MiConnections: The Kent County Experience

1. MiConnections: The Kent County Experience Don't ask me what I want to be, until I've had a chance to explore the possibilities . . . Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

2. The Framework • A Process for Impacting Outcomes for Youth Through Planning Strategically & Collaboratively • Using Research-Based Activities (or effective practices) • Building on the Strengths of the System (community) • Built on the Unique Needs of Each Community Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

3. The Framework • The framework is what underlies what we’ve built • It is the effective practices, research, and processes • First I want to show you the house that Kent built (or, is building….) and why. • Then we’ll look at HOW the house was built: the tools, process, the builders, etc. We’ll lift the hood, later . . . Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

4. What is MiConnections? • It depends on the needs of your community • It depends on the strengths of your community • It depends on what your students are saying . . . so listen well to them • It depends on decisions made collaboratively with your community partners Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

5. MiConnections Of Kent County This presentation will describe what MiConnections is in Kent County Our model should be used as an example of what can be done with MiConnections in your community Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

6. MiConnections Of Kent County • Identify your Partners • Community problems require community solutions • More specifics, later . . .. • Environmental Scan: • What is the situation in your community? • What are the strengths (resources)? • Within the schools • In the community • What are the needs? Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

7. MiConnections Of Kent County Needs in Kent County: • Dropout Rates • At-Risk Youth • Poverty-Rates • Supportive Networks: youth need a safety net • Youth Leadership Development • Mentoring • Entrepreneurship Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

8. MiConnections Of Kent County Strengths in Kent County: • Disneyland of Community Resources • Over 2000 community-based organizations • Over 300 after-school opportunities • Technical Training Programs • Kent Transition Center • Kent Career / Technical Center • GRCC M-TEC and Applied Technology Center in collaboration with Ferris State University Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

9. MiConnections Of Kent County Strengths in Kent County: • Every school has a few teachers that are looking for ways to go “above and beyond” and make a difference. • Every school has a few key students that want to be more involved in things they are interested in. • Every student has a LOT of energy Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

10. MiConnections Of Kent County Strengths in Kent County: • A growing willingness to collaborate • Schools • Community Organizations • Examples: • Kent County Mentoring Collaborative • Community Development Initiatives • Community Transition Council Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

11. ? How do we leverage our strengths to meet our community needs? Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

12. ? Example of what happens if we don't . . . Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

13. Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

14. MiConnections Of Kent County Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

15. MiConnections Of Kent County • Local Sites (25 schools/programs) • That Key Staff Person • Those Fired Up Youth • Question #1: • What are you really interested in? • Question #2: • What are you gonna to do about it? Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

16. MiConnections Of Kent County • “Club” Model Captures the • Energy of youth • Interests of youth • Creativity of youth • Blows right by us adults • Takes the interests of youth seriously • YOUTH can reach YOUTH Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

17. Story Time • What do you do with a bunch of guys from Byron Center that can only talk about working on cars? • Adult perspective: What am I going to do with these guys? • MiConnections perspective: Ask ‘em! . . . And listen . . . Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

18. How'd They Do That? • Youth solution: Write a proposal to do volunteer work at a homeless shelter and . . . • Take home a car out of the deal! • Adult Response: What??? Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

19. How'd They Do That? • The Automobile of the Present • 1990 Suburban • Two-tone: blue and grey • The Automobile of the Future • Jet Black • With “Lifters” • Youth Attitude: Just wait, you’ll see! Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

20. Supportive Networks • Common theme throughout our schools • Lack of safety net is seriously affecting outcomes Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

21. Supportive Networks • What do YOU do when the bottom falls out? • Most of us have developed a group of friends and relatives that we can turn to • Is this the case with our students? • Where do they turn? • In Kent County, we see this as the critical first step, if we are going to impact outcomes. • Without a safety net, rest doesn’t matter • If this is affecting outcomes for graduates, what about the dropouts? Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

22. Supportive Networks • Interviews with students that had dropped out of school show that • Most kids thought about dropping out before 8th grade • Less that 5% reported talking to someone at schools about their thoughts • Of students that participate in at least one extracurricular activity, 70-75% graduate. • Of students that participate in no extracurricular activities, 15% graduate. (Larry Kotering, Appalachian State University) Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

23. Supportive Networks Three levels of Supportive Networks being developed • Local Sites • Countywide Network • Individualized Networks for each student Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

24. Supportive Networks • Local Sites • Identify at least one staff person in each school • Begin with at least five students that are • Fired up to explore their interests • Willing to do the planning Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

25. Supportive Networks • Local Sites (Cont.) • Funding available for activities • Network expands as youth • Invite their buddies • Venture into the community and do more activities In this way we are leveraging the strengths we identified Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

26. MiConnections Of Kent County Don't ask me what I want to be, until I've had a chance to explore the possibilities . . . Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

