Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Planning & Design Informational Email




Thank you so much for participating in our Resiliency in Action Summit.  It was a powerful beginning to our work together!

We are excited to be working with Frank Robinson, who has strong expertise in collective impact efforts in Springfield.  Based on the strong input from the participants at our June 3rd Summit and feedback from Frank Robinson, we decided to postpone the start of the Learning Collaborative and have a Planning and Design Process meeting led by Frank to be sure that the structure of the Learning Collaborative is responsive to the community’s needs and strengths. 

The Planning and Design Process meeting will be held at Springfield College School of Social Work and run from 9-2:30 and include lunch. Someone from the Core Team will be calling a representative from your agency to follow up.  If you have already RSVP-ed for June 16th, a team member will connect with you.

We would like to ask that each agency send a representative to this meeting on the 16th.  It would be helpful if that representative is someone who has the ear of leadership at the agency to help assure participation by the agency in the ongoing Learning Collaborative.  Parents and young professionals are also welcome to participate.

Frank will be leading us through a series of structured activities to build on what we discussed on the 3rd to organize and prioritize issues, determine what voices we need to add to the table and develop proposals for action.  From there, we will together create a vision for the Learning Community, including determining what the team composition and learning sessions will look like. By the end of the meeting on the 16th, we will all have a clearer sense of the vision of this project, what to tackle and in what order, and what it will take from each of us to create a collective impact.



If you would like to register or have any more questions, please contact:
Maria Curtin-McKenna
mcurtinmckenna@startatsquareone.org




Learning Lesson 1: Agenda

                                          Resiliency in Action: Springfield Early Childhood     Macintosh HD:Users:mariacurtin-mckenna:Desktop:Unknown.jpeg
             1st Learning Collaborative

                       October 3, 2014


9:00        Coffee and networking
~ Large meeting room  
Project Pre-Evaluation

9:30        Welcome  to the First Learning Collaborative  
~ Auditorium
                                Maria Curtin-McKenna, Program Coordinator

9:35        Resilience in Action - Why a “Messaging Project?”
Kate Roper, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

10:00     Building Workgroups around Resiliency Themes & Target Audiences
~ Classrooms
Ø  Child & Family
Ø  Community
Ø  Policy Makers

11:45     Networking Lunch
~ Large meeting room and classrooms

Afternoon

12:30     Communication Speaker: Strategies for Creating an Effective Messaging Campaign
~ Auditorium
                                John Bidwell, Director of Marketing & Digital Strategy
Baystate Health Systems, Marketing & Communications 
                               
1:20        Workgroup Plans
~ Classrooms
o   Planning a project direction - Grid/Matrix
o   Logistics for working together
               
3:15        Is there an umbrella for all our work?
                ~ Auditorium
                                Jessica Wozniak, Baystate Family Advocacy Center
               
3:45        Evaluation of the day

4:00        End


       
* Our thanks to Springfield College School for Social Work for providing today’s meeting space.



Resiliency in Action Core Planning Team

Eve Wilder, MPH
Coordinator, Massachusetts Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Project (MECCS)
MA Department of Public Health
Eve.wilder2@state.ma.us

James Canning, PhD, LICSW
Professor, Springfield College School for Social Work and Clinician
jcanning@springfieldcollege.edu

Jenise Katalina, MSW Candidate
Supervisor, Healthy Families
Square One
jkatalina@sdn.org

Jessica Wozniak, PsyD
Clinical Grants Coordinator
Baystate Children’s Hospital’s Family Advocacy Center in Springfield, MA
Jessica.wozniak@baystatehealth.org

Joni Beck Brewer, MSW, LICSW
Vice President of Family Services
Square One
jbeckbrewer@sdn.org

Kate Roper
Assistant Director of Early Childhood Services
MA Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition
Kate.roper@state.ma.us

Maria Curtin-McKenna, MSW, LCSW
Coordinator, Resiliency in Action: Springfield Early Childhood Learning Collaborative
mcurtinmckenna@sdn.org

Tayza Rodriguez-Lopez
Parent of a 3-year old
Tayzarl.2009@gmail.com


Learning Lesson 1: Information Sheet

Resiliency in Action Learning Session 1

INFORMATION SHEET


What do we mean by a consistent, culturally sensitive message?”
We know that we can't wave a magic wand and remove toxic stress sources from Springfield. But together we can join our efforts in changing how families, the community, policy makers, and the general public understand the power of resiliency in shaping the next generation.  By coming together, speaking with one voice, and sharing a common message, we can create a platform for ensuring that all young children and the families in Springfield have access to resiliency supports.  We can more intentionally weave together what we are already doing in Springfield, and determine how to best move forward as a city and state to address gaps and opportunities.

