Community Conversations

VISTA Member: David Galanty
Year of Service: February 2008 - 2009

Project Overview: These two organizations have collaborated to bring a fresh, creative approach to address the needs of residents of Yavapai County. They have sponsored gatherings called Community Conversations to address community-wide challenges and opportunities rather than to hear specific agency or organizational needs. The Community Conversations resulted in a current list of community concerns and opportunities developed directly by participants.  Participants were also given the opportunity to develop Action Teams for follow-up activities. 

Community Conversations gave the residents, agencies and other interested individuals a chance to gather and discuss the needs of the community. These events also allowed the funders to hear about community needs with participants serving as well-informed focus groups. Listening to the concerns that arose in the Community Conversations allows funders to address the issues that matter most in our community by improving lives and delivering meaningful results. 

Partnering with other local agencies, Community Conversations were held throughout the county focusing on three areas:

1. Critical needs: investing in basic food, shelter, safety, medical and emergency needs
2. Successful lives: strengthening individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency
3. Commitment to learning: empowering people of all ages through quality learning and skills development.

Supporting Organizations: United Way of Yavapai County and the Yavapai County Community Foundation

Project goals: To assist the action teams that came about as a direct result of the 4 community conversation that were held in Yavapai County.  United Way of Yavapai County is in the process of switching to a community impact model versus an allocation process, which is a big change. They will no longer just fund programs but will be focused on collaborations and measured outcomes that will improve lives of clients and members of the community. 

Accomplishments 

A total of more than 165 county-wide participants including nonprofit organizations, educators, community activists and Department of Economic Security personnel attended the four Community Conversation events. Other participants represented the courts, businesses and the general public. The Action Teams that formed as a result of these Community Conversations represent a collaboration of many agencies.

There are currently four Action Teams working together as a direct result of issues addressed at the Community Conversations.

1. The Housing Action Team is working to set up a database and resource center for affordable rentals.
2. The Community Circle Action Team is actually a combination of two teams, workforce development and strengthening families, which have partnered to come up with a mission to strengthen and empower families and individuals by collaborating to raise self sufficiency. This team is made up of representatives from Circles of Support, New Horizon, Adult Probation, Coalition for Compassion and Justice, Northern Arizona Council of Governments and DES. The Community Circle Action Team has prepared surveys which were sent to agencies throughout the quad cities, with an average of 80% positive feedback. This team is currently writing its vision and values so it can proceed with action steps designed to develop this program.
3. The Information and Referral Action Team was the number one issue on both sides of the county as agencies and individuals raised concerns regarding their inability to access needed assistance quickly and routinely. This Action Team, which has members from both East and West Yavapai County, is currently working in collaboration with AZ 2-1-1, Parenting Arizona, Arizona Children's Association, Catholic Charities, Community Legal Services and NACOG. The outcome of these efforts will be known as Yavapai 2-1-1 with the following mission statement: to be a collaborative creation of a comprehensive Information and Referral (I & R) data base that will bring people and services together in Yavapai County. This team has applied for funding, prepared budgets and sent out letters of endorsement.
4. The Service Learning Action Team has collaborated to work on Career Exploration for middle and high school students. The team is a partnering effort among Youth Count, Prescott Valley Charter School and Educational Talent Search. This team is still in the early stages and with some positive feedback from community members. It will one day be a successful program throughout the county.

 What's Happening Now?

Currently The Community Circle Action Team has completed there strategic plan, logic model and currently working on assessment tools and have set a time table of February 2009 to start a 1 year pilot program to help raise the self sufficiency of individual and families through a shared case management approach.

The Yavapai 2-1-1 Action team which is in the process of bringing a centralized Information and Referral database, recently held a forum to recruit collaborators for the project with very positive results and are looking at potential funding sources.

-David Galanty