Improving the Effectiveness of Site and Issue Teams

Kevin Winchell and Savannah-Jane Griffin

Stetson University

Learning Outcomes

• Learn best-practices for implementing issue/site-based teams

• Identify structured upper-class positions for issue/site-based teams

• Obtain tools that can be used to enhance issue/site-based teams

Check In

• What community partner management structure do you currently have in place?

• How do you currently place your students at sites?

Challenges at Stetson• Few, non-structured opportunities • Students not achieving

development outcomes • Student retention at sites • Lack of Capacity Building and

Impact • Partner Volunteer Management

overload • More quantity than quality of

partners

Solution at StetsonHigh-Impact Retreat (2013):

Create site- and issue-based teams

Quality over Quantity (“strategic allocation of resources”)

Clear expectations, accountability measures, and “push”/challenge to our students and partners (orientation + language + contract + plan)

Site-Based Teams

Site/Partner Buy-In

Capacity Building

Sustainability

Higher-skilled Volunteers

Faculty Buy-In

Utilizing their Discipline

Helps P & T

Student Buy-In

Career Development

Skill Development

Academic Development

Volunteer, Site Leadership, Site Research Opportunities

Resource Development

Grants

Institutional

Faculty Emeriti

Skills, Training & Knowledge Components (students = t&e, faculty = workshops)

Inputs

Step 1: Identify Community Partners

Partner Review • Tier

Partnerships

• Traditional vs Strategic

• Assign

Site Visits • MOU • Capacit

y Building Form

• Partner Needs Assessment

Partner Retreat • Needs

Assessment

• SWOT Analysis

• Expertise Assess

Tier Partnerships

• Core Concept - Differing Levels with increasing Roles/Responsibilities

• Business Model – Lower/Upper Tiers • Defining Expectations • Reciprocity • Strategic/Planned Approach to

Partnership

Community Partner Review Process

Traditional vs. StrategicTraditional Partnership Strategic Partnership

Individually driven or top-down leadership

Intentional leadership actions

Organizationally circumstantial Tied to institutional goals or strategies

Creates first-order change Creates second-order change

Builds on status quo Capacity building

Discrete and static partnership capital

Dynamic and blended partnership capital

Technical communication: distinct Multidisciplinary vocabulary

Loose and small social networks not always tied to the partnership

Dense and central networks tied to partnership; thinking community

Question 1:

What is one of your strategic partnerships that could be a site-based team?

Step 2: Pathways for progressive

advancement at sites

Site Leader (1)

Project /Program Leaders (2-4)

Specialists (Temporary or Permanent)

Regular Volunteers (4-8)

Occasional Volunteers (classes, days of service, res halls, student

orgs, athletic teams)

• Can be Bonners or non-Bonners

• Promotes long-term sustainability and student development

• Allows temporary course-based students to “plug-in” to structure

• Reduces “supervision overload” of site’s paid staff

• Long-Term: Can insert a Faculty Fellow or VISTA

Site-Based Team Model

Potential Responsibilities for Team Leader

• Work with the partner to identify volunteer opportunities that are appropriate for students and that meet legitimate site/community needs – including one-time, regular, and internship opportunities

• Create position descriptions for each volunteer position

• Ensure the recruitment, retention, orientation, training, and supervision of student volunteers

• Lead regular team meetings for all regular volunteers at your partner site

• Manage the volunteer schedule

• Serve as primary liaison between the site and the CCE

• Develop and/or implement any necessary assessments to determine student learning and community impact outcomes

• Work with the partner to identify and develop additional resources that support the partner’s mission/goals (i.e., build capacity)

• Assist with the recruitment and selection of new student leadership for the following academic year

Potential Positions on Teams• Site Leader • Assessment Coordinator • Volunteer Coordinator • Marketing Coordinator • Office Manager • Grant Writer • Fundraising Coordinator • Training Coordinator • Community-Based Research • Policy Research • Database Coordinator • Program Developer • Others that are specific to your site?

All positions

should help

“build the

capacity” of the

organization!

Sample Org Chart for TeamSite Team Leader

Program Leader 1

Regular Volunteer 1

Regular Volunteer 2

Regular Volunteer 3

Program Leader 2

Regular Volunteer 1

Regular Volunteer 2

Program Leader 3

Regular Volunteer 1

Regular Volunteer 2

Project Specialists Occasional Volunteers

Question 2:

What student volunteer positions could exist at your partnership site?

What would that org chart look like?

Step 3: Assessment

and Check-In Structures

Assessment & Check-In Structures

• Initial training and orientation for team members

• Pre/Post survey of regular student volunteers and sites that ties in with your outcomes

• Monthly progress reports by student site leaders that ties in with your outcomes

• Monthly one-to-ones – Staff with site leaders – Site leaders with student volunteers

• Monthly site-based team meetings

Question 3:

What are some ways that you could assess the performance of the site-based team that you designed?

Step 4: Additional Layers of Faculty and Staff Support

Additional Faculty and Staff Support

Faculty Staff

Long-Term

Faculty Fellows at sites

(aligning academic discipline with site

characteristics)

Embedded VISTAs at sites

Short-Term

Individual community-engaged

learning or community-based

research courses at sites

Individual student affairs or co-

curricular programs at sites

Question 4:

Who are some faculty or staff who could provide additional support to your site-based team?

Thanks!

Savannah-Jane Griffin