Getting From Talk to Action……..

The Regional Partnerships in Vermont represent a shift in relations between local communities and State government. Situated in each of the twelve Agency of Human Services districts, we work in close collaboration with the Vermont Agency of Human Services and with the Vermont Department of Education.

Our State partners realize that they alone cannot change community conditions. Our common purpose is to make progress towards ten broad outcomes of well-being through the development of strategies that engage diverse sectors of the community.

How Do We Actually Get From Talk to Action……..

We are keepers of the outcomes in our regions, taking responsibility for the big picture.

Using results-based accountability as our guide, we are the conveners in our communities, hosting public education forums and creating task groups to tackle particularly difficult community issues, such as:

• ex-offenders returning to their communities
• affordable housing
• students successfully completing their schooling

In particular, we recognize the power of the ordinary citizen and focus on civic engagement in every aspect of our work.

Our connection to the business community and other community partners assists AHS Field Directors in their planning. We also meet quarterly with our State partners at the State Team to focus on results-based accountability for key statewide initiatives.

Are We Making a Difference?

We are constantly asking ourselves and our partners "Are We Making a Difference?"

Annually, we publish regional report cards that

• highlight data related to particular outcomes and indicators our region has selected to work on
• identify the key partners that are vital for success, and
• describe our regional strategy to "turn the curve" on those indicators

Fundamentally, we work closely with our partners to impact policy, improve program practice, and bring resources to our regions. Please turn the page to see some specific examples of how we make a difference.

Our work groups create strategies that lead to change……….

In each of our regions, we support work groups that move us from talk to action. Here are some examples from around the state of strategies that are producing results:

Policy
In Brattleboro, the Alliance for Building Community(ABC) has brought youth from the margins of community life into the spotlight through the expansion of youth developmental assets. This close collaboration with community and school partners has contributed to a reduction in the high school drop out rate.

Program Practice
The Orleans Northern Essex Community Partnership (ONECP) collaborates with Building Bright Futures, the Orleans County Homelessness Coalition, the recently formed Healthy Community Coalition, the AHS Regional Advisory Council, and the O.N.E. Wide Open Futures prevention coalition.

People of Addison County Together sponsors a farm worker coalition that ensures access to health care by providing information, transportation, and translation services; and supported the Affordable Housing Coalition which developed a training tape for social service, a booklet for home/apartment seekers; and a risk sharing pool that assists with deposits and case-management.

The Champlain Initiative initiated a unique employer collaboration to apply “Bridges Out of Poverty” concepts to a workplace setting. Human resource professionals, managers, supervisors and top management are working on issues of mentoring, training, and employee financial stability. The goal is to reduce absenteeism and turnover among lower-income workers. The group plans to pilot various practices and programs and to issue a “Best Practice” report in 2008.

Bennington’s Catamount Partnership sponsored two Youth Summits focusing on education and employment. Each panel included youth participants. Long range planning to deal with Youth in Transition continues and a Transition Fair is in the process of development for May 2008.

Resources
The Rutland Regional Partnership for Family Services in collaboration with families and community agencies are addressing the broad based issues of supporting individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

In Lamoille County, People in Partnership helped convene and now facilitate a Housing Coalition whose work resulted in the reinvestment of General Assistance funds into case management and the development of LIFT Landlord Insurance for Tenants that assisted 25 families in the past 12 months.

In the Springfield district, the River Connection has been working with other community partners around substance abuse issues in the Greater Bellows Falls region. They have hosted a community forum, piloted some parent education courses and worked with the community to successfully submit a prevention grant. This is the first time that there will be a funded prevention coalition in this community.

In Central Vermont and Franklin/Grand Isle, the Regional Partnership has merged with their respective United Ways to further both organizations' community impact work.

Vermont Association of Regional Partnerships Membership Listing
For further information on VARP activities, please contact one of our three statewide coordinators See asterisks (*) below:

Click on the image below to view the map of
Vermont Regional Partnerships
(opens in separate window)