Collaboration 101

1
Collaboration 101

• Developing Collaborative Relationships

2
What is Collaboration?

• Exchanging information and sharing or pooling
  resources for mutual benefit to achieve a common
  purpose.
• Leadership that agrees to share
• information influence
• activities power
• resources decision making

3
What is Collaborative Leadership?

• Leadership that safeguards and promotes the
  collaborative process
• A leader who has skills
• conflict management creating safety
• developing trust assessment
• decision making
• and capacities, i.e., taking perspective,
• uncertainty, self reflection ego control

4
Why Collaborate?

• Last Head Start expansion
• Head Start Program Performance Standards
• 1304.40-41 Family Community Partnerships
• Values Program Governance/Policy Committee
• Increase services for children families
• Improve quality
• Strengthen communities/systems
• Pool power ownership of solutions
• Increase ability to handle complex issues

5
Collaboration Levels

• Involvement
• Commitment
• Resources
• (e.g., time,
• money)

Collaborating Cooperating Coordinating Networ
king
6
Collaborative Success Practices

• Assess the environment.
• Reflect Create Clarity
• Develop People Build Trust
• Share Power Influence

Children Families
7
Assess the environment.
Community Themes Strengths Assessment

• Organize, Partner
• Assess
• ID Strategic Issues
• Goals/Strategies
• Plan, Implement, Evaluate

Community EC System Assessment
Forces of Change Assessment
Local Program Assessment
8
Create clarity.

• Be clear about goals, direction vision.
• Commit to the cause define the outcome.
• Share vision common ground.
• Mobilize people.
• Assess ID issues Shared vision
• Action teams/plans Common values
• Implement, evaluate

Desired Future
Current reality
Mobilization
9
Build trust.

• Create safe places for developing shared purpose
  action.
• Trust Account

Deposits Telling the truth Keeping
promises Kindness, courtesies Loyalty to the
absent Apologizing Knowledge
Withdrawals Placing blame Breaking
promises Unkindness Violating expectations Gossip,
rumors Arrogance
10
Share Power Influence.

• Develop the synergy of people, organizations, and
  communities to accomplish a shared vision.
• 8 Sources of Power
• Position/Authority
• Information Expertise
• Control of Rewards
• Coercion
• Alliance Networks
• Access Control of Agendas
• Control of Meaning Symbols
• Personality

11
Share Power Influence.

• Know the difference between positions
  interests.
• Positions regulations, beliefs, demands
• Interests what you care about, concerns, what
  matters
• Must negotiate COMMON (middle) ground

12
Share Power Influence.

• Interest Position
• Concerns? Beliefs?
• Why does Why right?
• it matter?

• Position Interest
• Demands? Care
• about?
• Regulatory/ Worries?
• belief
• based?

Common Ground
13
Develop People.

• That is, bring out the best in others!
• Realize promote potential present
• Give up ownership or control
• Maximize use of talents resources
• Coach mentor
• Set goals provide feedback (builds confidence)

14
Develop People.

• Mentor
• Long term career focus
• Series of time limited confidential conversations
  other activities
• One to one continuous

• Coach
• Short term skills focus
• Activity
• Results in improvement of skills, capacity,
  performance

15
Self Reflection.

• Being aware of understanding
• Values
• Attitudes
• Behavior
• as relate to own leadership style impact.
• Can be program/agency intra-agency
  pre-assessment annual self assessment

16
Collaboration Operational Tips.

• Inter intra agency buy in?
• Written agreement implemented?
• Confidentiality protocols implemented?
• Systems databases revised?
• Collaboration team meets regularly?
• Communication systems used effectively?
• Conflict appropriately addressed?
• Cross training?
• Evaluating for outcomes?

17
Collaboration The Ideal Process.

• Pre-assessment readiness
• Determine need environmental scan
• Select/engage partners ground rules
• Share vision/mission/plan
• Written agreement
• Manage the partnership
• Evaluate

18
AT LEAST

• Have a vision that includes
• Child/family needs eligibility drive it
• Great relationships/partnerships
• Parent/provider choice input
• Quality, comprehensive services for all
  children/families
• Maximize resources
• Continuum of high quality services

19
Early Care Education Collaboration Models

• Models/Structure - 1 Agency 2 or more Agencies
  Agency with Family CC Homes
• Child Care, Early/Head Start, PreK/PI
• Strive for most integrated services, funding,
  staffing, continuity of care
• Many names co-location, dual enrollment, wrap,
  shared wrap, before after, braided/ blended

20
Program Collaboration Basics

• Document that combined funding is needed to
  provide services
• Use most restrictive regulations
• All E/HS must be in settings that comply with all
  HSPPS
• Budget/audit clearly delineate costs for each
  funding source
• Class size requirements vary count your
  children, especially the 3 year olds

21
Program Collaboration Basics

• Fees cannot be charged for HS or PreK.
• The HS Act allows for collecting fees for the
  child care portion of day in collaboration
• CCDF/CC subsidy may require that parents share in
  the cost of child care
• Be clear in signage, written materials, budgets
  what fees are being collected for what they
  support

22
Program Collaboration Basics

• Children/families must be eligible for all
  funding streams
• Hours of service can overlap
• No single service should be paid from more than a
  single funding source
• Cost allocate
• Clear written agreement

23
EligibilityTiers

• Level 3 PreK
• (at risk of academic failure)
• Generally Least Restrictive__
• Level 2 Child Care
• (income service working,
• training/education) _
• Level 1 Head Start
• (100 FPL/age)
• Generally Most Restrictive

24
Community Partner Strategies

• Community screenings
• Joint/coordinated community assessment
• Community planning
• Joint/coordinated recruitment enrollment
• Agreements to refer
• Joint T/TA
• Regular interagency meetings

25
Collaboration Issues Strategies

• Turf-ism
• Unresolved conflict/hidden agenda
• Lack of leadership/respect
• Lack of time, resources, overload
• Conflicting requirements
• Disorganization/lack of follow through

26
Focus on Solutions

• When something doesnt work
• Go back to the basics check attitude/
  personnel, systems written agreement
• Address conflict dont sweep under rug
• Communicate
• Negotiate
• Seek excellence
• Have a sense of humor keep children families
  1st!

27
Summary Common Collaboration Difficulties

• Lack of trust
• Hidden agendas
• No larger vision
• Apathy
• Avoidance of risk
• Problems are complex/interdependent
• Many people can say no but no one can act alone
• Time resources

28
Summary Leadership Traits Needed

• Intelligence Knowledge
• Maturity, Patience Ego Control
• Respect Communication
• Capacity for self-reflection
• Resources Energy
• Capacity Tolerance for Uncertainty
• Originality
• Empathy Persuasiveness
• Synoptic thinking

29
Summary Keys to Success

• Good Timing
• Strong Stakeholder Group
• Broad-based Involvement
• Clear Need
• Open Process
• Commitment of Strong Leaders
• Support of Authorities