How will workgroups be formed?
Individuals will be asked to join one of three inter-agency workgroups, based on each person or agency/groups interest in creating a messaging project directed toward one of the three target audiences: Child & Family, Community, or Policy Makers.

What will the work of the workgroups look like?
You all have different expertise about how to best communicate with the three different levels of audiences. Each workgroup will discuss what programs and natural supports are already in place that  support resiliency.  Each workgroup will also look at key points they want their audience to learn about supporting resilience.  We’ll work collectively across the workgroups to find the common key points and craft an “umbrella” message that works for all our audiences.  

The whole group and individual workgroups will discuss ideas for formats to deliver the message, such as: a tag line, or a “30 second elevator speech”, a billboard, a PSA, a web page, an advocacy platform, a “white paper”, or a list of 10 ways to support resilience.

Our hope is that, by collaborating on this common goal, Springfield will have formed a foundation for other levels of action.

What support will be offered to the Workgroups?
         A Resiliency in Action Core Team member to support the work of each team.
         A social networking tool for sharing resources and communicating with team members.
         One or more members of the workgroup who have the capacity to help provide additional coordination.


What is the commitment?
         Attendance at the 3 Learning & Action Planning Sessions: October 2014, January 2015, & April 2015
         Workgroup communication: email, phone, sharing resources; may include a meeting between each of the 3 Learning Sessions supported by the Core Team rep.

Do all members of an agency/group need to be on the same workgroup?
Each agency/group may decide if they want to concentrate their membersefforts on one workgroup or to disperse based on the skills, interests of each person. Please consider this decision in advance.

What do I need to do in advance?
      Choose up to 3 members of your Springfield-based agency/group that will join other participants in
cross-system change projects. Non-affiliated individuals are welcome.
      Consider which target audience level you are most interested in engaging your efforts: child & family, community, or policy makers. Decide if all members of your agency/group will target the same audience.
      Brainstorm a message" that the collaborative workgroup might consider as a goal.
      Invite parents of young children to join your team either on October 3 or during meetings in-between.
      RSVP your Registration form by fax, email, mail, or phone by September 19  (see attached)


Please Contact Us with Your Questions

Maria Curtin-McKenna           (413) 858-3147           mcurtinmckenna@sdn.org

Jenise Katalina                        (413) 858-3122           jkatalina@sdn.org

Resiliency in Action- June 3rd Summit

Resiliency in Action: Springfield Early Childhood Learning Collaborative
Action Summit
June 3rd 2014 9:30am – 2:30pm
Springfield College School of Social Work

AGENDA

9:00               Registration, Networking and Coffee

9:30               Convening & Welcome
·         Tayza Rodriquez, Springfield Parent and Core Team Member
·         Kate Roper, Asst. Director of Early Childhood Services at DPH and Core Team Member
·         Video: Building Adult Capacities to Improve Child Outcomes, Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University

10:00             Toxic Stress and Resiliency for Springfield Children and Families: Community Panel & Discussion               
·         Jessica Wozniack, Psy.D., BayState Family Advocacy Center: Adversity, Toxic Stress, and Resiliency in Early Childhood
·         Helen Caulton-Harris, Commissioner, Springfield Health and Human Services: The Landscape for Young Children in Springfield
·         Julie Gagne, Square One: Trauma and Resiliency: A Parent’s Perspective

11:30              Lunch

12:30             Community Café - Shaping the Focus of Resiliency in Action

Round 1: What are the primary challenges that families in Springfield face that may affect their capacity to provide nurturing relationships?

Round 2: What resources and strengths exist in Springfield to support resilient young children and families?

Round 3: How can community members in Springfield come together to make a long-term change for young children and families?


2:15               Café Discussion Summary/Debrief & Next Steps for Action