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Collaborative Webs Training Winds Down… But We're Gearing Up for More

A year ago in April, three coordinators went on a trek "to boldly go where no one has gone before," when they volunteered to build the first Collaborative Web sites using Collaborative Webs, a new online communications tool offered by FCP. Their enthusiasm and support encouraged others in their region to hop on board for the beta testing and their combined feedback helped FCP deliver a more "collaborative-friendly" service.

With thumbs up from the Region 8 beta testers, FCP developed a rollout plan that included:

• an overview workshop at the 2005 Family Connection Conference;
• a rollout presentation and advanced users' workshop at the 2006 Winter Training Event;
• two technical workshops for trainers and community facilitators; and
• 14 regional workshops for coordinators and support staff throughout the 12 Family Connection regions.

Before they attended the winter training in Atlanta, Wilkes County Community Partnership Executive Director Carolyn Reynolds and Treasurer Polly Fievet knew nothing about designing a Web site. By the time they returned to Region 7, they had already built their own Web site at www.gafcp.org/fcnetwork/wilkes/, and now Carolyn and Polly manage and maintain their site.

"The instructors, workbooks and training session were thorough," said Polly, who also serves Wilkes County as an adult literacy instructor. "Not only were our instructors patient and responsive to our questions, but now that the training is over, we continue to have easy access to them, and we receive ongoing technical assistance via e-mails."

With the final workshop on May 24, more than 200 people have received Collaborative Webs training, resulting in 121 new collaborative Web sites. Those sites will help brand the Family Connection network and help each collaborative promote its work to improve conditions for children, families and communities within their counties.

Wilkes County Community Partnership Executive Director Carolyn Reynolds (seated) and Treasurer Polly Fievet update their Web site.

"I've been with Family Connection for 10 years, and this by far is the best, tangible benefit for belonging to the Partnership," said Carolyn. "The Collaborative Webs are particularly useful for small rural counties with limited staff and resources. This is a great gift from the Partnership."

Carolyn also described the Collaborative Webs as a valuable tool. "They give us the opportunity to advertise and recruit online, they provide a venue for outreach and for grant-writing work, they're readily available to our community, and we can use the Web as a public relations vehicle to share our accomplishments and our operation with the media," she said.

Beyond that, Carolyn and Polly discovered that the Collaborative Webs also help to brand the Partnership. "The very way that visitors log onto our site drives people to the FCP Web site," said Carolyn. "The Collaboratives' home pages are consistent, but, we can personalize our own sites. FCP predominates, which is good, because it demonstrates how 159 individual counties take a similar approach, giving prominence to the state's Family Connection."

With the first round of training complete, FCP is planning ongoing training and support. Stay tuned for Collaborative Webs training offered for new coordinators in the fall, and Collaborative-by-Design, a new series of conference calls and fact sheets designed to enhance individual collaborative Web sites.

For more information about Collaborative Webs, visit www.gafcp.org/CollabWebs/websoverview.htm.