Community Planning In Action

COMMUNITY PLANNING PARTNERSHIP PROFILES BY PROGRAM

ACCCESS

Andrea Strout – Community Planning Contact Person
Phone: 508-548-0151 x135
Email: atstrout@earthlink.net

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC): Higher Ed

3. Please check which statement best describes your Community Partnership:

A detailed account of Andrea’s experience in year three can be found in the narratives and interviews section.

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Action for Boston Community Development, Downtown Adult Literacy Program

Mary D. Mello – Community Planning Contact Person
Phone:  617-357-6000 x7541
Email:  mello@bostonabcd.org

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC):  CBO

A detailed account of Mary’s experience can be found in the narratives and interviews section under City of Boston Partnerships.

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Cambridge Adult Education Community Planning Group

Antoinette Basualdo Delmonico – Community Planning Contact Person
Phone:  (617)661-9406
Web site: www.conciliohispano.org

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC):

3. Please check which statement best describes your Community Partnership:

Year Three (2002-2003)

1. What is a significant achievement for your partnership last year?  What were key factors in making this an achievement?

The Cambridge Adult Education Community Planning Group’s significant achievement has been the completion of the Needs & Assets report and the initiation of Strategic Planning.  The group’s leadership has done an excellent job at bringing a diverse group of individuals to the table to talk about the community’s needs & assets.  The planning group members include those who work directly with adults to those who work directly with children and families.  Having broad perspectives at the table helps us to really begin a strategic planning process that is encompassing and holistic and not so narrowly focused that it cannot touch the lives of the community at large.

2. What are some important next steps for your partnership - in strategic planning, partnership development, etc?

The next steps include turning the strategic planning into real events and actions.  It also means moving toward strengthening the planning group, by continuing to be visible in the community.  The group has made networking and communicating with the community important parts of this next step.

3. What are some challenges that you foresee for the coming year?  What strategies will you use to take on these challenges?

A challenge to moving forward in strategic planning, besides funding, is making sure that the members of the group and the leadership are not overwhelmed by the plans set forth.  Involvement in the planning group is an additional responsibility for many of the members.  We need to make sure that the action to be taken does not overextend the leadership, nor the members, yet can move the group forward in a realistic and effective manner so that we can make changes in the condition of ABE in the community.

Central Berkshire County ABE Community Coalition

Claudine Chavanne – Community Planning Contact Person
Phone: 413-637-0373
Email:  claudine@capital.net

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC):

ABE/ESL program for individuals age 18 or older, based at the Adult Learning Center in Pittsfield, with additional support from other ABE providers in Berkshire County.  Programs vary from classes to one-on-one tutoring.  The majority of the programs are free to qualifying individuals.

Year Three (2002-2003)

1. What is a significant achievement for your partnership last year?  What were key factors in making this an achievement?

Our partnership is getting better and better at problem solving ABE related issues on a community wide basis through a collaborative approach that identifies common issues, brings viable resources to the table, and promotes successful outcomes. 

Recognizing that strength comes in numbers, ABE providers in central Berkshire joined their counterparts in northern and southern Berkshire and added other ABE supporters to create a countywide Literacy Committee.  The expansion has been particularly effective in creating one strong voice for all the ABE providers in the county on key issues.  It has also allowed ABE providers in this geographically large region to use their combined resources in resolving fiscal, social, and communication challenges.

Meetings are held on a quarterly basis, have a clearly identified agenda, start and end on time, focus on two ABE key issues per meeting, and assign responsibility for action items.  As time permits, additional networking and program updates occur.   The Committee chair also issues a meeting synopsis and conducts follow up calls, as needed, to promote successful outcomes.

This collaborative approach to identify common issues and bring viable resources to the table is also being used to enhance ABE marketing efforts, strengthen networking and communication between providers and supporters, promote a more effective referral and follow up system, and resolve budget issues through group purchasing.

2. What are some important next steps for your partnership - in strategic planning, partnership development, etc?

A formal Strategic Planning committee comprised of community stakeholders who can best address the ABE issues outlined below will be formed this fall.

