff were instrumental in taking the lead for most of the projects. They were the ones who initiated the ideas and worked the concept through to completion. Typically, there was a team effort in the projects. It wasn't one person alone leading the charge. There was typically a point person, who kept it all together, but it was a team effort. There was either a group of people who met and put together the plan (e.g. County Resource Directory) or a team at the school that was helping to develop and support the school based projects. For the Train the Presenter project, PACT took the lead due to the fact that we were able to partner with a State Agency to create the training. (some of dollars shifted to staff time versus the actual training because we received the training for free, but had to coordinate with them)For the project that did not happen, it seemed as though there was not a team where a leader emerged.
PACT Support- While each of the projects had leadership, PACT’s role to provide support where it was needed was important over the life of the grant period. Our role was different for each project. For the County Resource Directory, our role was minimal. The group took care of the project (including significant in-kind from Southwest Initiative foundation, with PACT coming in at the close to help distribute the materials. PACT will support the directories getting completed for the other three counties using the format that developed by the group. For the school projects, PACT helped with budgeting and connecting with additional resources. For the parent nights, PACT served as a liaison to MACMH for the Fidgety Fairy Tales. PACT’s role was greatest for the ACE’s Trainer event, combining both the East and West groups, who had identified this as a project. PACT staff took the lead to coordinate the event, help with recruitment (32 attended the training) and will continuing working with all the trainers to support continued presentations across our five counties. In the Prenatal/pediatric group, the local public health agencies have taken the lead with the medical community.
Reflections on the community innovation process
The community innovation diagram represents the process we have been and are actively using within our collaborative. We have learned the importance of spending the time to gather ideas and feedback on an issue, and to actively incorporate them into the planning of projects. The three areas represented by the ‘gears’ (inclusive, collaborate, resourceful) are key components in the process. The successful completion of each of our projects reinforced the importance of each one being addressed continuously over the life of the grant. Underlying each phase was the need for continuous communication within each planning group as well as communicating with our partners what was being learned and the success of each. This helped support the expansion of several of the projects into other geographic areas and their ability to sustain themselves longer into the future, by gaining more local support. Some of the barriers for projects was schools said parents were not as involved as they would have hoped. Due to that feedback, we are going back and conducting more listening sessions with parents and schools, facilitated BY parents.
Progress toward an innovation
Our project served as a mechanism for many people, feeling the same needs, to come together and have focused conversations to come up with sustainable approaches to support our high risk kids and families. We know the need to address both prevention and intervention and ACE’s discussion served as a way to bring our existing partners together as well as engage new community partners in education and planning around ACE’s. In moving a non-linear process forward, we keep moving the lessons learned and creating, discussing, creating, and tweaking some more. By doing this, we bring more people to the table and get better energy and results. People are coming together and realizing we want the same things. Schools, parents, churches and businesses want the same things- so how can we do it. That's where we are. People have said- we need to do this big -now. We need everyone to make it happen. That takes a the backbone organization to bring those groups to the table. We are not a school, we are not a church, we are not a business, but we are a persistent partner with them all. We want to be that group that continually brings them together to make it happen even when its hard.
What it will take to reach an innovation?
We have realized within the grant, that building community capacity takes working in all sectors of community to truly build resiliency. That's why we started with the goal of 2 projects and had 5. We have heard from a large part of the communities we serve. We started getting people energized and willing to build community conversations, but to truly build our community capacity we need more people at the table. We need to keep moving forward and recognize who was not at the table this first round and get others here. We are at a growth point in doing this. We are planning focused conversations again in our community and intentionally getting more voice at the table.
From the lessons learned, we feel we have a breakthrough project to implement. We would like to build partnerships within community and families, with schools being the focal point. In many areas, especially the rural areas, schools are the hub of the community. We want to create a large scale project where we promote the values of resiliency in all parts of community. This could be done with families and schools leading the way, with the support of a backbone Organization such as PACT.
From the lessons learned, we feel we have a breakthrough project to implement. We would like to build partnerships within community and families, with schools being the focal point. In many areas, especially the rural areas, schools are the hub of the community. We want to create a large scale project where we promote the values of resiliency in all parts of community. This could be done with families and schools leading the way, with the support of a backbone Organization such as PACT.
What's next?
We intentionally supported planning that had sustainability built into them. However, in learning, there are changes that will happen. Many ideas emerged from the increasing social/emotional support in the schools. One project that targeted one grade in their building is now doing all grades in their K-2 building. One school who started in 1st grade is working with all the 2nd grade to keep moving it forward. We now will be moving into a planning project to build relationships between families, schools and communities due to the learning that happened from the school projects.
The county resource guides that were created for 2 of the 5 counties is being expanded with dollars to help the other 3 counties create their own. We will designate time on-going in our committee meetings to review these and make changes as necessary.
ACE’s presenter training have continued and expand. PACT has provided support for their expansion through networking and communication, and continued to support each presenter. Since April, we have 68 community presentations within our 5 county area. We plan to support the projects through the committee structure of the collaborative
The county resource guides that were created for 2 of the 5 counties is being expanded with dollars to help the other 3 counties create their own. We will designate time on-going in our committee meetings to review these and make changes as necessary.
ACE’s presenter training have continued and expand. PACT has provided support for their expansion through networking and communication, and continued to support each presenter. Since April, we have 68 community presentations within our 5 county area. We plan to support the projects through the committee structure of the collaborative
If you could do it all over again...
We have always known that communication is key, and we did communicate many results as the project evolved. Bringing people together, sooner would be ideal. The amount of excitement that was generated by bringing folks together to share progress was incomparable. People were energized and it sparked more and more conversations. The support, vision, and feedback people gave to one another could have helped move projects further -if they could have come together earlier and more often. Regardless of what stage the projects were at, we could learn about others ideas, what they need from others groups/PACT, and trouble shoot as a large group. In planning times to come together, we need to keep in mind that it takes deliberate up front planning, marketing and simplicity to get people to attend. Having better technology capabilities would help us immensely. We are spread across 3,653 square miles getting people together is no small feat. If we truly want more people at the table we need to offer every option available to get people at the table.
One last thought
Creating true change takes time, energy and resources. When new ideas are emerging and you are attempting to make changes in thinking and practice, it takes someone leading that charge, being persistent, and raising up the positives that are happening in front our eyes. Sometimes its hard to see the change when its slow. If it becomes difficult to see, it becomes easy to become discouraged and give up. Then all the work is for not. We have to be able to push through the stages of groaning about the hard work to see how we have grown!