SUSTAINABILITY - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

SUSTAINABILITY

What does it look like for successful VISTA projects?

How can we, as VISTAs, make our projects more sustainable?Slide2
Slide3

A frequently used buzzword with lots of meanings…

But what does in mean in the context of VISTA?Slide4

VISTA is all about using a short-term resource to make a long-term impact

Your host site should have a long-term

v

ision of the results they want to see

f

rom your VISTA project.

As a VISTA, your job is to invest your time (and skills, ideas and energy) to build infrastructure that will help your organization (and the community) in the long run.Slide5

Achieving sustainability through capacity building

Capacity Building Activity: Mingle & MatchSlide6

Capacity Building

Definition:

Tasks and activities to create, expand, or strengthen an organization’s systems or processes

.

These tasks and activities include the

transfer of knowledge/skills,

products, and relationships.Capacity building allows the organization and the community to sustain the VISTA’s project activities once the project period has ended.Slide7

Information

gained by the VISTA member during his/her term of service is passed

along

to other people in an organization in

a

deliberately designed way

. Deliverables created by the VISTA member during his/her term of service are passed along to other people in an organization in a deliberately designed way

.Professional contacts developed by the VISTA member during his/her term of service are passed along to other people in an organization in a deliberately designed way.

The act of providing services to the identified recipients or clients of a program.

Capacity Building Concepts

7

Transfer of

Knowledge

Transfer

of Products

Transfer of Relationships

Direct ServiceSlide8

In your groups:

1. How

does your key term support the sustainability of a VISTA project

?

2. What activities build capacity in this area?

3. What activities lead to a transfer…

Of knowledge?For example: creating a manualOf skills?For example: a training programOf products?For example: an up-to-date and organized file-sharing system

Of relationships?For example: a donor database with detailed notesSlide9

When Is Direct Service Appropriate?

A brief period of direct service is necessary to understand the service elements of the sponsoring organization

Direct service is incidental to the time and effort in carrying out the primary responsibilities of the member assignment

Direct service is necessary to train direct-service providers Slide10

Acceptable Services vs. Capacity

Building Activities and Sustainable Activities

Acceptable Service

Capacity Building

Sustainable Activities

Recruit Volunteers

Develop forms,

Volunteer assignments

Develop Volunteer Handbook

Train Direct Service Providers

Write Training curriculum or train the trainer curriculum

Develop Training Manual

Coordinate Projects

Develop procedures and

systems for coordinating

projects

Develop volunteer management

system and procedural guide

Public Speaking

Develop speakers' bureau

Develop community partners

Write press releases

Develop press kits,

media database

Secure media partners

Organize fundraising events

Grant writing;

develop database

Secure project staff through

additional funding

Organize task

forces/coalitions

Develop structure of task

force/coalition

Create infrastructure

Conduct outreach

Design brochures, posters

Create mechanism for

project evaluationSlide11

W

hat

does a

sustainable capacity-building VISTA

project look like?Slide12

Two types of VISTA sustainability

VISTAs accomplish capacity-building goals and then work themselves out of a job

VISTAs put the work in up front to expand program capacity and set others up for success to maintain itSlide13

VISTA projects often contain a little of both of these.

Need some examples?Slide14

Examples of VISTA projects

Creating long-lasting deliverables or systems that will allow a host site to

do more

with

less

time and money, i.e.

Developing a marketing and outreach plan, easily-updated marketing materials, and an instruction manual for staffDeveloping or revamping websites to better serve the needs of usersCreating an online system for volunteers to log in and out and record data electronically – cutting down on staff time needed

Researching, identifying and implementing a commercially-available system for data managementSystematizing curriculum and making it more accessible

Increasing efficiencySlide15

Examples of VISTA projects

Completing projects that will increase the quality of services and improve student outcomes, i.e.

Conducting formal or informal community assessment, surveys, focus groups or interviews – to identify needs of target population and where there might be gaps or room for improvement in services

Researching, collecting, compiling and/or developing curriculum and materials that can be used with students

Developing a volunteer manual, other instructional materials or a training module

Increasing effectivenessSlide16

Examples of VISTA projects

Building partnerships and collaborations

Building an org’s capacity for volunteer engagement, i.e.

