Collaborative News

Collaborative Publication Helps ID Key Resources

by Laurie Searle
Staff Writer

When Daphane Simmons needed to identify potential community partners for The Northside Community Initiative, she let her fingers do the walking, thanks to a new resource guide developed by Douglas CORE, the Douglas County Family Connection collaborative.

"Our initiative's goal is to rejuvenate the north side of Douglasville," said Simmons, "and we knew that would take some major collaboration."

Amanda Bryant of Douglas CORE heard about the initiative and sent Simmons a copy of CORE's new 159-page Children and Family Resource Guide. The publication goes far beyond merely listing the program and service providers in Douglas County. Each page is based on a template that provides essential information about Family Connection, the local community, and other organizations focused on the well-being of children and families.

The template includes:

• A list of risk factors for the community, families, schools, and individuals.
  
• Protective factors for internal assets and external assets
  
• A detailed description of each program or service provider, including contact information, populations served, how the protective factors are increased, funding sources, evaluation methods, and supporting organizations.
  
• The Family Connection benchmarks that are addressed.

Bryant also invited Simmons to attend a CORE Forum held on the second Tuesday of each month at West Central Technical College.

"Our CORE Forums have become a one-stop shop for the community to learn about the resources available in Douglas County and to meet the people who are utilizing best practices to provide the highest quality of services to our children and their families," Bryant says.

CORE's mission is to improve the well-being of the community, including support for producing self-sufficient adults and strong, healthy, educated families.

For more information or to download a copy of the resource guide, visit http://www.co.douglas.ga.us