Finding potential leaders who will carry on the plan after June 2005 will also be a major challenge.

3. What are some challenges that you foresee for the coming year?  What strategies will you use to take on these challenges?

The ABE infrastructure has been hurt by budget reductions in 2003 that eliminated staff, key services, and in some cases, entire support programs throughout the ABE community.  The local and countywide partnerships will need to re-prioritize their most compelling issues, expand their collaborative approach to problem solving, and continue advocating for ABE programs to the local communities and legislative delegation.

Business-education partnerships have traditionally been a challenge due to a number of factors, including misconceptions about each other’s programs; the historical, political, social and operational divisions between the business and education communities; differing skill sets; and a lack of time in both communities to participate and lead these partnerships.  In spite of these drawbacks, it is these very partnerships between businesses and educational providers that will most likely soften the negative impact of budget reductions on unemployment/underemployment, skill training and work ethic, transportation, affordable housing, and the top social issues identified in a recent United Way study.  The Strategic Plan will most likely need a business-education component with clearly defined action steps that can be effectively implemented within a realistic timeframe and budget.

Immigration, legal and otherwise, continues to increase in spite of budget cuts for support programs, tightened immigration policies, and the increased challenge to communities that this population brings, including an increased need for ESOL education and funding, job training, affordable housing, and health care.   The solution will undoubtedly be tied to on-going advocacy and marketing for both realistic budgetary and outreach/marketing supports.

Adults in need of Basic Skills continue to be one of the more elusive ABE populations within the ABE community.  A stronger business-education partnership and an increased marketing/outreach program countywide should have a meaningful impact on this under-served population.

A surge in the young ABE population (students under age 24) brings unique challenges to ABE providers, particularly with regard to their lack of coping skills as compared to other age groups.  An outreach group led by a young adult has already made inroads in south county and could serve as a model countywide.

Everett Literacy Program

Meg English – Community Planning Contact Person
Phone: 617-394-2318
Email: elitercy@rcn.com

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC):  CBO

Year Three (2002-2003)

1. What is a significant achievement for your partnership last year?  What were key factors in making this an achievement?

The Assets and Needs Report helped identify areas where ABE is needed in the city.  Identifying partners and potential partners was useful as well.

2. What are some important next steps for your partnership - in strategic planning, partnership development, etc?

Fundraising is of primary importance, as is conducting another survey of the community regarding ABE issues.  We are looking to secure a space of our own to expand the program to daytime classes & GED classes.

3. What are some challenges that you foresee for the coming year?  What strategies will you use to take on these challenges?

Finding the time to meet with partners and maintaining momentum on next steps.

Hampshire and Franklin County ABE Community Partnership

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC):  CBOs

International Language Institute, Center for New Americans, The Literacy Project

Year Three (2002-2003)

1. What is a significant achievement for your partnership last year?  What were key factors in making this an achievement?

I think the most significant achievements were the completion of our assessment, the wonderful feedback we have received from our partnership, and their excellent attendance at the meetings when we asked them to participate in helping us determine the implications of the data for strategic planning.

2. What are some important next steps for your partnership - in strategic planning, partnership development, etc?

First, our original core group needs to meet to talk about timelines and the composition of the core group.  We need to widen the core circle to include the folks like the Career Centers, Youth Program folks, Corrections and other ESOL and under-served people mentioned as key players in the implications section of our assessment.  We also need to scale down the assessment and make it a reasonable size to be of use.  There are also statistical errors that will need to be corrected before a press release goes out.  I think that a press conference to which we can invite some of our county political leaders might also be a good thing.

3. What are some challenges that you foresee for the coming year?  What strategies will you use to take on these challenges?

Getting the right people to the table.  We don't want to waste people's time.  Strategic planning is in adult education, and this means the partnership will be narrowed to those who are direct stakeholders in adult education services. This doesn't mean that we won't share and get input from the larger partnership.  I think that the terms core, supporting and enabling are excellent ways to envision the different levels of partnership.

