On March 23, United Way of Greater New Haven (UWGNH) hosted a forum for non-profit organizations to share information about Boost! and to get their input about how Boost! should be designed.  The Mayor and Superintendent both shared their vision about what New Haven young people need, the school change initiative, and how providing coordinated services to young people and their families through our vibrant non-profit sector is a vital component of the overall effort to promote student learning.  UWGNH CEO Jack Healy explained why United Way was involved in this work, and how it would help address the educational disparity that emerged from a regional needs assessment several years ago as one of the region's top priorities.  We also heard from three non-profit leaders about some of the experiences they have had working with the schools to meet the needs of young people. 

The rest of the meeting was devoted to small group discussions about how to improve communication and coordination among non-profits and the schools and the potential challenges around data-sharing among schools and non-profits.  The results from these small group discussions, as well as the individual surveys that participants completed, will be shared with everyone who attended the meetings, and will be used to guide the development of Boost!.  There are additional focus groups planned with school personnel, students, faith-based groups, and other community groups to ensure that we get input from all of the stakeholders who need to be part of shaping this effort. 

There is still a lot that is unknown about Boost!  What shape will it take, what resources will it require and/or provide, and what does it mean for non-profits and schools and the way that they work together?  The planning process is designed to help answer those questions, and we're eager to hear people's ideas; we are also looking at other communities to get a sense of what works and what doesn't, and conducting an inventory of what already exists in our community so that we can build on it.  I think some people at the March 23 forum were probably frustrated by the lack of specifics, but overall, there seemed to be a positive spirit in the room and almost everyone said they would like to stay involved in the planning process.  The good news is we're not starting from scratch -- there are already lots of positive things happening within the non-profit sector and schools in our community.  However, we want to amplify those good things, and make sure that the services that are provided are coordinated, high-quality, and aligned with improving student learning.  Change is hard, but I believe by working together we can create a more coordinated way of providing services so that all New Haven's young people experience success.