Training Guides for the Head Start Learning Community:
Community Partnerships:
Working Together


Module 1

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What is Collaboration?

Handout 5: Taking the First Steps

Instructions
You can take the first steps toward improving services for Head Start children and families by expressing your views and opinions about the questions presented below.

I. How Are We Doing on Our Own?

1. Are the lives of the children and families we serve improving? If not, why?

   
   

2. Are we achieving our program's mission? If not, why?

   
   

3. Are our Head Start services for children and families comprehensive?
   • Do we work in partnership with families?

     
     

   • Do we, as staff working with the same families and children, communicate often enough?

     
     

   • Do we measure the impact of our services, or do we simply total the number of services we provide?

     
     

   • Do we offer preventive supports and services to help our children and families avoid more serious problems?

     
     

4. How well are we connected with other agencies offering services and resources that our children and families need?
   • Do we have good working relationships with our colleagues in other agencies?

     
     

   • When we refer our families to community agencies do we have follow-up conversations with the service providers?

     
     

II. Do We Need to Change?

1. How effective will we be in 10 years if the needs of Head Start families continue to change and we continue to do business as usual?

   
   

2. What resource or other limitations do we face in improving our services and supports for families?

   
   

3. How might closer relationships with other organizations and community leaders help us improve services for the children and families we serve?

   
   

4. What are we trying to accomplish? What do we need to change?

   
   

III. How Ready Are We for Community Partnerships?

1. What is the history of collaboration in our program, neighborhood, community, and county? What lessons can we learn from past experiences, or the lack of them?

   
   

2. What do we know about other organizations' current needs and priorities that might encourage them to discuss common concerns and potential solutions with us?

   
   

3. Do we have relationships with community leaders who might be willing to assist us in a collaborative effort?

   
   

4. What are we willing to pay in terms of program dollars and staff time to build collaborative partnerships on behalf of Head Start children and families?

   
   

Handouts

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