Creating a Team Vision

Creating a Team Vision Training Outcomes: Identified strengths and contributions of each team member List of each team members’ vision for the CTT Picture of team’s shared vision Initial vision statement: target; vision; strategies

What is a Vision for the Future & Why Does Your Team Need one? • What is the vision for your team? • What is the purpose ? “It’s not what the vision is, it’s what it does”

"to develop an annual plan to improve secondary special education, transition, and transition planning services" (KS HB 2800) "The purpose of these teams is to discover and implement new and better ways of providing secondary special education and transition services ... the essence of transition teams is that they function at the level, taking advantage of the unique strengths of their own communities while working to solve common problems" (Halpern et al., 1991) To identify current services, programs and funding sources within the community for secondary and post-secondary aged youth with disabilities. To implement a needs assessment to identify the present and future needs of students with disabilities To share information between agencies To network between councils To evaluate the impact of the council on the community To develop and use a mission statement To locate financial resources for transition (Institute on Community Integration, 1990) Purpose of Community Transition Teams

Collective vision aligns the team to pursuit its mission Vision reflects the building of ideas Provides motivation and inspiration “A shared vision is not an idea.. It may be inspired by an idea, but once it goes further – if it is compelling enough to acquire the support of more than one person – then it is no longer an abstract.. People see it as if it exists” Shared Vision for your CTT

Vision vs. Reality • Two ways you can go: • Lower your vision • Change reality “The truly creative person knows that all creating is achieved through working with constraints. Without constraints there is no creating.” (Peter Senge, 1990, The Fifth Discipline)

Developing Your Team Vision • Make sure all stakeholders are involved • Expressed as clearly as possible • No jargon; make it understandable • Concise enough to remember! • Compelling, powerful and urgent • Vision will determine the organizational goals, partnerships and strategies

Developing Team Vision cont. • Who the team impacts (target group) • What the team wants to achieve (vision) • How your team will reach the vision (strategies) From: Kansas Transition Council Workbook (2000)

Writing Your Vision/Purpose/Mission The purpose of the (Name) Team is to (Vision) for (Target Group) by (Strategies) . • Can you do it in 3 sentences?? • Mankato CTIT: http://www.isd77.k12.mn.us/CTIC/index.html

Involving a Diverse Group of Team Members Training Outcomes: Understand importance of diverse membership Be able to form a strategy for recruitment Understand various council structures, including membership roles and responsibilities

“Community” may mean city, county, or a neighborhood. Each CTT will in fact look different Consider geographic issues Who are the right people for your community transition team?

When considering membership, think about who would… • Have the commitment to achieve the purpose of a CTT • Be willing to commit time • Be able to make decisions and do work • Have connections in the community • Have good problem-solving skills • Be knowledgeable of transition issues facing young adults.

Large Councils Large pool of resources More people to serve as officers Work completed through committees Difficult to schedule meetings Can share tasks and activities among many members Small Councils Fewer resources for funding Fewer people to serve as officers Work often completed through entire council Easy to meet A few people do majority of tasks and activities Large or Small Council?

Recruitment of Members • Consider building membership on a regular basis (not every few years when membership dwindles) • Think about potential members as you plan and carry-out activities • Complete an “inventory” and consider—who else do we need to successfully complete our activities? What expertise is missing?

ACTIVITY STEP 1: Close your manuals STEP 2: As a group, please generate a list of every possible type of CTT member you can think of. Write these on your large pads. You will have 5 minutes. The winning team will have the most types of potential members. STEP 3: GO!

How to recruit new members • Call and describe the purpose of your organization. • Don’t make them agree to be on the council during the phone call. But be sure and articulate your need for them to be on the council. • Immediately engage the new member by asking them to complete a task or activity. • Encourage them to attend a meeting. Invite them. • Call him/her a week after the meeting to discuss experience.

How Does this Apply to Students and Families? • Critical members • One of the Least Flexible Members • Strategies?

Membership Inventory Activity Review the Community Transition Team Membership Inventory as a group. Fill in the names of your current CTT members. Are there key members who are missing from your group? Discuss, and identify key missing members.

Community Transition Team Organization • Built on concepts of shared participation and decision-making • Sprit of equality and inclusiveness • Formal and informal structures

Team Decisions… • Formal document describing organization—meeting frequency, meeting procedures, leadership roles, finances • Officers?—how many, what roles, chairperson?, co-chairs? (typical roles listed on p. 22), treasurer? • Agenda and minutes?

More team decisions… • Committees? -standing and ad-hoc • Where and how often do we meet? -accessibility issues, flexibility, diversity Roles and Responsibilities Activity

Creating a Team Vision