We met recently and changed the names in the partnerships.  We are now calling our core team the Planning Team.  The Planning Team will also be in the Core Partnership.  The Core Partnership will be responsible for the strategic plan.  The Core Partnership will get input from Resource Partners who are impacted by adult education programming and our Supporting Partners who are interested in adult education generally.  Our Supporting Partners are those who might be willing to attend one meeting a year or interested in receiving communications about the process because they were our partners during the assessment phase.

Holyoke JUNTOS ABE Collaborative

Paul Hyry – Community Planning Contact Person
Phone:  413-534-2026
Email:  phyry@hps.holyoke.ma.us

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC):

Holyoke Public Schools, HALO Center, CARE Center, Community Education Project, MCDI-Holyoke, New England Farm Workers’ Council, Mentor Program at Holyoke Community College   

For a detailed account of Paul’s experience please see the narratives and interviews section.

The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc.

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC):  CBO

3. Please check which statement best describes your Community Partnership:

Year Three (2002-2003)

1. What is a significant achievement for your partnership last year?  What were key factors in making this an achievement?

The Malden ABE Community Planning Advisory Council is working to establish a pilot, intermediate-level ESL class in partnership with Malden employers.  Based on our Needs and Assets Report, some employers indicated that 50% of their job applicants lacked basic job, computer and language skills and were considered unemployable.  The Council is seeking public and private funding to hire a Teacher/Consultant who will work with Malden employers to determine their workforce needs and design the pilot class based on those needs.  The Teacher/Consultant will also work with employers to develop salary and career ladders for employees who successfully complete the class.  Supervisors will be informed of employees’ attendance and progress, which will become part of their personnel files.

The class size will be approximately 21 students, comprised of employees from participating employers.  The class will meet twice a week for three hours each session.  Each session will run 16 weeks, three sessions per year.  Optimum class times would be from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. or 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.  to accommodate employees’ work shift schedules with minimal impact or interruptions in production or services.  Council members have agreed to donate in-kind services for office and classroom space, student assessment and evaluation services, and fiscal oversight and management of grant funds.  We will also ask employers to provide employees early release time near the end of their shifts to attend class.  Several Malden-based employers (manufacturing, retail) will be invited to a Council meeting in the near future to hear a presentation on this proposal.   We are deeply grateful to one of our business partners who gave us valuable information on structuring a class that would be mutually beneficial to both employers and employees. 

The Malden ABE Community Planning Advisory Council has been diligent in building a partnership based on mutual respect and trust. We have remained a strong collaboration throughout our existence even though some participants are no longer involved.  We continue to bring on board new partners who bring different perspectives and “voices” to the table.  Each meeting has been informative and productive, providing the momentum that keeps the partnership effective.  We share a mutual respect for the organizations and programs we represent and visibly support those efforts in the community as event sponsors or by attending meetings and writing letters of support for grant proposals.  Partners also see each other as available resources to get help in a number of areas, including event planning, fundraising and operations strategies.  We also refer constituents to the appropriate organization within the partnership whenever possible.  We are very excited about the work we are doing together and look forward to another great year. 

The partnership received an exemplary evaluation in March 2003 by the Massachusetts Department of Education.  This was part of the evaluation process of the Immigrant Learning Center, Inc. that spearheads the Malden ABE partnership.

2. What are some important next steps for your partnership - in strategic planning, partnership development, etc?

The Council will continue to fine-tune its strategic plan, which is based on the educational needs of native- and foreign-born Malden residents, and to identify partners within and outside the Malden community who can provide financial and other support services.  If the pilot class goes well, we want to expand the program to offer more classes and add additional levels, based on available funding.

3. What are some challenges that you foresee for the coming year?  What strategies will you use to take on these challenges?

Securing funding for our partnership initiatives will be difficult in an environment of budget cutbacks and adult literacy program closings.  Also, it is critical to avoid tapping donors who currently fund program and operations support for our partners’ respective agencies and organizations.  We recently submitted a proposal to the City of Malden for first-year funding of the pilot class and are waiting for a response.  We are also conducting ongoing research on the Internet for prospective local, regional and national donors who focus on adult literacy initiatives.  Educating the business community about the need to invest in the workforce will remain a priority with the partnership.

