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The following session descriptions are intended to give you a sense of the kinds of workshops that are frequently requested and offered by Common Ground Consulting LLC. These popular sessions can be tailored to meet specific needs and are offered in a variety of formats ranging from 90-minute conference workshops to one or multi-day institutes.
"Craig's sessions are the best I've ever attended at any conference."
—Department of Education Safe and Drug-Free Schools Grantee, Arizona
BUILDING ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY
Primary Goal
Participants will develop an understanding of the key elements of organizational capacity building.
Abstract
In the for-profit sector, companies invest millions of dollars annually in the people and systems that affect their bottom-line. The social profit sector has been slow to embrace this strategy, yet we are faced with solving some of our nation's most dire social problems. Burnout and turnover are epidemic in our organizations; and few social profits have taken a hard look at their infrastructures with an eye towards long-term stability, let alone growth. In this session, participants will define capacity building using a particular approach that looks at seven key indicators of capacity and will leave with a tool for assessing their own organizations.
Objectives
- Be able to define capacity building as it is used in the social profit sector.
- Learn to recognize and explain the seven key indicators of organizational capacity.
- Learn how to use a particular model and capacity assessment tool.
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INDIVIDUAL GIVING: THE ONLY KIND OF FUNDRAISING THAT MATTERS
Primary Goal
Participants will learn to embrace and prioritize individual donor-based fundraising as an integral part of their overall organizational fundraising efforts.
Abstract
If youth programs are going to get serious about sustainability then we need to get serious about asking people for the resources we need to do it. In this provocative session, it is my goal to change the way you think about fundraising. I am going to convince you that asking people for money is easier than you think and the rewards are always greater than you expect. And I'm going to show you how to do it.
This session is not just for management staff, In fact, program folks need to attend this workshop. I want to help you find new and creative ways to identify and recruit new volunteers; tap into their wisdom, experience, and skill sets for the benefit of your program; and, most importantly, raise all of the money your program needs to both survive and thrive!
Objectives
- Be able to describe the major reasons that people give and continue giving.
- Be able to define the board's role in fundraising.
- Understand essential paradigm shifts necessary for successfully raising money from individuals.
- Learn how to track passion rather than money in developing sustainable giving strategies.
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INVOLVING YOUR BOARD IN SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING
Primary Goal
Participants will learn the basics of developing a strong and effective social profit Board of Directors.
Abstract
It has been said that "A great board is a victory, not a gift," and I agree. It requires a tremendous amount of time, energy, hard work, and commitment to manifest a strong board of directors. It is not easy, but I can promise you that the rewards are well worth it.
The goal of this session is to offer a few essential tools to help you as you work to involve your board members in sustainability planning. My hope is that introducing and using these tools will create opportunities for your board to embrace the roles and responsibilities that are critical to your organization's overall success.
Objectives
- Describe the key roles and responsibilities of social profit boards.
- Develop strategies for recruiting & orienting strong board members.
- Maximize the relationship between staff and board members, particularly the chief executive and board president.
- Use proven strategies for motivating new and old board members.
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LEVERAGING EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Primary Goal
Participants will learn how to build and maintain strong community partnerships.
Abstract
Strategically formed partnerships have a variety of potential benefits for youth programs including: access to potential volunteers and program participants; access to space and in-kind resources; increased organizational capacity and more. This session will explore the basics of partnership building with a focus on recognizing, understanding, and benefiting from the normal expression of self-interest inherent in all relationships.
Objectives
- Be able to describe the key elements of successful partnerships and describe the benefits of partnership with their organization.
- Be able to define and recognize organizational self-interests in forming partnerships.
- Learn how to write clear partner agreements.
- Develop strategies for ongoing partner communication.
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MIXING IT UP: CREATING EFFECTIVE YOUTH & ADULT PARTNERSHIPS
Primary Goal
Participants will learn the basics of creating and maintaining high functioning adult-youth partnerships.
Abstract
Youth service agencies can and should involve young people at every level of organizational decision-making. How we make this happen without setting ourselves up for failure, however, is a real challenge. This interactive session is designed to highlight successes and failures with "authentic youth empowerment" and offer strategies for ensuring youth voice in organizational decision-making. Participants will learn tools for creating successful and effective partnerships in your own agencies.
Objectives
- Be able to determine whether your agency views young people as objects, recipients of services, or as resources.
- Be able to implement strategies for improving the role of youth in decision-making.
- Be able to articulate the primary tenets of the community youth development model.
- Be able to create more effective and strategic adult-youth partnerships.
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SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING
Primary Goal
Participants will learn how to build a sustainable social profit organization.
Abstract
In order to ensure the continuation of critical youth and family services, it is essential to integrate proven sustainability strategies into the day-to-work of these programs as soon as possible. It is critical to think about sustainability in a broader sense and with a longer-term vision, extending beyond just the next grant cycle. In order to remain viable, programs must develop competencies which include marketing the benefits of the program to the community, demonstrating that services result in improved outcomes for children and families, and sharing and leveraging resources through partnership and collaboration. This workshop will provide strategies for achieving these goals.
Objectives
- Describe the basics of social profit sustainability
- Understand and be able to use logic models
- Describe the key roles and responsibilities of social profit boards.
- Develop strategies for involving board members in sustainability planning
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STRATEGIC TRAINING DESIGN & FACILITATION
Primary Goal
Participants will develop a working knowledge and practical ability in the basics of training design and facilitation.
Abstract
This session will provide participants with an opportunity to refine their training design skills by working with others from the field. This interactive session is designed for participants who design and/or deliver workshops, training sessions, or other types of presentations, and will rely heavily on the insights and experiences of the participants. Those attending should come prepared to ask questions & share their knowledge. The session will include both small and large group work as well as opportunities for participants to share training tools and techniques.
Objectives
- Be able to explain how adults learn and apply that theory to practical workshop design and facilitation.
- Be able to articulate the six steps involved in strategic workshop design, emphasizing needs assessment, learning objectives, and evaluation.
- Be able to describe several training methods and their uses.
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THE VALUE OF DIVERSITY
Primary Goal
Participants will address issues of diversity within youth service programs using strategies for community-building and anti-oppression in existing and future efforts.
Abstract
If youth service programs are to succeed in improving social conditions in this country, it is critical that the field is actively engaged in understanding and addressing issues of diversity. This session will provide an opportunity for participants to engage in a variety of thought-provoking and highly interactive activities designed to challenge each of us to "step outside our comfort zones" and explore the ways in which we have been socialized concerning human differences. This workshop will involve participants on a personal level, as well as provide strategies for incorporating community building and anti-oppression strategies into existing and future programming.
Objectives
- Be able to define and explore the interconnectedness of a variety of diversity issues.
- Be able to explore difficult, challenging and often controversial issues in a safe environment.
- Explore strategies for dealing effectively (both personally and organizationally) with a myriad of related diversity issues.
- Recognize the added strength of diversity in problem-solving efforts.
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