27. Supportive Networks • Countywide Network • 25 developing sites • Youth, adults, community partners • Learning community is being created for • Dissemination of effective practices • Sharing resources and information • Collaboration • We have so many effective practices across the county. But how do they improve outcomes across the whole county??? Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

28. Supportive Networks • Countywide Network • Resources for Local Sites • CD Rom of effective practices and community resources • Community Resource Cards • Identifies resources for specific activities • MiConnections Startup Guide • Countywide, Coordinated Activities • Contact information between sites Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

29. Supportive Networks • Individualized support networks through pre-IEP Student Planning Process • Research-based group planning process • Strategic Planning • Consider at all potential influences • Systems approach • Build on strengths to minimize barriers (red flags) Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

30. Supportive Networks • Individualized support networks through pre-IEP Student Planning Process • Strength / Asset Based Planning • Appreciative Inquiry and Dialogue Principles • Person-centered planning • Wraparound Services Model Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

31. Identify Problem Conduct Root Cause Analysis Brainstorm Solutions & Analyze Develop Action Plans Metaphor: A person is a problem to be solved Appreciate “What is” (What gives life?) Imagine “What Might Be” Determine “What Should Be” Create “What Will Be” Metaphor: A person is a solution/mystery to be embraced. Deficit-Based Planning Asset-Based Planning Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

32. Deficit Language in Special Ed Impaired Challenged Too much on my plate FLUNKED Adequate Yearly Progress Report Cards BURNOUT Disorder Handicapped TURF BATTLES Critical Thinking Deficit Failure Rate WARNING UNFAVORABLE CONDITIONS UNFAVORABLE Isolation Dropout Rate SILOS PARENTAL COMPLAINTS Community Criticism Rejection LABELED AT-RISK Spell Check Red Tape High-Stakes Testing Under-Staffed Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

33. Community Partners The outcomes of youth are much more than an educational problem. Community issues must be tackled by the community. Brenda VandeVoort is one of our community partners (Disability Advocates of Kent Co.) Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

34. Community Partners Disability Advocates of Kent County Student Planning Process Provide resources to local sites Summer activities Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

35. Community Partners ARC of Kent County Cascade Engineering Disability Advocates Goodwill Industries Grand Rapids Community College M-TEC Noto’s Fine Italian Dining VSA ARTS Michigan Rehabilitation Services Michigan Commission for the Blind Association for the Blind Michigan Works Michigan Commission on Disability Concerns Michigan Community Service Commission Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

36. The Framework Four Design Features: Research-Based Activities That Improve Outcomes for Youth State Resources Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

37. Contact Information Kent County: Ron Irvine 616-301-6198 - ronaldirvine@kentisd.org Brenda VandeVoort 616-949-1100 - Brenda.V@disabilityadvocates.us Statewide: Marcie Alling 517-335-0390 - AllingM@michigan.gov Lynn Boza 517-241-3957 - BozaL@michigan.gov Shannon Berkin 269-337-3449 - BerkinS@michigan.gov Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

38. Earnings of College Graduates Unemployment Rate in 2002 Median Earnings in 2001 Professional degree 1.6% $82,421 Doctoral degree 1.6% $75,182 Master’s degree 2.8% $56,589 Bachelor’s degree 3.1% $46,969 Associate’s degree 4.0% $36,399 Some college, no degree $34,340 4.8% High school graduate 5.3% $29,187 Some high school,no diploma 8.5% $22,350 Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

39. The Changing Needs of the American Workforce Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

40. Clarification of Previous Chart • PROFESSIONAL • Baccalaureate Professional • Degree Required • SKILLED • Certificate • Apprenticeship • Possible Associates Degree • UNSKILLED • High School Diploma Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

41. 4-Year Bachelors Degree Certificate, Apprenticeship, Associates Degree High School Diploma 20% Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

42. The Changing Nature of Work Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

43. % Of High School Students Planning To Attend College 94% Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

44. % Of High School Graduates Not Earning Bachelors Degrees 75% Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

45. % Of College Graduates In Jobs Not Requiring College Degrees 28-35% Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

46. % Of Community College Students Holding 4-year College Degrees 30% Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

47. % Of 18-24 Year Olds In U.S. Earning Minimum Wage 43% 28% Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

48. Post-Secondary Plans of Kent Co. Students: “Results of the Student Survey, Kent County, June 1997,” Grand Rapids Public Schools. Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

49. How Education Boosts Your Bottom LineAverage gross weekly salary for U.S. Workers with various levels of education (1994 Bureau of Labor Statistics) Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!

50. Family Wage • Through the 1960’s, a single production worker with a high school diploma could earn enough to support a spouse and child, buy a car and own a home. • Today, it takes two earners, each with two years of college to achieve the same standard of living. Experiences Limited Only By Imagination!!!