Jamaica Plain Community Centers, Adult Learning Program

Sandy Goodman – Community Planning Contact Person
Phone:  617-635-5201
Email:  s_goodman@hotmail.com

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC): CBO

3. Please check which statement best describes your Community Partnership:

For a detailed account of Sandy’s experience please see the narratives and interviews section under City of Boston partnerships.

Lawrence Adult Learning Center

Marilyn Doyle – Community Planning Contact Person
Email: mdoyle@lawrence.k12.ma.us

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC): LEA

Year Three (2002-2003)

1. What is a significant achievement for your partnership last year?  What were key factors in making this an achievement?

Pursuant to the Lawrence ESOL Steering Committee’s Plan to facilitate additional classes in Lawrence, and through money from the Mayor and the Workforce Investment Board, a Literacy Facilitator was hired.  She has been promoting the involvement of local business partners in supporting innovative models of family literacy, ESOL and workplace literacy for Lawrence residents.

2. What are some important next steps for your partnership - in strategic planning, partnership development, etc?

We, as are all other ABE Community Partnerships, will be working on developing a long and short-range strategic plan.  We also need to broaden the partnership to include employers and to develop a more diverse membership.

3. What are some challenges that you foresee for the coming year?  What strategies will you use to take on these challenges?

Our biggest challenge will be raising money.  Lawrence Literacy Works has planned a fundraiser in October to kick off the year and to bring business representatives together for a day of literacy awareness.

Another challenge is involving businesses and employers as partners.  We are hoping that the October fundraiser/social is an opportunity to encourage businesses to become more engaged in the partnership.

Lowell Adult Education Center

Elaine Nugent – Community Planning Contact Person
Phone:  978-970-5418
Email:  nugentelaine@hotmail.com

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC):  Lowell Public Schools

Year Three (2002-2003)

1. What is a significant achievement for your partnership last year?  What were key factors in making this an achievement?

A significant achievement for the Lowell ABE Community Planning Partnership is the primary data collection that documents Lowell adult residents’ strengths and disparities of knowledge and use of a broad array of educational and employment training opportunities, as well as access to health and human services.  One key factor in making this an achievement was the sharing of partnership member agencies’ reports, focus groups, surveys, and community conversations.

The membership included representatives from the ABE population, ABE providers, Lowell K-12 Schools, Middlesex Community College, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Regional Employment Board, Lowell Career Center, Department of Transitional Assistance, City of Lowell Planning and Development, Pollard Memorial Library, Lowell Health Department, Lowell Community Health Center and many additional health and human service agencies.  Another key factor was the fine work accomplished by the Lowell Adult Education Center’s staff and student leadership driven teams in conducting and analyzing focus groups and community surveys.

2. What are some important next steps for your partnership - in strategic planning, partnership development, etc?

Some important next steps for our partnership during the strategic planning stage include:

• Aligning the City of Lowell’s Five year Strategic Plan with the goals of the Lowell ABE Community Planning Partnership to utilize resources efficiently,
• Outreaching to groups in need of services, especially the immigrant population (almost half of Lowell’s population),
• Promoting the Lowell Continuum of Care System by keeping its mission of helping the homeless and providing affordable housing at the forefront of community development
• Continuing efforts to engage the area’s employers in the partnership,
• Addressing the issue of ESOL waiting lists, and
• Strengthening the existing continuum of services for learners as they progress through levels of ESOL and GED instruction and beyond into higher institutions of learning.

3. What are some challenges that you foresee for the coming year?  What strategies will you use to take on these challenges?

One very realistic and significant challenge for the coming year is striking a balance between economic development and housing costs in the City of Lowell.  Lowell has the second highest rent of any city in the state of Massachusetts.  The Lowell partnership’s intent to address the housing issue will require vigilant efforts in promoting awareness of this issue for adult learners and their families. 

