What Role Can My Organization Play?
Communities NOW is implemented in partnership between us and a local agency or group interested in developing a process to prevent child abuse and neglect in their area. This entity is commonly referred to as the “sustainer” organization. A sustainer of Communities NOW is an organization or agency in the community that has the vision, mission, philosophy, infrastructure, and connections to initiate and maintain the effort.
There are several other roles for additional groups that may be interested in partnering with the “sustainer” to implement Communities NOW. The second role that is necessary to have in place in order to effectively implement and sustain Communities NOW in any community is the role of “connectors.” These are typically individuals, neighborhood associations, organizations, agencies, or faith-based groups who participate in the project and identify other participants. Connectors are expected to take the Communities NOW philosophy, message, and action back into their lives, families, and neighborhoods.
The third role needed for effective implementation and sustainability of Communities NOW is the role of “supporters“—foundations, corporations, agencies, and organizations that provide funds and other in-kind resources to support and maintain the project.
Implementation
The four-phase implementation model is based upon national research regarding successful implementation of such programs, as well as experience and feedback from local sustaining organizations.
Phase I
We provide information and technical assistance to local sites as they identify the sustainers, connectors, and supporters who are necessary to deliver and sustain Communities NOW in their area.
Phase II
The delivery of the Communities NOW training occurs in which participants are exposed to new intervention methods and given an opportunity to develop personal action plans to implement in their own communities. Phase II is comprised of two full days of training, scheduled approximately two to four weeks apart. The timeframe between training days is necessary for participants to encounter opportunities in which to practice their new intervention skills. This will afford them the opportunity to reflect upon and analyze their experiences with other members of their training group. Participants must commit to attend both days of training by us or other approved training staff.
Additionally, up to three participant follow-up contacts will occur in the 12 months following the completion of training. This will facilitate the collection of information about participants’ actions and interventions following the Communities NOW training.
Phase III
A two-day Train-the-Trainers (TTT) session will be delivered to individuals interested in, and capable of, providing the two-day Communities NOW training in their local area. Additional TTT participants may include individuals interested in: providing training support, securing project resources, assisting with evaluation, acting as a Communities NOW ambassador to interested community groups, and other activities. Upon completing the Train-the-Trainers session, participants who have been trained to deliver the Communities NOW training will work in collaboration with the local sustainer organization to arrange, deliver, and evaluate the Communities NOW training. The Train-the-Trainers (TTT) session is delivered by our staff immediately following the completion of the Phase II delivery and consists of two full, consecutive days of training.
As described above, another key goal is to identify and support competent and effective trainers who can bring the Communities NOW training to their local area, while simultaneously cultivating additional community connections. This is done during and following the TTT session when the participants, sustainer organization representatives, and our trainers assess individual participant capacity to deliver the Communities NOW training.
Phase IV
During this phase, our project staff provides ongoing technical assistance, consultation, and support as communities actively implement, evaluate, and sustain this initiative.
Evaluation
Another unique and key element of Communities NOW is its evaluation plan. It is important for organizations to be able to build upon project strengths, recognize and support participant change and growth, and identify the impact and experiences of children and families touched by Communities NOW. A complete evaluation plan is provided to each site that explains in detail each element of the evaluation process, including the purpose of data collection, the type of data collected, the step-by-step process for collecting the data, and both our role and the role of the local site in completing the evaluation of the project.
The results from Communities NOW are thoroughly documented and analyzed to determine the extent to which the project is making a difference for participants. To this end, the local sustainer organizations and we collect and analyze data measuring change in the knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and behavior of participants from each community and across all communities involved in the initiative nationally. We then provide quarterly site-specific data summaries to all local sites for internal use or to use in the preparation of reports to funders. With this approach, Communities NOW is built to last, impacting the lives of thousands of children and families and becoming an avenue for lasting change in how community members interact with one another.
Communities NOW also includes a cross-site evaluation component, that we manage along with involvement from all existing Communities NOW sustaining organizations. Through the cross-site evaluation, local sites can compare their community’s evaluation data to the data of other sites implementing the project. In addition, this level of evaluation provides us with the necessary data to promote the effectiveness of Communities NOW as a national child abuse and neglect prevention initiative.
Technical Assistance
After the Communities NOW trainings are completed, our project team will be available to provide technical assistance to each agency as it undertakes its role as local participant contact. The technical assistance provided during this phase is tailored to the individual needs of each local project partner site, but can include activities such as:
- Providing the Community Training Implementation and Evaluation Toolkit
- Consulting on Communities NOW training planning and implementation
- Consulting on trainer development and support
- Coaching/additional training for local trainers
- Coordinating quarterly Communities NOW site technical assistance calls
- Presenting to possible funders or at local conferences
