UWSF@Work

Adapted from a MAPS presentation, developed and written by Diane McCants and Kim Sumpter, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta for the 2009 Staff Leaders Conference, May 12-15 , Detroit, MI

Background

Strengthening Families Initiative

One of the goals of the UWSF@Work is to extend the united Work beyond its traditional targets and model portions of the strategies internally

Financial Stability

• Supporting individuals and families in increasing income, saving and building assets

• Using Income strategies as a way to build relationships and foundation for integrated support

Overview: UWSF@Work

What is UWSF@Work?

• UWSF@Work provides an entry way to resources for individuals and families. Its meets them where they are, provides guideposts on how to be more resilient, and creates the right building blocks for a good life.

• Our United Way continually looks for the most effective ways to help people gain access to educational, economic and health-related opportunities.

Overview of UWSF@Work

How does it work?

• UWSF@Work bundles resources and acts as a conduit for employers to provide information and support to their employees.

• Resources are focused on the critical areas for a stable life— education, income and health.

Overview of UWSF@Work

Why is UWSF@Work important?

o Recognizes that the issues families face cannot be tackled in isolation

o Integration of Work (i.e., education, income and health)

o In order to achieve community level outcomes, various strategies are needed to connect individuals to services.

o Employers are a conduit to move the work forward

Critical Components For Implementation

Target Population

Staffing

Technology

Training

Community partnerships

Volunteers

Marketing

Evaluation

Resourcing

Overview: UWSF@Work

Target population

• Individuals and families with incomes less than 80 percent of the area median income.

How are they accessed?

• Businesses who employ low-to-moderate wage workers

• Businesses with 50 or less employees

Guide to implementation for local UWs

Staffing

The amount of staff needed depends upon company profile and intensity of services to be delivered.

Company ABC

50- 100 Employees

Resource Development

Community Impact

Company ABC

500- 1,000Employees

Scenario 2Scenario 1

Navigator

Community Impact

Resource Development

Guide to Implementation - Staffing

The Process for Working Together

• Team Approach

• Setting Expectations

Guide to implementation

The Resource Navigator is an essential component.

• Job description

• Training

• Monthly briefings

• Train-the-Trainer model

• Can become lead supervisor for group of navigators

Resource Navigator Role

• Community Partners

• Impact Staff

• Resource Development Staff

Guide to implementation

Training

• Depending on the size and make up of your United Way, the training of staff must include:

– Impact staff (Dual Role)

–Resource Development (Dual Role)

–Human Resources

–Volunteers

• Training will occur on :

–Product line

–Technology used to support implementation (i.e., CRM)

–Knowledge of community resources

Guide to implementation

Technology

• CRM

• ETO (Social Solutions – data tracking, outcomes management)

• CD-Rom based toolkit for HR directors

• Resource CD (fact sheets, issue papers)

• Customizable Web interface for companies

Guide to implementation

Community partnerships

• The capacity to broker services on behalf of an employer depends heavily on the number of networks built and requires collaboration across all sectors.

• Maximize current funding relationships

• Creating A Preferred Vendors List

• Capacity building

Guide to Implementation

Volunteers

• Volunteer engagement is important and can be an essential piece particularly for those smaller UWs who may not have enough staff.

• Volunteer affinity groups may be a great pool of human resources to connect to.

• Volunteers can serve in several different capacities in UWSF@Work.

Guide to Implementation

Marketing/Communication

• View as a Line of Business

• Clear Product Development Framework in Place to Implement

• Work Closely with Marketing/Communication as a way to move the work and not separate initiative

• Develop specific pieces of collateral to market program, i.e. brochures, etc.

Guide to implementation

• Nonprofit partners

– Increased collaboration

– More comprehensive results for the families they serve

Evaluation tiersGlobal/Population focus – the Individual or Family

Increased individual/family resiliency Increased self-sufficiency

Increased knowledge and access to community resources

Business/Organization Changes in policy and

practice Shifts in organizational

culture Increased employee retention Increased productivity

Guide to implementation

Increased knowledge and access to community resources

Lunch-N-LearnFamily Planning

Increased self-

sufficiency

Increased family

resiliency

Born Learning materials

Lunch-N-

LearnFamily Planning

IDA Program

Born Learning

materials

Lunch-N-

LearnFamily Planning

Benefits enrollment

On-the-job

training

Guide to implementation

Resourcing

• Expenses will be derived from personnel and program costs, which include materials, technology, evaluation and training.