Availability and access to job training programs is another relevant challenge that will continue to require innovative thinking on the part of all members as we continue to work with the Career Center and try to draw upon employers’ participation in the partnership. 

Another struggle will be to open enough classes for foreign-speaking adults to learn the English language (since there are often waiting lists for specific level classes) with the current financial resources that are received from both the city and state.  Partnering with additional city agencies to explore revenues for more ESOL satellites will be researched.

Massachusetts Career Development Institute - Westfield

Sheila Kelly & Larry Bay – Community Planning Contact Persons
Phone:  413-532-2683 & 413-568-1716
Email:  skelly3183@aol.com

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC):

A detailed account of Sheila & Larry’s experience can be found in the narratives and interviews section.

Mount Wachusett Community College ABE Program

Jeremiah Riordan, ABE Community Planner – Community Planning Contact Person
Phone: 978-630-9269 (MWF), 978-772-0405 (T, Th)
Email: j_riordon@mwcc.mass.edu

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC):  Higher Ed

Year Three (2002-2003)

1. What is a significant achievement for your partnership last year?  What were key factors in making this an achievement?

The completion of the comprehensive Needs and Assets Report was a significant step forward for our program.  Not only did it give us great information from the community and insights for the future of the ABE program, it also allowed various agencies that are going through difficult times to form cross-over relationships.  These relationships benefited our respective clients, by allowing cut programs to transfer some of their clientele needs to programs remaining in existence.

2. What are some important next steps for your partnership - in strategic planning, partnership development, etc?

The partnership will need to begin a process of rejuvenation, as many members have withdrawn from being as active as they once were, due to increased cuts in their program budgets and because some partners were recruited during better economic times.  This outreach process has been on-going, and a major drive forward to re-establish partnership growth is underway.  This process is crucial and has been minimally successful to date. The Strategic Planning process has already begun, and the best strategic planning will be done with a more developed partnership.  This should be ASAP, so that the new members can become well informed and geared up for effective strategic planning.

3. What are some challenges that you foresee for the coming year?  What strategies will you use to take on these challenges?

See above.  The atrophied partnership has been something that I have worked hard to revive.  Many agencies that were once strong or at least adequate with support staff are now cut to the bone (some gone completely), and I am working to find replacements.  The Leominster family Literacy Pilot Project has been a great addition.

An additional challenge has been working with two vastly different communities and in two very different community partnerships.  Forcing them into a single unit has been very successful, but I have made significant efforts in working with subgroups to be sure needs and assets respective to the individual communities of Fitchburg, Gardner, Leominster and the communities around Devens have been singularly represented.   This was almost like writing multiple Needs and Assets reports, one for each town.

Additionally, since this process is part of an on-going strategic planning initiative, consideration should be given to regularly re-visiting the Needs and Assets report and updating it to best represent the communities.

Lastly, there are significant differences in the profiles of the core populations in the mostly blue-collar, suburban to urban population of approximately 100,000 of Gardner, Fitchburg and Leominster and the towns making up the surrounding Devens community. The numerous small towns surrounding Devens are mostly affluent, suburban to rural communities, representing 70,000 residents.  Combining the assessments was a very difficult process as much of the report may read like a comparison of the “haves” versus the “have-nots.”   For the reason of fair assessment of needs, the towns of Ayer, Groton, Harvard, Townsend and Pepperell were included in the Devens component of the assessment, due to the fact that much of the Devens student body comes from just a town or more away to attend the Devens program.  Additionally, the needs and assets of each community have been divided into two separate reports regarding community profiles and needs and assets.

In hindsight, were the process of needs and assets to be repeated, I would strongly recommend completely separate assessments be done to best represent and service the cities and towns of the North Central region.  Accurately assessing the needs and assets of 170,000 people in two different communities has resulted in difficulty getting a in-depth profile of any one city or town.  Due to Leominster and Fitchburg each having a population of approximately 40,000 and Gardner’s population numbering 20,000, an accurate assessment may require individual community planners for each city (similar to Randolph, Fall River, etc).

