A broad range of partners have joined together to collect information about community assets and needs and to identify opportunities for action. Our vision is the greater New Haven will be truly vibrant, interdependent region.

The Compass Collaborative operates with a core set of values that will help us achieve this vision for the region. We are open and inclusive and encourage broad community participation. We focus not only on the community needs, but also on the community's assets and strengths. We foster positive relationships and serve as a catalyst for change.

As part of the Compass Collaborative we challenge ourselves to think creatively, to find new ways in which Compass vision and values can both inform our collaborative action and support our individual institutional missions in order to significantly improve our region and its communities.

The purpose and mission of the Compass collaborative is to create a shared vision for our region and its communities and both provide a forum and serve as a vehicle in which a diverse group of organizations and individuals can come together to achieve shared, measurable community outcomes.

The Compass collaborative celebrates community success in areas of alignment, endorses work that is in keeping with our shared vision for the region and commits to specific action that will result in real, measurable outcomes in our priority issue areas. It does this by seeking regional alignment around priority issues by building and brokering relationships, connecting like-minded work, coordinating and supporting specific projects or initiatives and forging creative partnerships. We will ensure that all people of our region have access to data through our stewardship of and commitment to Data Haven.

Through this collaborative work we will find "true north" - a truly vibrant, interdependent region.

Our initial goal was to bring together a diverse group of organizations, entities and individuals to conduct a comprehensive inventory of community needs and assets and to identify opportunities for collaborative action.

The data collection and analysis phases of the project have been completed. At a retreat held in October, 2003, the partners identified two areas of focus: Education/Children & Youth, and Economic Health. The goal of these work groups was to: review and confirm the focus area vision, identify outcomes for the focus area based on Compass data, identify and recommend demonstration projects to the partnership at a meeting in March.

• The Compass Partners first efforts focus on the priority areas as follows:
  The Economic Health work group made several recommendations. Their primary recommendation was for the partners to rally behind a Regional Jobs Initiative project. And good news, this project was launched in March and is being lead by the Regional Growth Partnership in conjunction with the Regional Alliance, The Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce, the United Illuminating Company and the United Way of Greater New Haven - all Compass partners!
• The Education/Children & Youth work group also made several recommendations. Their primary recommendation is for the partners to embrace a public awareness campaign around the issue of early childhood education. The group identified a continuum of ways in which the partners could become involved

Community Compass is led by a group of partners who guide the information collection process and, more importantly, analyze the information to make decisions on priorities.

United Way of Greater New Haven is the principal partner in this effort. Compass took eighteen months to complete. The United Way Board of Directors has appropriated $50,000 for initial operating costs.

Tom Sansone, the managing partner at Carmody and Torrance and a member of the Executive Committee, is chair the project.

• Sign on as a partner. Community Compass partners contribute volunteer leadership on a steering committee and make a cash or in-kind contribution to the project.
• Contribute data. The intent of Community Compass is to reflect many voices in the area. We ask agencies and others who have completed studies or needs assessment to share their data so that it can be reflected in the results.
• Volunteer. Serve on a committee, help facilitate community conversations, inventory assets...contact us to find out more about the many ways to help with this dynamic project.
• To participate or to get more information please contact Sarah McNeely, Community Compass Project Manager by phone (203)772-2010, ext. 225 or e-mail smcneely@uwgnh.org