FSA: Getting Started

1
FSA Getting Started

• Defining the purpose
• Finding volunteers
• Organizing a board
• Defining needs
• Creating plans that work
• Correspondence support
• What to expect

2
Defining the Purpose

• Why FSA?
• Establishing a base
• Common mistakes

3
Defining The Purpose

• Why FSA?
• What do you hope to accomplish?
• Who do you want to support?
• What do you want to have happen?

A target, to be hit, must be seen.
4
Defining the Purpose

• Establishing a base
• Interoffice positioning
• Who will be responsible for FSA?
• Define a framework
• What are the boundaries for FSA to work within?
• Define expectations and a plan

5
Defining the Purpose

• Common Mistakes
• FSA as a birthmother recruitment team
• FSA as agency workers.
• What is a volunteer?
• What responsibilities are the Agencys what are
  FSAs?
• FSA without empowerment
• Do you want to micromanage?

6
Finding Volunteers

• The right co-chairs
• What to look for
• What to avoid

7
Finding Volunteers

• The right co-chairs
• The co-chairs of your executive committee set the
  tone for all that follows
• They should be chosen with great care
• The decision should be based upon your defined
  purpose.

8
Finding Volunteers

• What to look for
• Leadership skills
• Communication skills
• Humility
• Desire
• Pro-active nature
• Ability to work with others
• Schedule

9
Finding Volunteers

• What to avoid
• Single party teams
• Inflexibility
• Inability to volunteer the needed time
• Controller
• All talk no action

10
Organizing a Board

• Customizing
• Committees with purpose
• The right volunteers

11
Organizing a Board

• Customizing
• Based on your purpose who do you need to help?
• Titles ARE important
• Dont get caught in the black hole of general
  titles and broad descriptions.

12
Organizing a Board

• Committees with purpose
• Define responsibilities with committee titles
• Who do you want your education committee to
  educate? Tell them!
• Keep it simple
• One committee One task

13
Organizing a Board

• The right volunteers
• You dont have to have 200 FSA members to reach
  over 200 supporters
• Volunteers need
• To be chosen with care
• To be appreciated
• To be given the right material.

14
Defining Needs

• Why FSA?
• Defining main areas
• Getting started

15
Defining Needs

• Why FSA?
• Now its the boards turn to answer this
• As the board defines the needs of the area they
  can develop their own purpose and goals to help
  them reach their targets.

16
Defining Needs

• Defining main areas
• What area needs the most support?
• Is it applicants, birthmothers. Legislative,
  etc.?
• This is a constant process.
• It is also the key to success or failure

17
Defining Needs

• Getting started
• Ask, survey and LISTEN to the responses
• Jump in! Quit talking and start doing
• Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate

18
Creating Plans That Work

• Planning Resources
• Tracking
• Reviewing

19
Creating Plans That Work

• Planning Resources
• Take time to organize
• Keep everyone informed
• Staff meetings are a great tool for this.
• Use resources
• Internet
• Local TV, Papers, etc.

20
Creating Plans That Work

• Tracking
• Keep reports!
• Have a reporting structure in place
• Be consistent
• Write down the details!
• How many were in attendance, etc.?

21
Creating Plans That Work

• Review and Evaluate
• Make sure your efforts and energies are being
  spent smarter not harder.
• Use these reviews and reports as the building
  blocks for future plans

22
Correspondence Support

• Defining communication needs desires
• Basic correspondence know-how
• How to support without taking over

23
Correspondence Support

• Define communication needs and desires
• How often do you need or expect reports?
• What do you want and need to know?
• What staff should be involved and at what level?

24
Correspondence Support

• Basic correspondence know-how
• Report formats
• Use masters!
• Capitalize on resources
• Use the Internet E-mail
• Use conference calls
• Time will be used more efficiently when organized.

25
Correspondence Support

• How to support without taking over
• Define your role of responsibility
• Listen and ask what help is being asked for
  specifically
• Delegate and follow up

26
What To Expect

• Who benefits?
• Value of FSA

27
What to Expect

• Who benefits
• Adoptive parents
• Adoptees
• Birthmothers
• Agency
• Community

28
What to Expect

• Value of FSA
• Adoption awareness increases
• Positive view of adoption is portrayed
• Many hands reach more people
• Adoption succeeds