NECC Amesbury Adult Learning Center

Irene Chalek – Community Planning Contact Person
Phone:  978-738-7621
Email:  ichalek@necc.mass.edu

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC): Higher Ed

3. Please check which statement best describes your Community Partnership:

Year Three (2002-2003)

1. What is a significant achievement for your partnership last year?  What were key factors in making this an achievement?

Formalizing the partnership by applying for 501(c)3 status.  The partnership wants to be a separate entity in order to support adult literacy initiatives.

2. What are some important next steps for your partnership - in strategic planning, partnership development, etc?

On-going recruitment and eventual location for a center.

3. What are some challenges that you foresee for the coming year?  What strategies will you use to take on these challenges?

More member involvement; creating sub-committees; reaching the immigrant population.

SCALE

Susan Riley – Community Planning Contact Person
Phone:  617-625-6600 x6920
Email:  willie4841@aol.com

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC): LEA

A detailed account of Susan’s experience can be found in the narrative and interviews section.

Webster Adult Basic Education

Leslie Baker or Terri Stone – Community Planning Contact Persons
Phone:  (508) 943-9613
Email:  night-school@usa.net

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC): LEA

3. Please check which statement best describes your Community Partnership:

Year Three (2002-2003)

1. What is a significant achievement for your partnership last year?  What were key factors in making this an achievement?

The Webster Adult Basic Education program had a significant achievement in the addition of a GED Component in February 2003.  With the expansion of the program, a Community Planner was hired to focus on both short and long term planning.  We are continuing our efforts to meet and expand services in Webster, Dudley, and Uxbridge.

Our partnership was able to continue with the Oral Health initiative we began by finding and hiring the Southern Worcester County Oral Health Coordinator.  The initiative will continue this year.

The Assets and Needs Study for ABE was completed, reviewed and accepted by both the Council and the MA Department of Education Review Committee.

The Council held “Book A Cruise” a self-created literacy program which was a collaboration between both social and civil service agencies to support and promote family literacy.

We completed and submitted our third application for the 21^st Century Grant attempting to address the needs of our at-risk youth and their families.

The Council also spent time planning a Healthy Communities-based symposium project scheduled to take place in November 2003.  The community wide symposium will provide an opportunity for addressing and managing social change in Webster.

2. What are some important next steps for your partnership - in strategic planning, partnership development, etc?

We are meeting with our partners to develop a regular meeting schedule for the next calendar year.  Our goal is to develop and publish Webster’s Strategic Plan.  The major activity planned to further develop communication and collaboration is a community-wide symposium scheduled for late fall.  This forum will offer something to most of the factions in our community: business, parents, elders, youth, elected officials, media and religious groups.  Our goal is to increase contact and provide a basis for building bridges between groups.  This work should further define gaps or needs within the community.

We hope to increase the level of participation in subcommittees of our council.  We would like to see more people engaged and subcommittees more active within their area of expertise by planning events, activities, or further ways to address needs and assist in building bridges in gap areas.

We realize a need to increase the visibility and familiarity for the Council as a whole and our mission within the community.

We are also striving to make expanded contact with all aspects of the local community that may need to become aware of our program.  Outreach will be made to all school guidance departments, libraries and literacy hubs within our area to promote the ABE and GED Program.

3. What are some challenges that you foresee for the coming year?  What strategies will you use to take on these challenges?

We expect to unite the Southern Worcester County Adult Education Community in developing a shared GED Testing Schedule.

We would like to further the coordination of services between community members, possibly with the representation of the Webster Adult ABE/GED program at Workforce Central on a regular basis.

The Council will continue to analyze the gaps identified in the Assets and Needs study and pursue the programs and funding needed to fill those gaps.

The Council will complete the Strategic Plan and garner the support of key decision makers within the community.

Worcester Adult Learning Center, Quinsigamond Community College, Mass Job Training Inc.

Karen Chaparian – Community Planning Contact Person
Phone:  508-853-2300 x4835
Email:  karenrchap@yahoo.com

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC):  ABE ESOL

3. Please check which statement best describes your Community Partnership:

Year Three (2002-2003)

1. What is a significant achievement for your partnership last year?  What were key factors in making this an achievement?

