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| Vol. II, No. 2, March 26, 2004 | |
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Local Governance Makes a Difference in Georgia's Communities By NAJA WILLIAMSON At-risk children have many needs: social, psychological, health, safety, and educational. Yet the system for delivering services to children and families is fragmented and bureaucratic. Instead of growing up into productive, well-adjusted adults, too many at-risk children join the cycle of poverty with these outcomes: having high rates of school dropout and teen pregnancy, living in substandard housing, and establishing a life of dependency on others. Local
decision-making brings positive outcomes Characteristics that define success:
Family
Connection Partnership: A catalyst for improving results for Georgia's
children, families and communities Benefits and Impact of Local Decision-Making: What Communities Say "We
are a poor, Tier 3 county. Family Connection provides a forum to discuss,
brainstorm and problem solve and gives us the opportunity to enhance what
resources we have and to leverage those to get more dollars."
"Our
collaborative has become an established and vital part of our community.
It has encouraged and facilitated networking among all our agencies in
Barrow County, so we can all see the big picture of what our area needs.
We have established relationships that make each of our jobs easier and
more effective."
"Before
the collaborative, each of the partners worked 'alone.' Now we know and
support each other much better. We work together on issues and refer those
in need to partner entities. Because of the collaborative relationships
developed, we have learned each other's talents and capabilities and the
kinds of services we each provide."
"We
have some partners, even those who adopted a wait-and-see attitude, who
realized the strength of diversifying the process and how it benefits
the community as a whole."
"We are now having more meaningful dialogue about racism, classism, and the barriers that exist in our community."
"Since
1998 I have come to appreciate the work of the board. I realize that it
has worked so well because it represents the entire community, including
county and city government, schools, social agencies, the faith community,
local business, the hospital, Head Start and Pre-K, the judicial system
and youth. Now with these sectors working together, our community has
been blessed in the programs that have developed."
"Due
to the success of our collaborative partnership, Houston County is completing
a fiscal inventory to identify available funds supporting services and
in-kind services in our community. We have included all service providers,
civic groups, and churches in a needs assessment process. We will use
the information to facilitate the development of a long-range financial
plan, partnership expansion, and our next three- year strategic plan beginning
in FY 05."
"Our
collaborative seeks to maximize resources using an integrated approach
to service delivery. To help break the cycle of poverty in undereducated
families, we developed a family literacy strategy. To better achieve family
literacy, the collaborative organized early childhood, adult education,
and parenting initiatives into a single support system that meets a family's
needs and transforms their lives. This is truly groundbreaking work in
our community."
"Local
decision-making has made a difference in Jones County because it affords
the opportunity to access the county's needs based on our population,
resources, problems, assets, and infrastructure. It allows the citizens
an opportunity to be 'heard.' Our goals are obtainable because they reflect
'real' solutions to 'real' problems. It also has allowed us to build relationships
with political individuals, diverse agencies, organizations, members of
the business community (both public and private), faith-based communities
and civic organizations. Improvements made in results areas include: an
increase in student desire to graduate from high school; 2) an increase
in enrollment of children in early learning programs; an increase in adult
desire to obtain a GED; and an increase in family involvement with children
and the community."
"All
the partners are truly involved with a passion for families and children.
Senator Rene Kemp made this statement at last year's community forum:
'We used to have to push Long County; now Long County is pushing us.'
All three legislators, Senator Kemp and Representatives Mosley and Smith
have made visits to our community in support of Family Connection endeavors."
"Our community is small, and we began the collaboration process in 1997 to save our local hospital. Since that time, agency heads, school administration, teachers and staff, ministers, local business, government officials, concerned citizens, and parents began meeting to exchange information and begin the process of developing goals and strategies that address the needs of at-risk families and children. Since 1998, two hundred seventy-nine at-risk elementary children have received after-school tutoring; they averaged an 11 percent increase in grades. We have also seen a 28 percent increase in attendance, and the retention rate for third grade has been reduced from 9 percent in 1997 to 2 percent in 2002. Seventy-four middle school youth have received after-school tutoring, with 30 percent increasing their grades to a "B," 7 percent passing with a "C," and attendance increasing as much as 66 percent in one year. Our overall school attendance has improved 4 percent from 1997 to 2001."
"We
have been meeting monthly for eight years now and serve as 'the' network
in Polk County. We share and implement promising practices and measure
results. We are seeing improvement in our high school completion rate
and now have a decreasing trend in our teen pregnancy rate. Our local
decision-making process has strengthened the bond between local partners.
Therefore, our greatest success is that resources are now shared and multiple
agendas have become one."
"Becoming a partner in Thomas County Family Connection has been extremely important to the success of our efforts through School-to-Work and the local technical college. Sharing ideas, discovering resources, and finding partners for specific community projects have been a few of the rewards from our collaborative. We are able to do more with less and do it better than before to raise the quality of life for all families in our community."
"Because of the Thomas County network of local agencies, the Open Door's request for assistance for our clients has been met quickly. Recently, the director personally contacted some members of Family Connection and secured financial assistance for one of our clients to pay a past due utility bill in full."
"The dropout rate has long been a problem in Upson County. The collaborative recently partnered with the school system to address the 12.1 percent dropout rate - the seventh highest in the state for the 2000 - 2001 school year. In the following school year, the dropout rate was lowered to 7.9 percent. High school completion rose from 57.9 percent for 2000 - 2001 to 72.6 percent in 2001 - 2002, moving Upson rankings from 155 to 71 in the state. Teen pregnancy is being addressed, as well. Last year the high school reported 58 teen pregnancies. This year only 17 pregnancies were reported. Awareness of the problem and programs made available through collaborative members has contributed much to the decline."
"Wilkes County evolved from a 'meet and confer' group to the recognized county decision-making body that speaks for issues related to families and children. As a poor rural county, funds were not available locally to implement programs aimed at alleviating problems growing out of poverty. When our community assessment confirmed the need for innovative strategies, we sought funding as a collaborative to implement those strategies. The results have been dramatic, to say the least."
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