The SC R-TAC kicked off the new year with the first session of the Community Based Organization (CBO) Collaborative, which highlighted CBOs throughout our region who are collaborating with community schools to collectively support students and families in their communities. A key component of a community school according to the Community Schools Framework is the ability to establish "strong and intentional community partnerships to ensure pupil learning and whole child and family development." (CA CS Framework, p. 2).
Strategic community partnerships go beyond a CBO offering integrated student supports, such as medical and behavioral health. True collaboration encourages a CBO to become part of the collaborative leadership efforts by actively participating in steering committees and the decision-making process, participating, and at times driving, family and community engagement efforts, and providing support during extended learning time and opportunities.
During the CBO Collaborative, attendees had the opportunity to engage with the SC R-TAC team and fellow CCSPP grantees from around the region, listen and learn from the San Ysidro Education Collaborative, collectively learn about the importance of building and maintaining trusting relationships with community partners, and participate in a self-reflection activity (Assets Inventory: Partnerships).
The San Ysidro Education Collaborative (SYEC) shared their origin story of their collaborative and how it grew as needs arose in their community. The SYEC was established in 2013, and includes diverse leaders from education, business and community agencies. The volunteer-based collaborative’s mission is to leverage resources and provide services to support San Ysidro children and families. The collaborative has six committees that are focused on addressing needs from “Cradle to Career” by inspiring and motivating children to stay in school, pursue higher education, and pursue a career.
Our partners at CSLX then facilitated a presentation on building and maintaining trusting relationships with community partners. The presentation began with a review of the community schools essentials wheel and the inner circle that details who drives this work: School staff and coordinators, youth and families, and community partners. It’s important to consider who drives this work, especially when community schools are building their steering committees, councils, and/or teams to ensure that a majority of the school community is involved and then represented.
According to Community Schools Forward, “To promote healthy learning and development, a dedicated team composed primarily of school staff and community partners intentionally and systematically coordinates services, supports, and opportunities that foster individual and collective well-being, using an assets-based approach to nurture the strengths and address the needs of students and families.”
Some of the recommendations shared for being a good partner were:
- Ensuring there is clarity around goals, purpose, and expectations (MOUs and more)
- Data sharing between community schools and their CBO
- Maintaining open lines of communication
- Being a good host by providing CBOs a space on school sites, and assisting in the coordination and planning of integrated student supports
- Ensuring CBOs are valued interest holders and part of decision-making bodies (steering committees, councils, and/or teams)
If you were unable to attend the CBO Collaborative, we welcome you to review the Session 1 Folder, to view the resources shared during the meeting, such as the slide deck, Assets Inventory, and partnership tools shared by fellow grantees.
Save the Date: The learning will continue on Thursday April 10. Please share the registration link with your sites/team and encourage them to register to participate.