Creating volunteer position descriptions & outreach materials

Identifying sources for volunteer recruitment, building relationships with organizations that can provide volunteer referrals

Creating systems and materials for recruiting, placing, training, supporting, recognizing and tracking volunteers

Building an org’s

capacity to leverage financial and in-kind resourcesResearching grant opportunities, developing materials and systems that support grant-writing over the long termDeveloping new

fundraising opportunitiesLeveraging resourcesSlide17

Examples of VISTA projects

Program development or expansion

Developing a new program

E

xpanding an existing program to more participants or a new group

Adding new services

to an existing programIncluding:All of the front-end work that goes into researching, planning, gathering resources, communicating with stakeholders, and getting programming rollingWorking out the “kinks,” putting systems in place and making recommendations for future improvements

Gathering data to demonstrate the need for this new/expanded program and/or to show its impactExpanding scale/reachSlide18

Which kind(s) of project(s) do you have?

Creating long-lasting deliverables or systems that will allow a host site to

do more

with

less

time and money

Completing projects that will

increase the quality

of services and improve student

outcomes

Building:

partnerships

and

collaborations

capacity for volunteer

engagement

capacity to leverage financial and in-kind resources

Program development or expansionSlide19

What can I do as a VISTA to make my project more sustainable?Slide20

First of all, take a step back and take a deep breath.Slide21

Keep in mind:

I

t’s

not all on your shoulders. It’s mainly your host site’s responsibility to ensure your project is

sustainable, and anyway you

can’t do it all on your own.Sustainability does not mean ensuring that everything you do in your full-time position continues. That’s why your role is as a “short term resource” and not a long-term staff position. Oftentimes your role as VISTA is to try out new ideas, and new ideas don’t always work. That’s very important for your host site to learn – so don’t consider it a failure if some things you tried don’t get continued.

Things won’t stay exactly the same, even if you are incredibly successful with your project. Things grow and change over time. Learn to let go!So what can you do? Let’s think about this together:Slide22

Seven Steps to Sustainability*

*Adapted from the Corporation for National and Community ServiceSlide23

1. Get Things Done Well

What plans can you put in place to make sure others continue to use the systems and materials you’ve created?Slide24

2. Develop and Support Strong Community Partnerships

How do you foster greater collaboration between different groups to ensure

your project

priorities don’t hinge on

your

participation?Slide25

3. Re-examine Program Design

How can gathering feedback make your program/project more sustainable?Slide26

4. Empower Communities

How can you empower others to take more of a leadership role to sustain your project goals?

How can you get community members to be more invested?Slide27

5. Share Program Impacts

How can sharing your success help to make your program/project sustainable?

Can you think of others

w

ho could be champions

of your project goals?Slide28

6. Increase Awareness of Programs:

What methods do you use to inform the public of your program/project?

Which seem to be the most effective? What other media channels could you take advantage of?Slide29

7. Generate Resources

What opportunities are there to increase resources during the remainder of your year?Slide30

So, in sum:

Concentrate on what is within your power to do during the rest of this year.

Get help from others, especially your supervisor.

Plan ahead.

Prioritize.

Focus on collaboration and communication.Work on putting together a helpful Green Book.Slide31

Sustainability Binder/Green BookSlide32

Green Book: Overall Layout

Think about categories and organizing what is relevant to your program/project

Table of Contents

Sample sections:

Program Information

Member/Volunteer SupportTrainings & EventsReporting & EvaluatingRecruitmentPolicies

ProceduresCommunications & MarketingFlyers, brochures, media mentionsSlide33

Green Book: Tips & Tricks

Form Emails

H

ow-to guides

Organizing information by questions (FAQ):

“How do I ________?”“What to do if _______”Add file paths to footerC://

myfolder1/myfolder2/myfile.doc

What other ideas do you have of things to include or avoid?Any Questions?Slide34

THANK YOU!

Stick around to check out some sample green books

Any questions for Amy or Ellen?

Social hour at

Tracy’s Saloon

! 4:15pm – 6:00pm.

Hope to see you there!