Community Action Partnership Learning Community

Moving Forward with Peer LearningIn Community Action

September 12, 2014

Barbara Ledyard, Project Director Community Action Partnership

1140 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 1210Washington, DC 20036

202-449-9445www.communityactionpartnership.com

Agenda• What is the “Learning Community” • Components of Effective Learning Communities• CSBG Learning Community– Structure– Values– Lessons Learned– Expectations– Work Products

What is the Learning Community?A peer learning model funded by OCS where Community Action peers, ranging from beginners to accomplished professionals, assist each other with strategies to improve organizational outcomes within Community Action Agencies.Purpose: To analyze Community Action outcomes and identify effective, promising and innovative practice models that alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty.

People Learn Differently…

An Effective Learning Community …

• Goals relevant to each organization’s plan• Shared Learning• Technology serves to aid communication and

access to information• Resources are archived• Experimentation encouraged

CSBG Learning Community Project

• 160 agencies engaged• 5 poverty-related topics and 3 specialty topics• Working together over 15 months

Learning Community comprised of Cluster Groups

• 5 Primary Groups– Decreasing Family Homelessness– Increasing Financial Empowerment for Families– Increasing Organizational Capacity (Board Governance)– Utilizing Place-Based Strategies– Bundling Services to Improve Outcomes

• 3 Specialty Groups– Tracking the Use of CSBG Dollars (Barbara Mooney)– National Trends in Poverty (Jim Masters)– Implementing Organizational Standards for States (NASCSP)

How does the Learning Community work?

Members attend bi-monthly meetings, virtually or in-person, and strategize on ways to improve outcomes within Community Action Agencies.

Bi-monthly meetings may include:1. Discussing “what works” 2. Sharing data findings3. Solving problems4. Offering support for implementing new ideas5. Sharing best practices

How is the Learning Community structured?

• Comprised of “Cluster Groups” • Unique Work Activities • T/TA • Guidance of subject matter experts and ROMA

trainers• Open environment; conducive to experimentation• Shared learning

Cluster Values

• Confidentiality—all participants should feel free to share challenges and struggles.

• Accountability—everyone “shows up.” Those who participate fully benefit the most.

• Caring about everyone’s success—share resource information and help each other.

All Cluster work activities should incorporate:

• Data Tracking

• ROMA Principles

Lessons Learned

• Size Matters

• Work Plan Development

• Peer Communication

What the CA Network can expect !!

• Promising, proven and/or best practices • Innovative methods of addressing poverty• Experimentation• Implementation of new ideas • White papers• Monographs• Lessons learned from the field• Increased accumulated knowledge• Improved data collection • Shared learning and mentoring• Rapid solution development• Local/regional implementation of learning cluster models

What to Expect…

LC Publications: White Papers & Monographs• “Lessons Learned from Working in High Poverty Areas”• “Utilizing a Two-Generational Approach to Reduce Poverty”

For more info:

Contact Barbara Ledyard, Project DirectorPhone - 202-449-9775

Email: bledyard@communityactionpartnership.com

This publication was created by the National Association of Community Action Agencies – Community Action Partnership, in the performance of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services Grant Number

90ET0436. Any opinion, findings, and conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.