A significant achievement for the Worcester partnership is the huge increase to our partnership in membership, interest, and active participation in projects.  Key factors in making that happen were the immense interest in the data presented through the Assessment of Assets and Needs Report and the realization that the problems related to adult education need immediate and focused attention.  Worcester’s mayor has taken a very pro-active role and, as a result, many new community leaders have become participating members of our partnership.

2. What are some important next steps for your partnership - in strategic planning, partnership development, etc?

We have begun a major step in our strategic plan.  Following an analysis of the needs statement for Worcester, four sub-committees have been formed.  These four committees have been regularly meeting and have missions and goals related to meeting the educational needs of the adult residents of Worcester.  Working as subcommittees, then reporting back and engaging in discussion with the Worcester PACE group during general forums will assure that our partnership maintains constant communicative abilities and the resource for feedback between members. 

3. What are some challenges that you foresee for the coming year?  What strategies will you use to take on these challenges?

Challenges that I foresee for the coming year are, first and foremost, to maintain this high level of interest.  Secondly, our challenge is to actively pursue the steps necessary to achieve the successful implementation of the specific goals that the sub-committees have determined as being important to our mission.  This mission is to provide educational/training services to the adult population of Worcester.  The main strategy that I will use for these challenges is to keep our partnership active by meeting regularly and by keeping in constant communication with members between general meetings.

YMCA International Learning Center-Boston Fenway Program

Susan Arida – Community Planning Contact Person
Phone: 617-927-8078 
Email: sarida@ymcaboston.org

1.  Please check all of the following jobs that you hold:

2. Type of Program (LEA, CBO, Higher Ed, CHOC):  CBO

3. Please check which statement best describes your Community Partnership:

Year Three (2002-2003)

1. What is a significant achievement for your partnership last year?  What were key factors in making this an achievement?

The Fenway/Kenmore/Mission Main partnership is now known as PALS, Partnership for Adult Learning Services.  One significant achievement was the expansion of our partnership, which occurred as we began to survey the neighborhood to determine the needs and assets relevant to adult education.  In response to the need for more ESOL services at Mission Main (an affordable housing community of 800 residents, more than 50% of which are immigrants), the Fenway/Kenmore PALS moved up Huntington Avenue to include this adjacent community.  This partnership led to Mission Main residents coming into the program as well as the securing of funds to create additional classes on site at Mission Main.

2. What are some important next steps for your partnership - in strategic planning, partnership development, etc?

The completion of the Comprehensive Assets and Needs Assessment confirmed the overwhelming need for more adult basic education in a community with over 11,000 immigrants, many of whom earn low incomes and have access to a mere 67 free ESOL slots.  In addition, hundreds, perhaps thousands of workers with limited English proficiency come into the neighborhood every day to work in low paying service jobs or on the campuses of colleges and universities.  With such great need, discussion centered around identifying achievable goals is necessary, considering the great need in the community.  First, the partnership seeks to become a source for referrals and is working toward providing clients/adult learners with a continuum of services.  Second, a chart listing member resources, needs and the benefits derived from PALS membership is being developed.  This chart will both provide the data needed to determine our priorities in the strategic planning process and will also be a useful tool in recruiting new partnership members.

3. What are some challenges that you foresee for the coming year?  What strategies will you use to take on these challenges?

After reviewing the Assessment’s key findings, PALS members needed to review and refine the partnership mission statement.  Members wanted a more meaningful statement that provided greater clarity regarding their role in the partnership and the partnership’s mission to the community.  Our challenge will be for members to continue to see the importance of their place in this partnership and to identify priorities and achievable goals that will both strengthen and expand the partnership and benefit individual partnership members.  Our strategy for meeting this challenge is to organize data submitted by members in a way that will show PALS to be a viable community organization that supports adult education through a continuum of services.  Partners will draw on this data to strategize relevant objectives, goals, and action steps.