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A focus on family and youth mental health in Lyons Township, Illinois
The Lyons Township Mental Health Commission, established in 1972, is a local planning and funding body “working to enhance community services for persons with mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse problems.” Enabling residents to lead more productive and fulfilling lives, the commission promotes coordinated mental health services through local, community-based organizations. In partnership, Pillars,… READ MORE →
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Partners for Education improves educational outcomes in rural communities
“FAST helps parents become leaders in their home so that they can become leaders in the school as well.” Grace McKenzie, Associate Director of Family Partnership at Partners for Education Founded in 1995 by Dreama Gentry, Partners for Education at Berea College works to improve educational outcomes for nearly 40,000 young people, and their families across 54… READ MORE →
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Creating lasting community in San Antonio
Family Service Association of San Antonio has been a fixture in the community for 114 years. Established in 1903, Family Service has been providing financial assistance to families struggling with poverty and in need of support. Guided by its mission to “empower individuals and families to transform their lives and strengthen their community,” Family Service offers… READ MORE →
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Funding and implementing FAST without a community partner
The majority of FAST® Program implementations involve a partnership between a school and a community-based organization or social-service agency. The organization administers funding, handles FAST-related administrative tasks such as distributing the evaluations, and typically provides a team member, the Community Partner. The first six posts in this blog series have focused on building these partnerships, but what… READ MORE →
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FAST from the perspective of a community partner: Building connections with families and communities
In this blog post about building relationships between schools and community partners, we have explored the advantages of partnerships between schools and community-based organizations for the purpose of implementing the FAST® Program. Community partners serve schools by administering funds, participating as a member of the FAST Team, and handling program logistics, such as ordering supplies… READ MORE →
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Making a compelling case for FAST with your community-based organization
The last blog post, “How to Find Community-Based Organizations: Start with the End Goal in Mind,” described the benefits of starting with the end in mind, and determining the outcomes you wish to achieve within your school, before approaching a community-based organization. But identifying outcomes is just one part of a well-crafted proposal. You also want… READ MORE →
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Think like a marketer when approaching a prospective community partner
There’s the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” For schools seeking to form a partnership with a community-based organization, a positive first impression might mean demonstrating that you will be a trustworthy and responsible recipient for their funding, time, and resources. You wear many hats as an administrator, and this… READ MORE →
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How to find community-based organizations: Start with the end goal in mind
The first two blog posts of this seven-part series – Connecting Families and Resources: The Important Role of Community Partners on the FAST Team and Partnering with Local Community-Based Organizations is Key to FAST Implementations, discussed how a relationship with a community partner can provide funding and resources for your school to implement the FAST® Program. But, how do you find… READ MORE →
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Connecting families and resources: The important role of community partners on the FAST Team
The previous blog post explored how relationships with community and social-service organizations can be instrumental in implementing the FAST® Program at your school. The community organization typically leads the FAST implementation, providing funding and support, while working closely with the school. Organizations contribute to FAST implementations in another significant way — each team includes at least one Community… READ MORE →
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Partnering with local community-based organizations is key to FAST implementations
Like most activities that are worthwhile and result in long-term change, implementing Families & Schools Together’s evidence-based parent engagement program, FAST®, can take significant resources — time, money, and staff. Fortunately, you and your school don’t have to do it all yourself. Many successful FAST implementations at schools and districts across the U.S., and even… READ MORE →
